greggertruck

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I know this has been vastly discussed, many still believe it is.

There are several seems around the body, where 2 separate pieces meet. See below

Tesla Cybertruck PSA: Cybertruck body shell exoskeleton is not one contiguous piece of bent steel Screen Shot 2022-11-21 at 2.19.44 PM


There's also the interior shell, the "exoskeleton" as it's been called. Same gaps on the official Tesla.com/cybertruck render, and you can see the interior stamped "exoskeleton".

Tesla Cybertruck PSA: Cybertruck body shell exoskeleton is not one contiguous piece of bent steel 1669065706128


Now, this post is not meant to being mean, call anyone crazy, pick fights, but really - give hope.

Tell appears to be "bending" 7(at least) body panels, excluding doors.

- front right fender
- front left fender
- front bumper
- center upper rail left
- center upper rail right
- rear quarter left
- rear corner right

Obviously 4 doors, frunk lid, tail gate too, but not relevant here.

This makes for 2 very good things

1. Steel is easy to bend for Tesla, they already do it
2. They won't have to figure out some insane new technique we all think they do(bending one piece of steel to make a body)

Tesla already knows how to use AIDA equipment, they've been utilizing their tooling for years already. Their machines are quite interesting, the molds drive them selves into the punching tool, it's nearly fully automated. This machine is there, and as of today - IT IS BEING SET UP(credit JoeTegtmeyer for image)
Tesla Cybertruck PSA: Cybertruck body shell exoskeleton is not one contiguous piece of bent steel 1669066066867


Assuming 3 weeks to build, Tesla will "start" punching Cybertruck body components before New Year. This is probably why they're hiring for BIW positioning NOW, since 9K IDRA Giga Press hasn't landed(I'm watching, I promise..)

This was my weekend meditated thinking. Just thought I'd share here and also show the image Joe got for us today in the Stamping 2 extension area, showing the AIDA machining being set up!

My own 2 cents, I wouldn't be shocking if there is indeed some trucks in Jan at this point, demo units for cold testing and such.
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I don't believe that anyone thought the Cybertruck would be one big folded piece, unless they considered the matter for less than 30 seconds.

Personally I believe that the exoskeleton will have fewer individual steel pieces than a traditional stamped-and-welded BIW, in part due to the folding, but also because of the challenges in joining the panels.
 
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greggertruck

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I don't believe that anyone thought the Cybertruck would be one big folded piece, unless they considered the matter for less than 30 seconds.

Personally I believe that the exoskeleton will have fewer individual steel pieces than a traditional stamped-and-welded BIW, in part due to the folding, but also because of the challenges in joining the panels.
There was definitely some. But yea, just pointing it out as it will come up again soon with production starting soon.
 

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I think the whole exoskeleton thing kind of played into that concept. I’d honestly kind of assumed there were 2 main pieces that were folded for L/R halves, but never really thought about it for more than say… 29 seconds. If only I’d have put that last second in.

If sail pillar storage happens, there will be 2 panels in the rear.

I kind of think a better description of this design would be a truss body. I suspect there are 2 continuous pieces of steel tubing on each side of the truck forming the top of the triangle which tie the whole side together.

It is possible they will use a brake to fold the front quarter, 2 doors, and rear quarter, then it will be cut after folding. Then those pieces are used for the some truck. Would mean fewer folds total and the parts would be potentially easier to match up.
 
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greggertruck

greggertruck

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potentially easier to match up.
That's my speed bump in my brain, the grain / color matching. Again, can't wait to see HOW they do this. But, yea. Probably makes for sail pillar storage being simpler to utilize. I know that's big for you man.
 


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I know this has been vastly discussed, many still believe it is.

There are several seems around the body, where 2 separate pieces meet. See below

Screen Shot 2022-11-21 at 2.19.44 PM.jpg


There's also the interior shell, the "exoskeleton" as it's been called. Same gaps on the official Tesla.com/cybertruck render, and you can see the interior stamped "exoskeleton".

