This week, Toyota Motor said that it will use the “Gigacasting” technology, developed by Tesla, as part of a plan to increase the efficiency and reduce the price of future electric cars (EVs).
Toyota is not the only company imitating Tesla’s innovation.
Here’s an overview of Gigacasting and how the invention is pushing car companies to compete with Tesla:
What is gigacasting?
Tesla’s plants in the US, China, and Germany use the Giga Press, an aluminum die-casting device. The home-sized machines can create aluminum components that are much larger than anything previously used in the auto industry.
The word “giga” in the name is a reference to Tesla’s practice of referring to its factories as “Gigafactories”. They are known as “megapresses” by other automakers, a term that can also be used to describe more compact but equally powerful equipment.
When in use, the press feeds a shot of 80 kg (176 lb) or more of molten aluminum into a mold, where it is shaped into a part, released, and then swiftly cooled.
The aluminum alloy Tesla created also enables it to forego the heat processing typically required to boost the strength of the cast part.
What’s the payoff?
A typical car body is made up of more than 100 separately stamped metal pieces that have been soldered together.
According to analysts, Tesla’s industry-leading profitability has been attributed to fewer parts, cheaper costs, and a streamlined production line.
Tesla claims that by using a single component in the back of the Model Y, its best-selling model, it was able to reduce associated expenses by 40%.
According to Elon Musk, Tesla was able to eliminate 600 robots from the assembly line for the Model 3 by employing a single piece from the front and back of the car.
