Tesla is working on upgrading its gigacasting tech to die-cast nearly all vehicle underbody parts in one piece, the Shanghai Securities News reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources close to the automaker. The state-owned Chinese newspaper, based its report on a recent visit to Tesla’s Shanghai factory, but did not say when and where the upgrade will happen. Reuters reported this month that the Silicon Valley electric car maker is closing in on an innovation allowing it to die-cast a vehicle’s underbody instead of assembling it from hundreds of individual parts. Chinese EV makers already use similar technology to cut costs and reduce weight.
The new technique involves an updated mold-making process that the sources tell Reuters uses 3D printing and industrial sand to build layers that can be easily altered, even when scaled up to the size of a full-size car. It was reportedly tested on aluminum alloys that weren’t behaving as expected. Still, casting specialists were able to tweak the alloy formula and fine-tune cooling and heat treatment processes to make it work.
According to a source close to the project, the new process could dramatically cut production times and help Tesla achieve its long-held goal of halving manufacturing costs. In addition, it could also make it much easier for Tesla to produce vehicles in mass quantity.
The technology is reportedly ready for mass production and could be introduced at Tesla’s massive Gigafactory in Texas. The Gigafactory is building front and rear Model Y structures using the company’s megacasting technology. The company’s Giga Presses can apply 6,000 and 9,000 tons of clamping pressure to create massive, complex structures.
The front and rear underbody mega casts are part of Tesla’s “unboxed” strategy, a concept the CEO’s chief engineer Lars Moravy outlined in March, where the company will eventually snap major sub-assemblies together to form the vehicle. Currently, an average electric car is underbody comprises 400 separate parts that need to be welded together.
Making a fully-assembled car out of sub-assemblies is still somewhat complicated. Some main tasks involved are assembling body panels, laying wiring, installing sensors and cameras, and putting in seats and doors. The process is also labor-intensive and expensive, requiring specialized training and tools to get right. That’s why some companies outsource these tasks to third-party companies specializing in those types of assembly projects. This way, companies can concentrate on the core aspects of their business. And it’s an increasingly popular choice for electric car makers.
