3mm stainless steel - wow

[greggertruck]

Ok, he says the doors, but he doesn’t say ‘not’ the rest of it. By your reasoning, the rest of the Cybertruck could be made of anything ‘but’ 3 mm SS. And yet, we know from every prototype that the entire skin is SS. So what’s it gonna be? That said, I will shut up about it as promised.

I don't want you to shut up man. My whole point of posting / interacting is for education. And we can all learn. I just hope that clip gives you some cured curiosity.

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[CyberGus]

I don't want you to shut up man. My whole point of posting / interacting is for education. And we can all learn. I just hope that clip gives you some cured curiosity.

Education for the ignorant

 

[cvalue13]

sticks with 3 mm SS throughout.

can you find the source of the 3mm thickness?

feel like I’m taking crazy pills looking for it

because while I find it widely reported as attributable to a Musk comment, I don’t find the Musk comment

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

can you find the source of the 3mm thickness?

feel like I’m taking crazy pills looking for it

because while I find it widely reported as attributable to a Musk comment, I don’t find the Musk comment

I spent the past couple of hours trying to find it and then I found a tweet by Elon:



also mentioned here: https://www.cybertruckownersclub.co...ess-steel-body-panels-exoskeleton.1050/page-2

which is pretty clear.

I have also, in looking through all the videos, etc., wondered about @greggertruck's video with Elon and Jay Leno. If only the doors were 3 mm wouldn't that make attaching the other side panels more difficult because the positioning of fasteners would have to change by the thickness difference? I guess a robot wouldn't care but whoever designed the attachment points would.

- Jack

 

[Rutrow]

can you find the source of the 3mm thickness?

feel like I’m taking crazy pills looking for it

because while I find it widely reported as attributable to a Musk comment, I don’t find the Musk comment

Tesla never said that the CyberTruck would use 3mm skin, but that became the zeitgeist when Elon said "We're going to be using the same alloy in the Starship rocket and in the Cybertruck." The problem was that rather than listening to what Elon said, everyone heard what they wanted to hear. Instead of "same alloy" they went away thinking the "same material" as Starship. Starship about that time changed from 4mm skin to 3mm skin. If you thought CyberTrucks would be made from the same rolls of stainless steel SpaceX was using, you'd come away thinking that it would have 3mm thick body panels.

 

[cvalue13]

which is pretty clear.

still pretty wild that it’s “~3mm”

and not exactly determinative that the whole vehicle will be 3mm

not to dismiss that it could be, but it’s a WIDE gulf between the above and the prevailing current narrative asserted as gospel

I’m admittedly sympathetic to @greggertruck ’s take, given the language of Musk from reveal, the website copy, etc., together with the few visible oddities seen in the betas

note also that the “exoskeleton door” patent by Tesla does in passing mention the application could apply to other panels, but that could be the usual patent-drafting “and not limited to” boilerplate

plus, in times like these, I default to assuming @greggertruckhas heard something concrete-ish and is passing it off as deduction (not at all a slight, as I do the same, regularly)

 

[CyberGus]

I googled "cybertruck 3mm" and the first hit was this forum

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

Tesla never said that the CyberTruck would use 3mm skin, but that became the zeitgeist when Elon said "We're going to be using the same alloy in the Starship rocket and in the Cybertruck." The problem was that rather than listening to what Elon said, everyone heard what they wanted to hear. Instead of "same alloy" they went away thinking the "same material" as Starship. Starship about that time changed from 4mm skin to 3mm skin. If you thought CyberTrucks would be made from the same rolls of stainless steel SpaceX was using, you'd come away thinking that it would have 3mm thick body panels.

Actually, I'd have thought Starship used thicker panels, as you say. Anyway, I posted a tweet from Elon from back then that is crystal clear (as clear as Elon gets).

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

I googled "cybertruck 3mm" and the first hit was this forum

But if you read that thread you will find the reference...

 

[scottf200]

Tesla never said that the CyberTruck would use 3mm skin,

Actually, I'd have thought Starship used thicker panels, as you say. Anyway, I posted a tweet from Elon from back then that is crystal clear (as clear as Elon gets).

 

[greggertruck]

WHAT IF....

The SS on the rest of the body IS the Starship material, but the doors are indeed their own thicker version of that?

 

[MonkeyDeLuffy]

Quite a blast for a slow Tuesday...

