>> S&P Global Mobility forecasts 15% to 20% of traditional body-in-white (BIW) stampings in 2030 may be at risk from these gigacastings. Underbody components typically comprise about 50% of a vehicle's BIW shell, and this soft underbelly is the target of gigacasting's focus.
Obviously not a technical journal, nor did I double check anything.
What the numbers say 15-20% might be replaced by gigastampings (sidenote: I ak surprised Elon didn't rename Twitter to Giga-X). Which, ok, is a thing. But nowhere near the revolution people seem to believe. First, it has to happen. Second, others have to consider it better, read overall cheaper, and continue doing it. Then we can properly judge. Until then, it might as well be in the category of Teslas fully automated factories that ended with Elon doing pyjama parties with his workers on the shopfloor and ad-hoc tents.
And Toyota, as per the linked article, is not copying it, they are "eyeing" it. And believe itbor not, manufacturers are eyeing new production tech all the time.
And Toyotas reputation in car manufacturing is well earned.
I'm more an aerospace guy, but I am fully aware of the time scale around production technology changes. Thing is so, 2030 is an estimate, not a commitment. And I didn't find anything about actual investments or announcememts from OEMs around that.
Also, 20% of castings still means a lot of welding before a car body is made.
One thing regarding Toyotas production system so: it is all about management and processes and not about the actual machinery. And it share a lot of principles ranging as far back as Venice's Arsenal in the 16/17th century and, especially, WW2 mass manifavturing of, e.g., planes.
Anothet major difference: TPS is a proven methodology for longer than Tesla, let alone any production tech coming out of Tesla, exists as a company.
>> S&P Global Mobility forecasts 15% to 20% of traditional body-in-white (BIW) stampings in 2030 may be at risk from these gigacastings. Underbody components typically comprise about 50% of a vehicle's BIW shell, and this soft underbelly is the target of gigacasting's focus.
Source: https://www.spglobal.com/mobility/en/research-analysis/gigac...
Obviously not a technical journal, nor did I double check anything.
What the numbers say 15-20% might be replaced by gigastampings (sidenote: I ak surprised Elon didn't rename Twitter to Giga-X). Which, ok, is a thing. But nowhere near the revolution people seem to believe. First, it has to happen. Second, others have to consider it better, read overall cheaper, and continue doing it. Then we can properly judge. Until then, it might as well be in the category of Teslas fully automated factories that ended with Elon doing pyjama parties with his workers on the shopfloor and ad-hoc tents.
And Toyota, as per the linked article, is not copying it, they are "eyeing" it. And believe itbor not, manufacturers are eyeing new production tech all the time.
And Toyotas reputation in car manufacturing is well earned.