FORD TESTS FOR CORROSION IN ARIZONA
By John Fossen, FCN
|
You may be surprised to know that Ford's North American vehicles are tested for long-term corrosion -- or rust -- resistance in hot, dry Arizona. Why not a colder climate?
"There isn't much corrosion below freezing," said Jeffrey Helms, manager, Materials Development and Release, Ford Global Paint Engineering. "Actually, the worst thing you can do to your vehicle in the winter is to park it in your garage. When it warms, up, the ice turns to water and carries road salt into various nooks and crannies where it starts to go to work on the vehicle's coating if it is not properly protected."
At Ford's Arizona Proving Ground (APG), the company has a more effective way to distribute salt in and around a vehicle exterior -- by using a high-pressure salt spray.
"Every so often, as part of our overall vehicle durability testing at APG, a car or truck is driven into a special chamber where it is exposed to salt spray," said Helms. "With an accelerated test schedule, we can simulate years of customer use in just a few months."
Helms adds that Ford also uses laboratory test methods sanctioned by the Society of Automotive Engineers to analyze the corrosion protection of individual components.