 

[Mini2nut]

Motor Trend had a great article regarding Cybertruck SS and it’s thickness.

https://www.motortrend.com/features...tric-pickup-bulletproof-stainless-steel-body/

 

[RVAC]

First post here, long time lurker. I don't really like to speculate but will comment where I feel my experience is valid. 3mm is 11ga steel, a product of coil. The majority of automobile frames are made from 11ga, skins are between 18-22ga closer to 20ga if I had to bet. For the Cybertruck skins to be completely made of 11ga would be absurd, in my opinion. I think as with most of all the first intentions of the 2019 concept, the majority has been taken down a notch, no pun intended. The coil itself would need to be processed through a stretcher/leveler as well as cut to length. Not sure if Giga TX has this capability or not. It would be fairly easy to spot coils rolling in on a drone video though and if they want to truly vertically integrate then this would be necessary. I'm not fluent on the auto processing side. Steel Dynamics only produces the steel, they have an onsite processor for any type of cut to length or leveling needed though. As far as grade, 304 would be acceptable 316 would be better but not lightyears apart, from a cost perspective 304 would work best. A low carbon restriction(L) wouldn't be needed as this is mainly used for high heat applications, welding, etc. to reduce corrosion issues but most 304 is ordered "dual certified" to 304L because it meets the specification when produced. You see this a lot in carbon steel products when ordered to a certain grade then the chemicals and/or mechanicals meet another specification within the grade and you can have the mill re-certify to multiple specifications. I have a contact at SDI (Steel Dynamics) I can ask tomorrow if they are handling Tesla still or not. I doubt a "special" steel would be manufactured specifically for the Cybertruck, but from a marketing standpoint you never know. Highly unlikely still.

Thanks for chiming in. At least up until recently the stainless steel used by SpaceX came from Outokumpu's plant in Calvert, AL. Aside from the marketing aspect, speculation was/is that Tesla's order volume would help drive costs of the custom 304L down for Starship?

Actually, I'd have thought Starship used thicker panels, as you say. Anyway, I posted a tweet from Elon from back then that is crystal clear (as clear as Elon gets).

It varies depending on location, it's as thick as 4mm in some places.

 

[firsttruck]

Thanks for chiming in. At least up until recently the stainless steel used by SpaceX came from Outokumpu's plant in Calvert, AL. Aside from the marketing aspect, speculation was/is that Tesla's order volume would help drive costs of the custom 304L down for Starship?


It varies depending on location, it's as thick as 4mm in some places.

While the museum seems a good source... they are not a primary source and cannot confirm.

I was pretty sure https://www.outokumpu.com/locations/calvert is who has provided steel for SpaceX so far, and has been mentioned by Elon before.

https://www.teslarati.com/wp-conten...aceflight-bocachicagal-steel-delivery-1-c.jpg

-Crissa

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SpaceX's Starship will soon be made of different stuff
SpaceX plans to build its Mars-colonizing spaceship out of a different stainless-steel alloy.
published March 12, 2020
By Mike Wall
https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-new-stainless-steel-alloy.html

.....
The California-based company built its first few Starship prototypes out of a stainless-steel alloy known as 301. But aerospace engineers have been using that particular metallic blend since the middle of the last century, and it's time for SpaceX to make a change, Elon Musk said.

Musk said Monday (March 9) during a keynote conversation at the Satellite 2020 conference in Washington, D.C.
"We should be able to do better in the 2020s than they did in, like, the '50s, you know?"
"So, I think we'll start switching away from 301 maybe in the next month or two."

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Boca Chica Gal - orbital Starship 081219 (NASASpaceflight – bocachicagal) steel delivery 1 (c)
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-fi...aspaceflight-bocachicagal-steel-delivery-1-c/

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Label on SpaceX steel roll - What Exactly Is Starship Made From?
Let's dissect the new information from the supply label captured on SpaceX steel roll - Supplier, thickness, polish, length ...
How many rings can you build out of a single roll?
Sep 21, 2020
Spaceflight Explained

304L
thickness: 3.96 mm
hardness: extra hard - cold-rolled, pickling, without final annealing


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Outokumpu Oyj is a group of international companies headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, employing 10,600 employees in more than 30 countries. Outokumpu is the largest producer of stainless steel in Europe and the second largest producer in the Americas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outokumpu


Outokumpu Calvert (Alabama, USA), America's most technically advanced stainless steel mill, offers a comprehensive product portfolio combined with industry-leading technical support and services.
https://www.outokumpu.com/de-de/locations/calvert

.....
State-of-the-art facility In Calvert, all processes, melting, casting, rolling, annealing and pickling, and finishing, are performed in a fully integrated mill. The state-of-the-art facility boasts an optimal production flow using the most progressive steel making technologies available.

.....
Fully integrated mill All functions – melt and pour, hot rolling line, hot and cold annealing and pickling, cold rolling and finishing lines – in one location

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Why Is SpaceX Switching to 304L Steel for Starship SN8?
While the Starship prototype SN5 is going through testing, SpaceX is building a new prototype, SN8, out of a different type of steel than any previous Starship. All previous Starships were made out of stainless steel 301, but the SN8 will be made out of 304L. This is a pretty significant switch and in this video, we will be trying to figure the motivation behind it.
Jul 31, 2020
Spaceflight Explained

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SpaceX Boca Chica - 304L Starship Sections Appear as Roll Lift Rides In
Lots of pre-rollout preps ongoing at SpaceX Boca Chica for SN5 and SN7 test tank as more Starship Sections - made from the new 304L Steel rings - appear at the production facility.
Jun 11, 2020
NASASpaceflight

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