Posted on 05/28/2024 1:06:33 PM PDT by Jonty30
High purchase prices are a major barrier to the wider adoption of electric vehicles. A significant portion of this cost comes from expensive batteries. However, in recent years, automakers have been employing an advanced manufacturing technique known as gigacasting. This method helps offset the high cost of batteries, simplifies production, and reduces the weight of EVs.
Nissan will follow Tesla, and several other carmakers like Toyota, Hyundai, and Ford, in adopting this technology. The brand aims to reduce the costs of EV parts by 10% and slash weight by 20%, Automotive News reported. Nissan's EVs using gigacasting are expected to enter the market around 2027, with new production techniques projected to lower overall expenses by 30%, saving some $1 billion in development costs for five future models.
First pioneered by Tesla, gigacasting is a process where large, single pieces of a vehicle's structure are made using giant casting machines. Instead of assembling many smaller parts, gigacasting creates large portions of the car, like the entire rear or front section, in one piece. This reduces the number of components, lowers production costs, and makes the vehicles lighter and easier to assemble.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
IMHO that's a bad idea and makes battery replacement more expensive. It may add to jarring of the battery during an accident.
No. It’s where Tesla takes a giant sheet of aluminum metal and press it into the shape of an automobile. Instead of all these little parts where it all has to be welded, it’s a unibody.
No. It’s where Tesla takes a giant sheet of aluminum metal and press it into the shape of an automobile. Instead of all these little parts where it all has to be welded, it’s a unibody.
There may be other areas where this technology is being used in producing parts, I don’t know. I just know this is the process they use to create the body of the car.
It’s like a pre-form for large sections of the car. No more quarter panels and the like. The entire body of the car can be cast in one punch; then add the sunroof, hood, trunk and doors. Oh, and the floor. That one is pretty important too.
So, when you get a dented fender or tail section, how do you repair it?
Shhh...yr not supposed to ask such logical questions.
I used to love Nissan cars. I had over time 4 ‘Z’s and then 2 Maximas. Started a family and moved to the minivan world. When considering a new ride a few years ago I immediately thought of a new Nissan. Doing research on the quality and value of today’s Nissan products quickly put me off that trail. Poor quality, crappy CVT transmissions, and a host of other issues convinced me that a Nissan was not for me.
IMHO if Nissan wants to remain viable they had better drop their EV quest (money pit) and put that cash into better quality ICE cars.
ALthough I’m knowledgeable about the whole process, I do know that they use heat and pressure for any dents.
You’re kidding yourself if you think Musk is the source of innovation at any of the Deep State tech companies and tech that he’s the front man for.
A twenty mile an hour fender bender will result in a “total”. Friend had her car (Hybrid) totaled because of that. Lost a fortune because the cost of another was way more than the amount paid by the insurance company. Real bite was that accident wasn’t her fault.
10 percent reduction in just part of the cost of production will be eaten away in one year of inflation.
Imagine having to replace the entire back end of the car because the person doesn't just want to fill the dent with bondo.
Frontier.
Fenders and doors etc are close panels, which are bolted on.
These big die castings are going against the basic characteristic of aluminum which is 6-8 percent shrinkage on solidification.
Now that is a volume shrinkage but it is still 1.5-2 percent in every direction.
Well, for a 70 inch wide car, 1.5 percent is an inch of shrinkage. Now they design the foundry tooling and die caster for directional cooling etc. to try to minimize that.
But the shrinkage on solidification of aluminum has always limited the casting sizes, and created a lot of scrap because of casting porosity and core shift.
Will EVs eventually be delivered on something like very large Dixie Cup dispensers?
That’s my opinion about most the billionaires. They are all front men themselves.
Maybe that’s why Tesla is famous for panel alignment defects.
I think that was more rushing things into production for financial/marketing reasons, a bunch of people including Elon who didn’t really know what they were doing in terms of volume car production, and aluminum panels are harder to stamp and maintain tolerances, and appearance.
Yes, a number of them are, but they are especially concentrated in defense/intel control Big Tech (such as Musk) and hedge fund laundering operations.
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