Next generation manufacturing for global automotive

The increased focus on electrification is driving Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like Ford, Toyota, and Volvo to rethink car body structures for efficiency, range, and manufacturing simplicity. With batteries and electronics making vehicles heavier, finding ways to reduce the overall weight of the vehicle becomes even more essential. One approach is to substitute steel-stamped components in the vehicle body with lightweight aluminum castings. These can vary from smaller elements, such as shock towers and longitudinal members, to complete rear or front underbody structures or battery frames. Such large aluminum megacastings can replace up to 100 smaller components, cutting the total part count and eliminating many intermediate steps such as welding. This not only reduces overall vehicle weight but also streamlines production.

While the global rise in electric mobility is a major contributor to this shift, it is not the only factor accelerating the redesign of automotive production. “Although megacasting is often associated with electric vehicles, the technology is not dependent on drivetrain concepts,” says Michael Cinelli, Director Global Product Management & Marketing Die Casting at Bühler. “It is fundamentally about the car body, which means conventional vehicles can benefit equally from integrating more aluminum structural castings into the car body, too.”

In practice, this means working closely with the customer locally while exploiting Bühler’s global footprint. For example, a major automaker faced a challenge, as its R&D cell and production cells were on different continents. It looked for a partner with a strong presence in both locations, supported by a global network, and capable of delivering multiple megacasting solutions. The collaboration with Bühler began with an initial order for a Carat 610 cell which the customer used as the R&D cell in their home country. Shortly after, an order for more Carat 610 solutions followed that were set up at the company’s production site overseas. The machines were built using equipment sourced from across Bühler’s global manufacturing network and leveraging the strength and integration of its worldwide footprint.

With such megacasting projects, the team from Bühler Die Casting finds itself in a relatively novel position. In traditional die-casting projects, it is usually the bigger player compared with the customer. In megacasting projects, by contrast, Bühler works with much bigger organizations, which have complex structures with more stakeholders, and projects that are significantly larger, meaning the coordination effort grows too. Fortunately, Bühler’s Die Casting business draws on the structures and experience available across the entire Bühler Group. As a major player in food and feed markets globally, the company has ample experience executing large projects, such as major food parks, around the world. This experience is leveraged in megacasting projects, enabling Bühler to bring to its OEM customers the kind of capacity they need from a supplier. 

One challenge lies in the complexity of managing projects that bring together stakeholders across continents and cultures. “Most of our collaboration happens online, with teams spread across continents and time zones – someone in the US is joining at dawn while colleagues in Asia dial in late at night. But, despite the efficiency of virtual work, bringing everyone together from time to time is invaluable. In-person sessions build trust, accelerate alignment, and consistently lead to better collaboration; something we actively recommend to our customers,” says Schmidtbleicher.