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Ford Tests 2017 Super Duty Using Transportable Environmental Four Posters

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Transportable Environmental Four Posters

Ford employs mobile climate and road simulators known as Transportable Environmental Four Posters in the effort to make its next-generation 2017 F-Series Super Duty trucks better able to stand up to rough roads and extreme temperatures.

The system features four-point road simulators that sit under each wheel, and it is carried around in an 18-wheeler—hence the name. Ford uses the system to simulate driving the 2017 F-Series Super Duty on uneven terrain and in temperatures from 20 below zero to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, all in the name of reducing noise and bolstering ruggedness.


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“Mobile climate and road simulators are absolutely key to finding unwanted noises in the early stages of vehicle development,” said Craig Schmatz, Ford F-Series Super Duty chief engineer. “Extreme climates and terrains are especially known for bringing out squeaks and rattles. Identifying and mitigating these noises long before a vehicle goes into production is one more way Ford is working to deliver great vehicle quality.”

Ford says that the Transportable Environmental Four Posters will enable the Super Duty to have been tested for more than 12 million total miles, ensuring that this generation is the toughest, most reliable, and best-performing heavy duty truck Ford has ever built.

Ford has used the Transportable Environmental Four Posters for more than 100 global vehicle launches.

“Simulator technology has come a long way in helping to reduce noises in vehicles,” said Timothy Wittrock, Ford North American current model supervisor for squeak and rattle testing. “Transportable Environmental Four Poster technology has been instrumental in reducing squeaks and rattles under various operating conditions to deliver a whisper-quiet driving experience for customers.”


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