How Ford mobilized its engineers in the COVID-19 fight

The fight against COVID-19 forced disparate industries to collaborate on a technical level not seen since World War II, in order to boost supply of vital medical equipment. In just one of many industry-wide examples, creativity and speed were key to Ford Motor Co.'s partnership with 3M and GE Healthcare: they teamed to rapidly boost production of the urgently-needed face shields and bring solutions for simpler, easier-to-make designs of respirators and ventilators.

The unusual triad's progress within the first 10 days together demonstrated their ability to deliver technical solutions quickly, while united against a common foe. “Engineers are all about problem solving, and in this crisis the three organizations are speaking the same language,” said Marcy Fisher, Ford's director of global body exterior and interior engineering, in late March; Fisher is leading multiple Ford teams in the partnership. “We're working around the clock with 3M and GE Healthcare and have learned from them and, I think, them from us.”