2011 Ford Edge SEL - Media Hub w/ Bezel (BT4T-14F014-AD) Teardown

IHS Automotive & iSuppli Automotive - The Automotive Perspective

The connected car is now the third fasted growing connected device behind smartphones and tablets and it is this fact that is driving each and every automaker to compete so vigorously for the crown of best in-vehicle infotainment. While the marketplace is still somewhat fragmented, it wouldn't exist in the first place, if not for the strides that Ford has taken as a global market leader. Their initial introduction of Ford Sync in 2007 took the OEM from a technology laggard to a leader overnight and has been the benchmark for competitors for several years now. With their most recent iteration of Sync with MyFord Touch, the Dearborn, MI-based automaker continued to disrupt the industry and remain one of the top contenders for automotive infotainment excellence. Ford's innovation on the MyFord Touch platform has lead the way for numerous other solutions with capacitive touch, distributed modular infotainment architectures, and more and more reliance on software and cloud connectivity over traditional hardware-centric navigation systems.

2011 Ford Edge SEL - Media Hub w/ Bezel (BT4T-14F014-AD) - Device View 1

Overview / Main Features

This teardown is of a subsystem (component) found within the 2011 Ford Edge SEL.

The Media Hub BT4T-14F014-AD is module that features multiple connectors for users to connect to the infotainment system via 2 USB jacks, stereo audio/video connections (good old analog RCA connectors), and an SD memory card slot. This is a small module that comes self-contained in an injection molded housing with it's own bezel.It is mounted inside the center console and requires opening the arm rest "lid" for access.

Internally, aside from the obvious connectors as components, this design features an SMSC USB Hub & Flash Media Card Controller IC, and a Maxim DC-DC controller. There are also a lot of smaller discrete semi and other discrete components. In fact, for the limited functionality - the component count of 211 for this module seems a bit high, but every component serves a purpose and it may be hard to find an integrated solution that performs all the needed functions here with fewer components.

2011 Ford Edge SEL - Media Hub w/ Bezel (BT4T-14F014-AD) - Main PCB Top

Target Market

N/A - Part of Ford Edge vehicles

Released

As part of the "MyFord Touch" design it is assumed this module started with this model year of vehicle (2011).

Pricing and Availability

Pricingand Availability - N/A - Internal usage on Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX models.

Volume Estimations

For the purposes of this teardown analysis, we have assumed a lifetime production volume of approximately 7M units. Our volume estimates come from IHS/iSuppli's TRG automotive group. This module is likely a globally available module due to simplicity of the module and global standard for CD/audio content.

As a reminder, teardown volume production assumptions are primarily used for our cost analysis in terms of amortized NRE and tooling costs, especially for custom components specific to the model being analyzed (mechanical components especially). Unless assumed volumes are different by an order of magnitude, minor changes in volume (say 1 million vs. 2) rarely have a large net effect on our final analysis because of this.

Market / Sector Performance

Ford's infotainment strategy is to integrate as many CE devices and as much content as possible into their vehicles using standard's based interfaces.

This Molex-supplied media hub allows for users of any device with a USB adapter, or an auxiliary out to be linked with the system. It even allows for up to two devices to be physically tethered at a time.

Furthermore, the RCA audio/video auxiliary jacks are designed to offer flexibility to integrate content from many more devices (those without USB integration) like gaming devices and cameras.

Lastly, the SD Card interface (another worldwide standard) is utilized for media enjoyment, but also serves as the location for the software-driven navigation system that can be added via a Ford-authorized SD-Card-based navigation system.

Cost Notes

Main Cost Drivers (Representing ~58% of total materials cost)

$1.76 - SMSC - USB82640AM - USB Hub & Flash Media Card Controller - USB2.0, Hi-Speed, SD/SDHC/MMC/MS/MS Pro/MS Pro-HG - (Qty:1)

$1.28 - Jiangmen Glory Faith PCB - - 4-Layer - FR4, Lead-Free - (Qty:1)

$1.22 - Maxim - MAX1744EUB/V+ - Regulator - DC-DC Controller, Step-Down, LDO, Adjustable Output Voltage - (Qty:1)

$1.20 - ST Microelectronics - DVIULC6-4SC6 - ESD Protect - 4-Line - (Qty:5)

$1.07 - Media Hub Mounting Bracket - Injection Molded Polypropylene, w/ Rubberized Coating - (Qty:1)

$0.77 - Analog Devices - AD8132WARMZ-R7 - Amplifier - Differential, High Speed, 350MHz, ^-3 dB Bandwidth - (Qty:1)

$0.70 - Pin Header - Dual Row, Right Angle, w/ Plastic Housing - (Qty:1)

$0.62 - AVX - TRJC107M006 - Tantalum - Encapsulated, 6.3V, 100uF, Low ESR - (Qty:2)

$0.56 - Enclosure, Main, Front - Injection Molded ABS Polycarbonate, Printed - (Qty:1)

$0.51 - Ceramic Multilayer - X5R/X7R - (Qty:54)

Total BOM Costs (Direct Materials Only) $15.73

Total BOM & Manufacturing Costs (Direct Materials + Conversion Costs) $17.50

What Is Not Included in our Cost Analysis

The total materials and manufacturing costs reported in this analysis reflect ONLY the direct materials cost (from component vendors and assorted EMS providers), AND manufacturing with basic test. Not included in this analysis are costs above and beyond the material manufacture of the core device itself - cost of intellectual property, royalties and licensing fees (those not already included into the per component price), software, software loading and test, shipping, logistics marketing and other channel costs including not only EMS provider and the OEM's margin, but that of other resellers. Our cost analysis is meant to focus on those costs incurred in the manufacture of the core device and exceptionally in some circumstances the packaging and literature as well.

