Ford Using SXRD 4K Projectors For R&D

Ford Motor Company is accelerating its product design and quality-control capabilities with the help of Sony’s SXRD 4K projectors. The automotive giant is using the ultra-high definition projectors to power the Electronic Design Presentation Room (EDPR) and Advanced Visualization Center (AVC) at its Product Development Center in Dearborn, Mich.

Ford teamed with IGI, a company specializing in designing large-scale display solutions, to install the 4K projectors which are being used to display detailed graphic renderings onto a “Powerwall.” According to IGI, Ford chose the projectors for its facilities due to their ability to project computer-rendered graphics of the company’s vehicle line up in a way that made the images “come to life.”

“Based on our recommendation, Ford equipped its facilities with Sony’s SXRD 4K projectors because they could provide the level of detail that enabled their designers to carefully, yet quickly, review and refine full-scale computer-rendered vehicle designs before production,” said Pat Hernandez, president of IGI. “The projectors are the backbone of one of the most advanced design systems in the industry.”

IGI added that Ford also uses the 4K projectors to simultaneously view three full-size, high-definition images of vehicles on the same screen. This feature is a competitive advantage in the automotive industry where making side-by-side comparisons is an integral part of day-to-day business.

According to Peter Horbury, Ford’s executive director of design for the Americas, the new facilities have already played a key role in allowing the company to develop new vehicle designs faster while also saving money. Horbury said that the technology was used in the development of several important new vehicles, including Motor Trend’s 2009 Truck of the Year, the Ford F-150, and the 2010 Ford Taurus.

“We’ve been very pleased with the flexibility our digital process has brought for the entire Ford Product Development team, and the cost savings has been significant,” said Horbury. “We’re continuing to make advancements each day, and I look forward to the day when we can virtually design even more of the product development process.”

The Powerwall at Ford’s EDPR is 60-feet wide. It is equipped with three projectors, model number SRX-S110, which produce 10,000 ANSI lumens each, and produce 8.8 million pixels per unit. The company also uses two additional SRX-S110 projectors for two separate screens in its AVC, which are used for full-scale viewing of vehicle designs.

“Ford’s selection of our projectors as part of their ongoing strategy to evolve their design review process, bring product to market faster and reduce costs, is further proof that we’re up to the challenge of meeting the demanding requirements needed by today’s design centers,” said Andre Floyd, marketing manager for SXRD systems at Sony Electronics.

For more information on Sony’s SXRD 4K projectors, visit www.sony.com/sxrd. For more information on IGI visit www.IGI.com.