1669065706128.jpeg


Now, this post is not meant to being mean, call anyone crazy, pick fights, but really - give hope.

Tell appears to be "bending" 7(at least) body panels, excluding doors.

- front right fender
- front left fender
- front bumper
- center upper rail left
- center upper rail right
- rear quarter left
- rear corner right

Obviously 4 doors, frunk lid, tail gate too, but not relevant here.

This makes for 2 very good things

1. Steel is easy to bend for Tesla, they already do it
2. They won't have to figure out some insane new technique we all think they do(bending one piece of steel to make a body)

Tesla already knows how to use AIDA equipment, they've been utilizing their tooling for years already. Their machines are quite interesting, the molds drive them selves into the punching tool, it's nearly fully automated. This machine is there, and as of today - IT IS BEING SET UP(credit JoeTegtmeyer for image)
1669066066867.png


Assuming 3 weeks to build, Tesla will "start" punching Cybertruck body components before New Year. This is probably why they're hiring for BIW positioning NOW, since 9K IDRA Giga Press hasn't landed(I'm watching, I promise..)

This was my weekend meditated thinking. Just thought I'd share here and also show the image Joe got for us today in the Stamping 2 extension area, showing the AIDA machining being set up!

My own 2 cents, I wouldn't be shocking if there is indeed some trucks in Jan at this point, demo units for cold testing and such.
Although your musings are appreciated I do not agree (at all). An exoskeleton cannot have the strength Tesla advertised or needs if it is comprised of many pieces. They could begin life that way but they would need to be welded together. Welding is time-consuming and introduces both quality and alignment issues, both of which would increase the cost and thus run anathema to what Tesla said about the exoskeleton. I do not doubt that the AIDA press being installed in the stamping area extension is for the CT or that it might be for internal parts but not for the exoskeleton. None of the prototypes tell us much about the exoskeleton manufacturing.
 

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That's my speed bump in my brain, the grain / color matching. Again, can't wait to see HOW they do this. But, yea. Probably makes for sail pillar storage being simpler to utilize. I know that's big for you man.
Not just the grain, color matching, but the number of steps too. If they only have to do the 3 folds on the brake once, versus 10-11 folds if you were to do each panel separately. That’s 6 folds total versus 20-22 folds. Looking at that big ass brake, I’m betting it’s for making a few big bends rather than lots of little bends.

Forgive the terrible illustration.

Tesla Cybertruck PSA: Cybertruck body shell exoskeleton is not one contiguous piece of bent steel 1669076748180


Tesla Cybertruck PSA: Cybertruck body shell exoskeleton is not one contiguous piece of bent steel 1669076864334


PS: at another angle you can see the front panel extends the same height as the doors So you do need that tiny little fold in the front bottom.


PPS: Just tossing a theory… other factors might make this impractical.
 

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I think the whole exoskeleton thing kind of played into that concept. I’d honestly kind of assumed there were 2 main pieces that were folded for L/R halves, but never really thought about it for more than say… 29 seconds. If only I’d have put that last second in.

If sail pillar storage happens, there will be 2 panels in the rear.

I kind of think a better description of this design would be a truss body. I suspect there are 2 continuous pieces of steel tubing on each side of the truck forming the top of the triangle which tie the whole side together.

It is possible they will use a brake to fold the front quarter, 2 doors, and rear quarter, then it will be cut after folding. Then those pieces are used for the some truck. Would mean fewer folds total and the parts would be potentially easier to match up.
You can all think what you want but until a month or so ago I just assumed it would be one piece. Then I started looking around for a machine that could do bending on that scale and didn’t find any. I could, however, definitely see a machine that could bend left and right halves. They would be mounted to the front and rear castings, and to the battery pack, in the same way that the Model Y stampings are. No other approach using 3mm stainless is going to be less expensive than the Model Y BIW machining - but it has to be.

I wouldn’t put any money on the @greggertruck idea and will gladly eat crow if I am all wrong.
 

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I know this has been vastly discussed, many still believe it is.

