Aero Chocolate Bar Inspires Ford's MuCell Weight Saving Technology

Focusing on finding new methods of reducing weight without sacrificing strength, durability or function, Ford engineers have come up with a chocolate-inspired technology that does just that. Dubbed MuCell, the new technology uses the same principle as the Aero chocolate bar, namely gas bubbles are injected during manufacturing to produce lighter plastic.

This technology leaves a microscopic honeycomb structure, while also coming with lower pressures used to mould the plastic and up to 33 per cent more parts per hour than a conventional process. This increase in speed and efficiency reduces energy consumption, manufacturing emissions and cost for parts produced.

Ford has committed to a minimum of 100 kg (220 lbs) weight reduction from its smallest cars and 300 kg (661 lbs) from larger cars by 2020 as part of environmental initiatives. Weight saving, including deploying MuCell technology, is also achieved from other materials such as high-strength Boron steels.

The MuCell technology will first be featured in engine covers on vehicles such as Focus, C-MAX and Grand C-MAX, S-MAX, Mondeo and Galaxy in the next few years.

"The first time I saw this plastic under the microscope I thought to myself it looks like an Aero chocolate bar!The bubbles in the chocolate change the taste, but in our plastics they save weight and making cars lighter reduces emissions and fuel consumption significantly," said Ford's MuCell technology expert Carsten Starke.

"We are saving weight in many ways, not just by using this new plastic, because lighter cars handle better, accelerate faster and stop more quickly. For the customer it is win-win, the plastic is 20 per cent lighter without increasing cost or reducing strength and it will help make their Ford better in almost every aspect," he added.