Ford Motor Company and Alcoa Inc. are collaborating to produce next-generation automotive aluminium alloys that are more formable and design-friendly.

Ford will use Alcoa's Micromill material in multiple components on the 2016 F-150 - becoming the first automaker to use the advanced automotive aluminium commercially. The companies entered into a joint development agreement to collaborate on next-generation aluminium alloys for automotive parts using Micromill technology.

‘‘Light-weighting enables us to design vehicles with great customer attributes - like the F-150, which can tow more, haul more, accelerate quicker and stop faster than the previous F-150, and is more fuel-efficient than ever," said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president and chief technical officer, Global Product Development.

"This collaboration supports our continued drive for innovation, as we research automotive applications for even greater light-weighting."

Alcoa's Micromill technology, announced in December 2014, produces an aluminum alloy that is 40 percent more formable than today's automotive aluminum.

"Alcoa's breakthrough Micromill technology offers highly differentiated automotive material with strength, weight, formability and surface quality combinations previously impossible," said Klaus Kleinfeld, Alcoa chairman and chief executive officer. "This high-tech aluminum will give Ford a true material edge enabling greater design flexibility and better vehicle performance - making the concept cars of tomorrow a reality."

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