Ford heads to Florida for -40F extreme cold testing - LeftLane News

Ford engineers use the lab as a convenient alternative to field testing, particularly when attempting to calibrate and validate performance in the middle of the development cycle or during the Northern Hemisphere summer. Smaller facilities are available around the country, but Ford suggests McKinley's large size allows teams to complete work in half the time. "Collecting multiple data sets, analyzing results, and comparing and contrasting enables Ford engineers to quickly implement changes that enhance vehicle quality and ultimately benefit the customer," the automaker notes. "When running tests at such low temperatures inside McKinley Climatic Lab, engineers make changes daily to help ensure engine start and vehicle driveability, and that Ford is meeting the high quality standards its customers expect. As a specific example, Ford engineers used the facility to improve cold-weather start for the F-Series Super Duty's 6. 7-liter engine. Source: www.leftlanenews.com