NOTABLE
Hau Thai-Tang, Ford group vice president, Global
Purchasing, says that in addition to being
responsible for sourcing some $100-billion per
year in goods and services, his team also works
to "identify promising new technologies."
One of which is the auto industry's frst-ever
deployment of a material that is familiar to users
of smart phones and tablets: Gorilla Glass from
Corning ( corning.com ). The material has been
used for more than 4.5-billion mobile devices
from 40 brands worldwide since its introduction to
the consumer electronics market in 2007.
Ford is using Gorilla Glass as part of a hybrid
material for the windshield, engine cover and
an acoustic separation panel in the bulkhead for
One of the tests
used during the
development
of the material
was fring
projectiles—in this
case a chunk of
ice—at the glass
to determine its
strength.
Ford Clearly Lightens Up the Ford GT
12
GEAR