Earlier this year, a new study by the world's leading patent analyst, The Patent Board, found that Ford Motor Company outperformed all other automakers in the quality and significance of its technology patents.
Ford's leadership in developing PTWA thermal spraying further demonstrates why Ford continues to surpass the competition in the patent arena. Ford has more than 95 U.S. and foreign issued and pending patents related to the PTWA thermal coating method and application, alone.
Ford will introduce the PTWA thermal coating process to its North America powertrain lineup within the next year, adding to the company's growing list of in-production powertrain technologies that are improving vehicle fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance.
They include:
* Ford EcoBoost gasoline engine technology, which combines turbocharging and direct injection to smaller displacement engines that offer improved fuel economy and fewer emissions, yet deliver performance feel of larger displacement engines. EcoBoost engine production began earlier this month at Ford's Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1.
* Aggressive Deceleration Fuel Shut-Off, which temporarily turns off fuel to the engine when the driver releases the accelerator pedal to slow down, resulting in an efficiency improvement of approximately 1 percent. This technology was first featured on the 2009 Ford Flex.
* Cam torque actuated variable cam timing (iVCT). Ford is the first to use camshaft torsional energy rather than traditional pressurized oil to phase the camshafts, for lower parasitic energy loss and improved fuel economy. The technology debuted on the 3.0-liter V-6 engine on the 2009 Ford Escape.