Welcome to the Australian Ford Forums forum.

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and inserts advertising. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features without post based advertising banners. Registration is simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Please Note: All new registrations go through a manual approval queue to keep spammers out. This is checked twice each day so there will be a delay before your registration is activated.

Go Back   Australian Ford Forums > General Topics > The Pub

The Pub For General Automotive Related Talk

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 25-02-2021, 03:15 PM   #1
Bossxr8
Peter Car
 
Bossxr8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: geelong
Posts: 23,145
Default Ford Australia overhauled Broadmeadows design studio

https://www.caradvice.com.au/928525/...lion-overhaul/


The Ford Australia design studio that was the birthplace for most Falcons – as well as the Territory, and current Ranger and Everest – has been given a long overdue overhaul.


Ford Australia’s design centre has been given a new lease on life with a $12 million renovation that secures its future for at least another decade.

The top secret styling studio in Broadmeadows on the northern outskirts of Melbourne was the birthplace for every Ford Falcon since the 1970s, and later models such as the Ford Territory SUV and the current generation Ford Ranger ute and Everest four-wheel-drive.

Since Ford closed its Australian manufacturing operations in October 2016, the company has increased its design and engineering workforce, however the 2500 employees now develop global vehicles, primarily for China, India and South America, with input into some US models.


Former Holden designer, Max Wolff, who was head-hunted by Ford USA after being appointed the design director at General Motors’ Cadillac brand in 2010, returned to Australia with Ford five years ago.


Mr Wolff is now the design director for Ford international markets and China, based at the Broadmeadows facility.

Although the design studio has been in operation since the early 1970s, the facility had a mild makeover in 2012.


“This time around, the whole building has been redesigned,” said Mr Wolff, in a media statement. “It has been structured around supporting our design process and our team, enabling them to work in a modern, creative environment.”

Ford says it has installed 100 new workstations and extended the clay modelling workshop where full-scale models are made. The new “five-axis gantry milling centre” is part of a 2,300m2 expansion.

“The studio’s team of 40 clay modelers can now use cutting-edge digital technologies to speed up the design process,” said Mr Wolff.


While initial car design starts on computer, “the new five-axis gantry mill is an interface between the physical and digital worlds, taking information from the computer and quickly and accurately translating it into the physical with a greater level of detail,” Mr Wolff said.

Meanwhile, the secure outside court yard has been expanded, to assemble more vehicles and assess their design in natural light.


The Ford Australia design centre continues to create a path for aspiring young designers to get a job in the automotive world, with design graduates regularly sourced from Australian universities.


Former Ford Australia designers who are now working throughout the Ford world include Todd Willing and Nima Nourian (Detroit) and Simon Brook, who is running the Ford China Studio in Shanghai.

Ford says it has invested more than $AU1.9 billion in its research and development centres in Australia between 2016 and 2019. In 2020, Ford invested more than $AU500 million in R&D and the company says it is on track to spend a similar amount in 2021.
Bossxr8 is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 25-02-2021, 05:58 PM   #2
hawke
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
 
hawke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Sydney
Posts: 574
Default Re: Ford Australia to overhaul design studio

I caught up with Todd Willing at Road America, when we both raced in the 50th Anniversary of Formula Ford. He said that after he had done the exterior design of the Ford GT, he was now in charge of Ford Trucks and SUV’s world wide. He’s done well for himself, much to the surprise of many Americans.

