Why Integrated Die Casting is a Development Trend

Driving Force 1: Weight Reduction

In the context of the dual carbon background, lightweighting is a major trend in the automotive industry. According to data from the International Aluminum Association, for fuel vehicles, there is a positive correlation between weight and fuel consumption. Every 100kg reduction in vehicle weight can save approximately 0.6L of fuel per hundred kilometers and reduce CO2 emissions by 800-900g. For electric vehicles, weight is positively correlated with power consumption. If the vehicle’s weight decreases by 10kg, the driving range of a pure electric vehicle can increase by 2.5km.

Aluminum alloys have outstanding comprehensive cost-effectiveness and are the preferred materials for vehicle lightweighting. Aluminum alloys account for 64% of the lightweight material market, making them the most significant lightweight material currently.

The application of integrated die casting contributes to lightweighting. For instance, the rear floor assembly of Tesla’s Model Y, manufactured using integrated die casting, reduced its weight by 30%. As integrated die casting technology advances, the application of aluminum alloy die casting in body and chassis structural components, as well as battery casings, is expected to increase gradually, thereby enhancing the value of aluminum alloy die casting per vehicle.

Driving Force 2: Efficiency Improvement

Compared to existing production processes, integrated die casting increases production efficiency by simplifying production processes and improving cycle times. Large die-casting machines can complete one casting process in less than two minutes, with a cycle time of 80-90 seconds. This allows for the production of 40-45 castings per hour and up to 1000 castings per day. In contrast, traditional processes of stamping and welding 70 parts to assemble a component would require at least two hours, necessitating multiple parallel lines to meet production rhythms.

Driving Force 3: Cost Reduction

Tesla’s pioneering use of integrated die casting for the rear floor assembly reduced manufacturing costs by 40%. This cost reduction is primarily due to:

• Reduced production costs: Integrated die casting consolidates multiple components into one, eliminating the need for numerous molds and peripheral equipment in traditional production processes.
• Reduced land costs: A large die-casting machine occupies only 100 square meters, resulting in a 30% reduction in factory floor space after Tesla’s adoption of large die-casting machines.
• Reduced labor costs: A typical welding factory requires 200–300-line workers, whereas integrated die casting can reduce this to one-tenth of the original workforce.

Technological Barriers to Integrated Die Casting

1. Material: Heat-Treatable Aluminum Alloys

Integrated die casting relies on heat-treatable aluminum alloy materials. This is because integrated die casting components have relatively large projection areas, consisting of numerous small parts integrated into a single large component. Heat treatment is an effective means of ensuring the mechanical properties of die-cast components. However, heat treatment can lead to dimensional deformation and surface defects in automotive components, posing significant cost risks for large integrated components. Therefore, non-heat-treatable materials are expected to be the best choice for integrated die casting technology implementation.

2. Equipment: Large Die-Casting Machines

Integrated die casting places high demands on die-casting machine clamping forces. Custom-designed die-casting machines entail technological barriers in design and development, as well as relatively high capital expenditures. Tesla’s integrated die-casting machine, the Giga Press, was jointly customized by Tesla and die-casting machine manufacturer IDRA Group, involving deep involvement in both hardware and software design and manufacturing. In addition to the technological barriers of custom design and development of die-casting machines, the high price of integrated die-casting machines requires economies of scale from large-scale production to amortize the comprehensive costs of die-casting machines and molds.

3. Production: Processes and Molds

• Barriers to die-casting process: Production processes affect the yield of products. Since integrated die casting technology is still in its early stages, die-casting manufacturers need rich experience and technological accumulation in production processes to ensure high yields during mass production.
• Barriers to large mold production: Integrated die-casting parts have complex structures, high manufacturing costs, and long preparation cycles, placing higher demands on die-casting mold production. Some Tier 1 die-casting manufacturers lack the ability to independently design large molds.