You may have heard that Tesla uses GigaPresses to form parts of its Models 3 and Y cars. You also might have heard Toyota (who recently disassembled a Tesla for “research”) say they intend to use a GigaPress in their future. But, well, what is it?
It is a giant die casting machine where molten metal is injected into a die and out comes a big chunk of a car. The story is that Elon Musk noticed that some model cars has been die casted and thought that you might be able to do with with a real car. Well, you can. While a bit dated, the video below offers a great explanation of the GigaPress.
A typical car frame is made by welding together tens or hundreds of pieces of formed sheet metal. By replacing all these individual pieces with one piece you gain the following advantages:
- You can produce each section of the car must faster
- The end result is more precise
- Factory space is saved as you no longer need hundreds of robots to assemble all the separate pieces
Is it a good idea? Apparently yes. Tesla will be using GigaPresses to build the frame of the Cybertruck and the new “Model 2”. Additionally, other car manufacturers in China have started buying GigaPresses.