If my memory is correct, he came 2nd at Road America, and considering we had up to 90 cars in every race, was a good result. I qualified 60th.
hawke is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 25-02-2021, 07:30 PM   #3
Sprintey
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
 
Sprintey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Catland
Posts: 3,869
Default Re: Ford Australia to overhaul design studio

"the new five-axis gantry mill"




ooooh nice

(goes in on weekend and carves a clay XA coupe for the man cave)
__________________
I6 + AWD
Sprintey is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
This user likes this post:
Old 26-02-2021, 11:16 AM   #4
Bossxr8
Peter Car
 
Bossxr8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: geelong
Posts: 23,145
Default Re: Ford Australia to overhaul design studio

Probably should edit the thread title. The overhaul has been completed.
Bossxr8 is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 26-02-2021, 11:29 AM   #5
FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0
Donating Member
Donating Member3
 
FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Heading thru Hell (Corner)
Posts: 8,364
Technical Contributor: For members who share their technical expertise. - Issue reason: Willingly providing technical info and documents, despite glitches. 
Default Re: Ford Australia to overhaul design studio

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sprintey View Post
"the new five-axis gantry mill"




ooooh nice

(goes in on weekend and carves a clay XA coupe for the man cave)
If anyone else, like me, was wondering what a 5-axis gantry mill is, this might be helpful.
__________________
Labels are for jars, not for people.

Life is a journey, not a destination.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daily: 2013 FGII EcoLPi in Winter White
Play: 2015 FG X XR8 in Emperor Show' N Shine thread

Gone, but not forgotten: 2015 SZII petrol Titanium Territory in Emperor
FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0 is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
3 users like this post:
Old 26-02-2021, 11:55 AM   #6
Bossxr8
Peter Car
 
Bossxr8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: geelong
Posts: 23,145
Default Re: Ford Australia to overhaul design studio



This was in another article. I'm assuming this is it?
Bossxr8 is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
4 users like this post:
Old 26-02-2021, 11:56 AM   #7
GasoLane
Former BTIKD
Donating Member2
 
GasoLane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Sunny Downtown Wagga Wagga. NSW.
Posts: 53,197
Default Re: Ford Australia to overhaul design studio

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bossxr8 View Post
Probably should edit the thread title. The overhaul has been completed.
Fixed
__________________
Dying at your job is natures way of saying that you're in the wrong line of work.
GasoLane is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
This user likes this post:
Old 26-02-2021, 01:47 PM   #8
Dr Smith
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Melb.
Posts: 4,483
Default Re: Ford Australia overhauled Broadmeadows design studio

Lot's of great work and no real outside knowledge of the projects apart from Ranger.

A certain no longer existing competitor would have publicised they designed the grommet in the firewall just to stay front and centre in public and government minds especially when it came to asking for grants...oh well.
Dr Smith is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
5 users like this post:
Old 26-02-2021, 06:48 PM   #9
CyberWasp
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
 
CyberWasp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: In Front of a Monitor
Posts: 1,691
Default Re: Ford Australia overhauled Broadmeadows design studio

I think it looks great. Money well spent.

__________________
2004 Mercury Silver Falcon XR6T - 5 Speed
2017 Platinum White Mustang GT - 6 Speed
2022 Blue Thai-Special for Daily Duties - Auto
CyberWasp is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
This user likes this post:
Old 26-02-2021, 07:03 PM   #10
Dr Smith
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Melb.
Posts: 4,483
Default Re: Ford Australia overhauled Broadmeadows design studio

Quote:
Originally Posted by CyberWasp View Post
I think it looks great. Money well spent.

image
Somehow I think the tooling creators are going to have a heart attack getting that into production...
Dr Smith is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 26-02-2021, 07:24 PM   #11
Bossxr8
Peter Car
 
Bossxr8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: geelong
Posts: 23,145
Default Re: Ford Australia overhauled Broadmeadows design studio

Quote:
Originally Posted by CyberWasp View Post
I think it looks great. Money well spent.

image
At least they got the ride height right.
Bossxr8 is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 27-02-2021, 09:26 AM   #12
Franco Cozzo
Thailand Specials
 
Franco Cozzo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Centrefold Lounge
Posts: 49,815
Default Re: Ford Australia overhauled Broadmeadows design studio

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Smith View Post
Lot's of great work and no real outside knowledge of the projects apart from Ranger.

