CSI Ford Uses CT Scan to Detect Flaws

If we are to judge by the number of advanced technologies Ford says it is using in the development process of its vehicles, one would say the cars produced by the Dearborn car maker are the best the world has ever seen.

Of course, the sales numbers show there are plenty those who believe this is so. It is, if you like, a vicious circle: Ford announces it used the “x” technology to create the Focus, for instance, more people buy the Focus as a result and Ford is able to announce it has bought a new tech to use in the manufacturing process.

Ever wondered how Ford detects minuscule imperfections in the parts that go in its cars? Neither did we, but the car maker thought to let us in on the secret: computed tomography (CT), not much different than the ones used by police and hospitals (but much less impressive than the sci-fi tech used in the non-sci-fi CSI: New York).

Using the Skyscan Micro-CT, Ford engineers are able to detect imperfections in parts like gears, latches, welds, nuts, bolts, fasteners and sensors. Once the CT has detected the crack, for instance, the 3D virtual imaging computer is used to target a flaw usually not bigger than a dust particle.

When a flaw has been detected, the news reaches the ears of the ones responsible for manufacturing the part, who are asked to fix the problem.

As a side note, all the high tech gizmos used in Ford's facilities were apparently not enough to deter a Yucatan spiny-tailed iguana to sneak aboard a transport of parts shipped from Mexico back in July.