LFP Cybertruck

[CyberGus]

Changing dies on a machine that large and complicated is a non-trivial task.
Probably cost significant amount of money and time.

Giga-casting machine is much larger and more complicated than standard automotive sheet metal stamping press. Giga-casting dies will be much more complicated & more more expensive than sheet metal dies.

Tesla is targeting 5 Semi trucks per week. At a 90-second cycle time, a single casting machine could crank out a years worth of inventory in an afternoon. Using split-casts and swapping the dies would take just a few days total.

Regardless, I can't see them dedicating a casting machine that is used once a day.

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[Crissa]

They'd need alot more batteries to supply more Semis.

-Crissa

 

[Ogre]

If is is a huge deal to change out dies it might make sense to do larger runs. Storage might become a problem at some point.

I don’t think they will be switching dies much myself but they had racks and racks of model y castings all over the place at Giga Texas. Hundreds or maybe thousands.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

Same way you replace a structural beam or column in a building. Temporarily provide alternate support using bracing beams & columns.
They can uproot complete house from structual foundation and trailer it across town or the state.

You secure the front and rear aluminum mega castings in fixed position (using some type of large clamping fixture) before you unbolt and remove the structural battery. Auto/truck body repair shops that do frame straightening and alignment probably have similar devices.

The exoskeleton might actually be rigid enough to assist in doing this kind of swap whereas a body on frame or even unibody would need a serious jig/clamp.

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