Ford Initiative Turns 3D Waste Into Auto Parts

Trash To Treasures

The Blue Oval brand continues to go green with another eco-friendly initiative. A recent press release from the Ford Motor Company states that it has partnered with technological giant Hewlett-Packard to recycle used 3D-printed powders and parts into efficient injection-molded vehicle parts. Not only is this revolutionary on its own, but we at Portsmouth Ford want you to know that this is a first-time occurrence in the automotive industry. According to the release, the recycled parts consist of injection-molded fuel-line clips installed on the rugged Ford Super Duty® F-250. The parts have improved moisture and chemical resistance, cost about 10% less than normal, and are 7% lighter than typical components.* Ford engineers are also working on doing the same for 10 other fuel-line clips for several existing models.

“Finding new ways to work with sustainable materials, reducing waste, and leading the development of the circular economy are passions at Ford. Many companies are finding great uses for 3D printing technologies, but, together with HP, we’re the first to find a high-value application for waste powder that likely would have gone to landfill, transforming it into functional and durable auto parts.” – Debbie Mielewski, Ford Technical Fellow, Sustainability.

Rewards in Refuse

The press release states that HP already has broken ground into the realm of 3D printing and the partnership with Ford has yielded a process involving absolutely no waste. On Ford’s end, it is developing new applications and materials to use for its own 3D printing, like filaments and liquid vat polymerization. The company’s main goal is to “achieve 100% sustainable materials in its vehicles.” Here at Portsmouth Ford, we stand fully behind Ford’s efforts to be as environmentally conscious as possible and look forward to hearing even more about this innovative endeavor. Stay in touch with us for more details!
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