Giga Press
| Giga Press | |
|---|---|
Die Casting Machine #2 at Tesla Factory, Fremont, 2020 | |
| Classification | High-pressure die-casting (HPDC) |
| Industry | Metal casting |
| Application | Car chassis production |
| Dimensions | 19.5 m × 5.9 m × 5.3 m 64 by 19 by 17 feet |
| Weight | 410–430 tonnes 900,000–950,000 lb |
| Fuel source | Electric |
| Powered |
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| Invented | ~2018 |
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The Giga Press program is a series of aluminium die casting machines manufactured for Tesla, initially by Idra Group in Italy. Idra presses were the largest high-pressure die casting machines in production as of 2020, with a clamping force of 55,000 to 61,000 kilonewtons (5,600 to 6,200 tf). Each machine weighs 410–430 tonnes (900,000–950,000 lb).
Base specification Giga Press machines were included in Idra's catalogue in 2018. Tesla began using a custom OL 6100 CS Giga Press in late-2020 for integrated die-casting production of chassis parts for the Tesla Model Y.
Shots of molten aluminium weighing 80 kilograms (180 lb) are injected into the cold-chamber casting mold with a velocity of 10 metres per second (22 mph; 36 km/h). The cycle time is ~80–90 seconds, allowing an initial output rate of 40‒45 completed castings per hour, or ~1,000 castings per day.