Ford will use two large aluminum castings to replace 146 structural components in the Fathom electric pickup truck. The technology, called unicasting, follows the same manufacturing idea that Tesla uses for its giant castings, but it will be applied to a Ford model for the first time. One casting forms the front of the vehicle, the other - the rear. According to Ford, simplifying the design is part of an effort to shorten production time and reduce the number of separate operations. The aluminum components are made at Ford's technical center in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Each process begins with ingots that are melted at about 700 degrees Celsius. The molten metal is then fed into a casting machine that forms the front or rear structure of the pickup truck.
Ford has already produced more than 5,000 castings - enough for approximately 2,500 vehicles. They are used to test the production process and assemble prototypes before series production begins. Before being sent to the Ford plant in Louisville, all batches undergo several inspections. In a climate-controlled room, dimensions, hole locations, and compliance with design parameters are measured. An industrial X-ray system checks the interior for pores and cavities, and an optical scanner performs a new surface inspection.
Aluminum samples are subjected to tensile strength testing, as well as chemical composition analysis. The batches remain blocked until all inspections are completed and the castings are approved for shipment. In Louisville, the Fathom will not be assembled in the traditional way, where the car moves sequentially through a long production line. The vehicle will be built in three separate sections that will be joined together at a later stage.