A Special Report
Another driver of innovation that couldn’t be ignored in 2013 was the demand for newer products outside the world of traditional aircraft engines and airframes. The past year saw commercial-space milestones from SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and Orbital Sciences Corp.—all of which put crafts into space. Meanwhile, US drone manufacturing is large enough that it is poised to create more than 70,000 jobs, according to a March report from the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). Even Very Light Jets, a dream of the previous decade thought to be dead in the water since the Great Recession, are back, as the FAA granted approval for production of the Eclipse 550 VLJ in March 2013. As ever, novel devices will continue to be the parents of novel manufacturing processes.
Motorized Vehicle Manufacturing
After experiencing double-digit sales growth for the past few years, light vehicle sales are expected to experience slower rates of increase as post-recession auto sales normalize. US consumers purchased 15.6 million pas- senger cars and light trucks in 2013, an increase of 8% over the prior year. About 80% of those vehicles were made in North America, accord- ing to Automotive News. And while IHS predicts 2014 sales will reach 16 million and then level out at about 2% growth a year through 2019, the industry is still expected to undergo much manufacturing investment as automakers retool for fuel-efficient new models made with new materials and technology.
the use of aluminum will reduce the weight of the F-150 by as much as 700 lbs, and that other vehicles in its line will switch to the material in the future.
In line with another industry trend aimed at improving fuel economy, the number of gears being used in all vehicles is proliferating. General Motors and Ford, for example, are collaborating to develop nine- and 10-speed transmissions to increase fuel economy. Six-speed automatics had become the industry norm only within the last 10 years, but the industry has quickly leaped to eight-, nine- and soon 10-speed gearboxes to
The 2015 Ford F-150, features new lightweighting strategies that are changing auto manufacturing as it strives to meet new fuel-economy rules.
Fuel economy and emission regulations are leading to an avalanche of innovation in terms of auto design, advanced materials and manufacturing processes. Lightweighting (through both material use and design) is being applied to traditional combustion-engine vehicles. In addition, these tra- ditional vehicles are now being fitted with highly sophisticated engines and transmissions.
The most radical lightweighting effort to date surfaced at the Detroit auto show, where Ford pulled the wraps off the 2015 F-150 pickup. The new truck will be built primarily from high-strength, military-grade aluminum alloys, rather than steel. While other vehicles have used aluminum in this fashion—the Audi A8 being one—none is built in the volume of Ford’s F-Series, which has been the best-selling truck in the US for 37 years and the best-selling vehicle for 32 years. Ford says
meet federal fuel-economy mandates. This heightened need for gears is resulting in new tools and techniques being implement- ed to meet the demand. Heavy-duty vehicles—over-the-road trucks, off-highway vehicles and agriculture equipment—also are facing new fuel standards. Many of the strategies used by light-vehicle manu- facturers are likely to be adopted and adapted to this segment to meet those goals.
Meanwhile, green cars (hybrids, plug-in electrics and fuel cells) continue to gain steam. About 96,000 electric cars were sold in 2013, according to Green Car Reports. That’s up from 53,000 in 2012 and 17,500 in 2011, and there are now 16 different plug-in cars offered for sale.
Energy Manufacturing—A Revolution The reign of shale continues.
According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), shale/tight oil and shale gas resources have revolution-
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