Manufacturing Notes

OEM/ODM/EMS Relationships / Manufacturing

General Information - Though Ford has for many years on Visteon Corp. (a Ford spinoff) to design and supply many of the subsystems and components that go into Ford vehicles, we know that in many specific cases other automotive system OEMs are involved in the supply of many of the subsystems used in Ford, and other OEM automobiles. These sources include companies such as Continental AG (a former supplier of the "Sync module" that we now refer to this as the APIM Module - per Ford documentation), Flextronics (a more recent supplier of the same module), and Clarion (identified as the supplier for the head unit - or the "ACM" in Ford lingo). Other partners Ford are known to source for their electronic subsystems include Lear Corp, Molex, Sharp, Johnson Controls, Visteon, Sony, Pioneer, Clarion, Delphi, and more. Also important are the software and services providers for the Ford infotainment systems. These include Sirius XM Satellite Radio, Microsoft (the OS for Sync and MyFord Touch), Telenav, Tele Atlas, NAVTEQ, Inrix, Gracenote, HD Radio (Ibiquity Corp.), and more. While the system is inherently made up of various electronic modules, much of the content and features of this system has now graduated to software for the flexibility and upgradability of its functions over time.

Media-Hub-Specific Information - Molex is a well-known supplier of interfaces for the PC industry and has significant interface business in automotive as well. As more and more vehicles offer CAN-based or MOST-based network architectures, the high-speed interfaces between engine control modules, electronics, telematics control modules, and HMI is essential. This is an area where Molex will continue to grow. As for this module segment, the USB interface is now seeing tremendous growth and standardization in automotive markets, and Molex will continue to grow its business in the CE interfacing world subsequently.

Country of Origin / Volume Assumptions

Based on markings, the unit was assembled in Mexico. Furthermore, we have assumed that custom mechanicals (plastics, metals, etc. were sourced in Mexico.

Country of origin assumptions relate directly to the associated cost of manufacturing, where calculated by IHS/iSuppli. In the cases of "finished" sub-assemblies (such as a WLAN module or display), we do not calculate internal manufacturing costs, but rather assess the market price of the finished product in which case country of origin assumptions may or may not have a direct effect on pricing.

Remember also that labor rates are applied directly only to hand inserted components and systems in our bill of materials, and although regional assumptions do, these new rates do not have a direct effect on our modeled calculations of placement costs for automated SMD assembly lines. "Auto" inserted components (such as SMT components) placement costs are calculated by an IHS/iSuppli algorithm which allocates a cost per component based on the size and pincount of the device. This calculation is affected by country or region of origin as well.

Design for Manufacturing / Device Complexity

The Ford Edge - Media Hub BT4T-14F014-AD is a simple and small module comprised of, at a high level - just the main PCB and the plastic enclosure/bezel. The total component count is 211 - which seems elevated for the limited functionality of the module, but every component serves a purpose and it may be hard to find an integrated solution that performs all the needed functions here with fewer components.

Component counts have a direct bearing on the overall manufacturing cycle times and costs, and also can increase or decrease overall yields and re-work. Our calculations of manufacturing costs factor counts and more qualitative complexities in the design.

Note that manual labor has a much smaller effect on auto-insertion assembly lines (for the Main PCB, for example), where manufacturing costs are much more capital equipment intensive and driven by these investment costs.

Design Notes

The Ford Edge - Media Hub BT4T-14F014-AD is a simple and small module comprised of, at a high level - just the main PCB and the plastic enclosure/bezel.The core of the device, beyond the obvious connectors, is a single chip SMSC USB82640AM USB Hub & Flash Media Card Controller but beyond that, the PCB is largely just support functionality to the core SMSC chip, which includes power management (Maxim - MAX1744EUB/V+ - Regulator - DC-DC Controller) and others, I/O & Interface chips (Analog Devices - AD8132 series differential amplifier), and a host of smaller components from Vishay, TI, ST Micro and others.

Here is a summary of the major components used in the Ford Edge - Media Hub BT4T-14F014-AD design:

Main PCB

I/O & Interface

USB Hub & Flash Media Card Controller - SMSC - USB82640AM - USB2.0, Hi-Speed, SD/SDHC/MMC/MS/MS Pro/MS Pro-HG

Amplifier - Analog Devices - AD8132WARMZ-R7 - Differential, High Speed, 350MHz, ^-3 dB Bandwidth

Microprocessor Supervisory / Reset Circuit - Maxim - MXD1816XR29 - 2.88V

Power Supply

Regulator - Maxim - MAX1744EUB/V+ - DC-DC Controller, Step-Down, LDO, Adjustable Output Voltage

MOSFET - Vishay - SQ4401DY-T1-GE3 - P-Channel, -40V, -15.8A

2011 Ford Edge SEL - Media Hub w/ Bezel (BT4T-14F014-AD) - Main PCB Bottom