Tesla Develops 12,000-Ton Giga Press for Production of the One-Piece Car Body

Richard V.

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Ref: Tesla Develops 12,000-Ton Giga Press for Production of the One-Piece C (tesmanian.com)

Full extract:

Tesla significantly outperforms competitors as it invests heavily in the development of technologies for production. It is reported that, in the future, the company intends to use the 12,000-ton Giga Press to cast car bodies in one piece.

Recently, Alex Avoigt/Twitter visited Giga Berlin during the County Fair and had the opportunity to communicate with a few Tesla managers, and, accordingly, learn from them a lot of information about Giga Presses. In addition, Alex was contacted by an industry insider who gave him information on casting machines in general and about Tesla's Giga Presses. He presents the insider as a truly reliable source who is trustworthy. In his new video, Alex shared all the information he has, and there really is something interesting.

Tesla is currently using two types of 6,000-ton Giga Presses to cast the one-piece rear end of the car and the one-piece front end of the car. At the moment, this production technology is used only for the production of Model Y. And at first, the casting of the front part will only take place at Giga Berlin and Giga Texas, while the casting of the rear part is already taking place at Giga Shanghai and Fremont. Giga Texas has already started testing the Giga Press for the front end casting to be fully ready when production starts.

Another type of Giga Press with a clamping force of 8,000 tons will be used for the rear part casting of another Tesla vehicle—the coveted Cybertruck. During the Q4 2020 Earnings Call, the company's CEO Elon Musk mentioned that Tesla intends to use a similar Giga Press as for the Model Y, but the clamping force for producing the rear part of Cybertruck will be 8,000 tons. According to information from Alex, this machine is already at the production stage.

Now, according to Alex's source, IDRA's China KL are developing a machine with a clamping force of 12,000 tons, which is designed to cast the entire body (frame) in one piece. With such a machine, the production of the body can be much faster and easier. According to information from the source, the production in this machine can reduce the time spent on car production by 25%. In addition, a 10% reduction in downtime is expected.

In 2018, Tesla filed a patent for “Multi-Directional Unibody Casting Machine for a Vehicle Frame and Associated Methods,” which discloses a new casting machine that Tesla plans to use for casting bodies in one piece. As described, such casting machines may reduce a number of casting machines or actual castings required to cast a complete or substantially complete vehicle frame.

This approach completely coincides with Musk’s idea of how he would like to see the production of Tesla’s cars. Using the huge Giga Press, the process of making cars in the manufacturer's factories can be as easy as making toy cars.
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Now that is amazing 12,000 ton Giga Press. The "Model 2" is likely going to be produced using the new 12,000 Ton Giga Press.
See Alex's YouTube video for more at link above. At 20 mins into the video Alex talks about "organic structures". I know that AI can be used to optimize the engineering of casting parts for +strength and -weight/cost/time, for example. In this video, Alex does not think other vehicle makes will be able to copy what Tesla is doing with casting at such a scale. There is a secret sauce being developed with this new manufacturing process that Tesla is developing for its vehicles. Alex talks about three Gaga Press machines with room for a fourth one. And if I am not mistaking the other side of the factory they may be places for another four Giga Presses for future expansions.

This is just the unprecedented start of a vehicle production revolution IMO.

More info here: Elon Musk JUST SHOCKED The Entire Car Industry With THIS Update On The Tesla Gigapress! - YouTube
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Bigvbear

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I think this is a bit premature, to say they've developed it when it's still on the drawing board.

-Crissa
True, but if they can pull it off, it will be a major game changer. Not to mention opens up a world of design possibilities
 

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I can just imagine Sandy Monroe's euphoria fainting spell now. I really want to see his video about a single casting car body.

For years Sandy was promoting single casting front and rear underbody. No one would listen. Then along comes Tesla with GigaPress developments and Sandy was over the moon!! He had been vindicated! And now a single casting body? I can't wait for Sandy's reaction.
 


FutureBoy

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So looking at the images and watching the video, I think I have the following idea of how a car gets put together using this large casting.

Basically, a single casting is made for the body of the vehicle. In theory, this might end up being an exoskeleton-type body similar to the Cybertruck? Once the body is cast, there would still be the structural battery pack, front and rear wheel well castings, doors, frunk hood, to affix to the body.

Perhaps the front and rear castings plus the battery pack structure could all be done in one casting also? If so, 2 major castings give the major structure of the vehicle.

I'd guess that the doors and hood would be stamped?

Each piece then gets the requisite trim, interior panels, seats, mechanicals, etc attached and the pieces assembled into the vehicle.

Now the curious side effect of this is that in the case of a fender bender accident, anything that cannot just be pulled back into place and repainted basically totals the car because the whole body would need to be replaced. Once everyone is using FSD this wouldn't happen very much. But in the meantime, accidents are going to be more expensive I'd think. Though, Tesla ought to be able to recycle most of the car that wasn't damaged. Just pull out the parts and use them in another vehicle. Just hope that you are not recycling Christine.
 

FutureBoy

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Tesla will never outperform Hot Wheels in the die cast market.

How shocked can you be when Elon Musk repeatedly said he want to single cast an entire chasis?
I don't think Sandy would be shocked. Imagine more like a teenage wet dream scenario.
 

Crissa

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Now the curious side effect of this is that in the case of a fender bender accident, anything that cannot just be pulled back into place and repainted basically totals the car because the whole body would need to be replaced.
No.

Just because it was initially cast as one doesn't mean replacement pieces can't be bolted on.

It'll be no different than other unibody cars in that regard.

-Crissa
 


charliemagpie

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That Channel : 'Elon just announced...' headline after headline

All interesting topics but sensationalised (like Torque News)... We talk about these things here already. But rationally… Or try to be lol
 

Ogre

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That Channel : 'Elon just announced...' headline after headline

All interesting topics but sensationalised (like Torque News)... We talk about these things here already. But rationally… Or try to be lol
The car from a single casting is something Musk has talked about and it is likely to happen eventually… on an infinite timeline.

Small (tiny) chance the rumored 25k Tesla will be built that way.
 
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Richard V.

Richard V.

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I'd guess that the doors and hood would be stamped?

Each piece then gets the requisite trim, interior panels, seats, mechanicals, etc attached and the pieces assembled into the vehicle.
Agree,

The fix main body vehicle would be the one piece and all moving parts would be stamped.

For accidents, perhaps the one main body piece could be sold as needed by strategic "areas" just like you buy a cut of beef. They could be cut at the factory from existing spare vehicle chasse that are in one piece. With time tesla would learn what are the best "cuts" and develop an inventory. During repair, soldering the chassis "cut" would be required (from the factory or from the scrapyard).
I love watching lots of car restoration shows on the History channel. I think this could be a possibility.
 
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Sirfun

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The car from a single casting is something Musk has talked about and it is likely to happen eventually… on an infinite timeline.

Small (tiny) chance the rumored 25k Tesla will be built that way.
I think this would make sense. It wouldn't be as big of a deal to have a $25K car be totaled in a wreck. With a 1 piece body, it seems like it wouldn't take that big of a wreck to total a vehicle. Hopefully the batteries would still be good, and they could be recovered and maybe used for a powerwall?
Hopefully with Tesla insurance they could give you a choice of new car (ahead of any line) or cash. And Tesla would take the totaled vehicles and recycle them.
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