A certain no longer existing competitor would have publicised they designed the grommet in the firewall just to stay front and centre in public and government minds especially when it came to asking for grants...oh well.
I didn't even know it existed until this thread
Franco Cozzo is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 27-02-2021, 09:49 AM   #13
XD 351 Ute
Excessive Fuel Ingestion
 
XD 351 Ute's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Central Queensland Coast
Posts: 1,586
Default Re: Ford Australia overhauled Broadmeadows design studio

Wow, my days on the old Colchester lathe, the milling machine and the shaper seem like a million years ago.... This new 5 axis mill is incredible!

Ed
__________________
Recommended Forum Traders: RSGerry, trimmaster, 51OAU, EB-92, adxr8, my67xr, RG, ZA-289, kruptor, gassa, Felony, RNXR, Rhino 351, Anchor, Smoke Pursuit, Mr. FPV (through E-Bay),
XD 351 Ute is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
2 users like this post:
Old 27-02-2021, 07:24 PM   #14
Bossxr8
Peter Car
 
Bossxr8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: geelong
Posts: 23,145
Default Re: Ford Australia overhauled Broadmeadows design studio

Quote:
Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo View Post
I didn't even know it existed until this thread
1 of only 5 ford design centres. Dearborn, california, uk, china and melbourne. I think the chinese studio is in it’s infancy though.

The interesting part is they all work together and submit design proposals for pretty much all the cars. And they select which they think is best, and then the home studio takes it to production. So it’s very collaborative between them all.

And work gets farmed out between studios to manage the peaks and troughs of workload. So broady doesn’t just do ranger and everest. They do other ford projects too. Also vw sent some designers over here to work with the ford guys, to do the next amarok.
Bossxr8 is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 27-02-2021, 09:51 PM   #15
Dr Smith
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Melb.
Posts: 4,483
Default Re: Ford Australia overhauled Broadmeadows design studio

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bossxr8 View Post
1 of only 5 ford design centres. Dearborn, california, uk, china and melbourne. I think the chinese studio is in it’s infancy though.

The interesting part is they all work together and submit design proposals for pretty much all the cars. And they select which they think is best, and then the home studio takes it to production. So it’s very collaborative between them all.

And work gets farmed out between studios to manage the peaks and troughs of workload. So broady doesn’t just do ranger and everest. They do other ford projects too. Also vw sent some designers over here to work with the ford guys, to do the next amarok.
And just to add.....with time zones around the world, the different centres can have team members collaborating on the same project, even linking back to Dearborn's supercomputer and in effect it's almost a 24/5 work rate.
Dr Smith is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 28-02-2021, 12:29 AM   #16
Charliewool
Bolt Nerd
Donating Member3
 
Charliewool's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Ojochal, Costa Rica (Pura Vida!)
Posts: 15,095
Default Re: Ford Australia overhauled Broadmeadows design studio

Wife’s nephew did his time at Ford Broady as a clay modeller... After 9 years there, he went to BMW in Germany. In 2010 he was poached by Musk himself to work for Tesla in clay design... He is still with Tesla in California and on a motza!
He says it is all due to his time at Ford Australia, such was the respect they commanded on the world design stage....
__________________
Current vehicles.. Yamaha Rhino UTV, SWB 4L TJ Jeep, and boring Lhd RAV4
Bionic BF F6... UPDATE: Replaced by Shiro White 370z 7A Roadster. SOLD
Workhack: FG Silhouette XR50 Turbo ute (11.63@127.44mph) SOLD
2 wheels.. 2015 103ci HD Wideglide.. SOLD
SOLD THE LOT, Voted with our feet and relocated to COSTA RICA for some Pura Vida!
(Ex Blood Orange #023 FPV Pursuit owner : )
Charliewool is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Reply


Forum Jump


All times are GMT +11. The time now is 05:32 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Other than what is legally copyrighted by the respective owners, this site is copyright www.fordforums.com.au
Positive SSL