How Ford Chihuahua Engine Plant Optimizes Crankshaft Quality Control with Portable 3D Metrology Solutions

About Ford Chihuahua Engine Plant

Ford Chihuahua Engine Plant

Founded in 1983, the Ford Chihuahua Engine Plant has become a global benchmark in automotive manufacturing. Located on a 100-hectare site, the plant employs more than 2,400 people dedicated to manufacturing excellence. The facility specializes in high-performance diesel engines, primarily producing the 6.7L Power Stroke engine for Ford Super Duty trucks (F-250, F-350, F-450) and commercial vehicles (F-650, F-750), as well as engines for Range Rover models.

As a key global production center for Ford diesel engines, the plant represents over four decades of manufacturing excellence—combining industrial heritage with the future of mobility.

Forging Variations and The Bottleneck of Traditional Inspection 

Within the plant, a dedicated machining area focuses exclusively on crankshaft production. They received forged raw crankshaft components from external forging vendors. However, during incoming inspection, Ford detected dimensional variations in the forged components that prevented proper alignment in machining fixtures.

This misalignment resulted in severe production risks:

• Tool Collisions: Inaccurate positioning could cause expensive machining tools to crash into the workpiece.
• Insufficient Material: Some components lacked the necessary material to complete essential machining operations.
  

Without accurate, comprehensive 3D dimensional data, the engineering team could not identify the root cause of these issues—whether it was concentricity problems, excess material, or specific forging defects. This lack of technical visibility caused delays and severely limited their ability to provide effective feedback to suppliers.

Additionally, traditional inspection using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) required transporting large, heavy crankshafts across the facility, creating unnecessary operational and safety risks. 

Additionally, GSM developed the dedicated Work Instructions (WI) for Ford. This standardized the scanning process, eliminated measurement variability, ensured consistent results, and seamlessly integrated the new technology directly into Ford’s Quality Management System (QMS).

The Results

Through instant comparison with the original CAD model, the color map immediately revealed areas of material deficiency in a specific counterweight block. The inspection software also precisely extracted deviation data, quantifying the error margin in micrometers. This confirmed that the part's physical imbalance, rather than issues within the company's internal machining processes, prevented its proper installation in the machining fixture.

Ford can now validate suspect batches at receipt, ensuring only dimensionally compliant parts enter production. Inspection reports provide clear evidence for supplier corrective actions. Tool collisions and premature wear were eliminated, reducing unplanned downtime and improving shop-floor safety. The process is standardized and integrated into Ford’s Quality Management System.

By adopting 3D digitizing technology, the Ford Chihuahua Engine Plant standardized and integrated an advanced, real-time diagnostic process into their world-class Quality Management System, ensuring they continue to deliver power and efficiency in every mile.