There are several seems around the body, where 2 separate pieces meet. See below

Screen Shot 2022-11-21 at 2.19.44 PM.jpg


There's also the interior shell, the "exoskeleton" as it's been called. Same gaps on the official Tesla.com/cybertruck render, and you can see the interior stamped "exoskeleton".

1669065706128.jpeg


Now, this post is not meant to being mean, call anyone crazy, pick fights, but really - give hope.

Tell appears to be "bending" 7(at least) body panels, excluding doors.

- front right fender
- front left fender
- front bumper
- center upper rail left
- center upper rail right
- rear quarter left
- rear corner right

Obviously 4 doors, frunk lid, tail gate too, but not relevant here.

This makes for 2 very good things

1. Steel is easy to bend for Tesla, they already do it
2. They won't have to figure out some insane new technique we all think they do(bending one piece of steel to make a body)

Tesla already knows how to use AIDA equipment, they've been utilizing their tooling for years already. Their machines are quite interesting, the molds drive them selves into the punching tool, it's nearly fully automated. This machine is there, and as of today - IT IS BEING SET UP(credit JoeTegtmeyer for image)
1669066066867.png


Assuming 3 weeks to build, Tesla will "start" punching Cybertruck body components before New Year. This is probably why they're hiring for BIW positioning NOW, since 9K IDRA Giga Press hasn't landed(I'm watching, I promise..)

This was my weekend meditated thinking. Just thought I'd share here and also show the image Joe got for us today in the Stamping 2 extension area, showing the AIDA machining being set up!

My own 2 cents, I wouldn't be shocking if there is indeed some trucks in Jan at this point, demo units for cold testing and such.
I've never seen anyone claim the Cybertruck would be bent out of one (or even three) pieces of steel. In fact, you can find many threads here where it is discussed how the various chassis components will be joined. There will be plenty of robot welding but not as much as a traditional truck chassis has. Tesla will eliminate welds right down to the minimum number that make sense. Welds are strong and can be made as strong as the application demands by welding corner pieces if necessary. I doubt there would be much of that but it is an option for key areas.
 


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greggertruck

greggertruck

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Since they are tooling now, whatever way they are going to make the exoskeleton it is already decided/solved and our guesses and logic are just that.
Yea, considering Elon said in 2019 after intro of the truck that stamping this thick rigid steel actually would BREAK stamping presses, I wonder what they'll do.

They were scoring then bending the steel on the prototypes he also said.
Tesla Cybertruck PSA: Cybertruck body shell exoskeleton is not one contiguous piece of bent steel 1669080478293
 

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I think Tesla will be mimicking the aircraft industry by joining the bent panels using industrial strength adhesives. They may employ the use of jigs to get perfect alignment every time. Welding SS would cause distortion and change the color of the steel.
 

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Yea, considering Elon said in 2019 after intro of the truck that stamping this thick rigid steel actually would BREAK stamping presses, I wonder what they'll do.

They were scoring then bending the steel on the prototypes he also said.
1669080478293.jpeg
Your proposition basically calls him out, or did I misread it? Given the size of the doors it is not practical to have even one left and one right side, even though that is the best way to get the strength. Maybe they could bend in 2-4 sections and fasten them as I earlier surmised; I do not claim to know. For certain the hood, door outer pieces, and tailgate will be separate pieces. If Tesla were to make a Lightning-style drunk that would change things a bit there. And then there are the cross pieces. The inner sections could be stamped aluminum. I really look forward to a tour of the factory when I go to pick mine up.
 

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I think it was wrong to pretend this was a public service announcement. That makes it fake news. I have no issue with whatever hypothesis anyone has as long as they are honest about it.
 
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greggertruck

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I think Tesla will be mimicking the aircraft industry by joining the bent panels using industrial strength adhesives. They may employ the use of jigs to get perfect alignment every time. Welding SS would cause distortion and change the color of the steel.
There’s an idea! I know Lucid glues their cars together. Almost no welds I’ve been told
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