Dongfeng Gigacasting Plant Update

Recently, local Wuhan media reported that at the construction site of Dongfeng Motor's new Gigacasting plant, the steel structure hoisting is over 90% complete and workers are racing to install the final set of overhead crane tracks.

According to the latest report from the project command, the factory building is expected to meet the conditions for completion acceptance on August 24, 2025. At that time, the relocation of the office area and production preparations will commence simultaneously.

About the Gigacasting R&D and production center in Wuhan;

The plant which started construction in April will be built at one time but have the capacity for 6 die casting production lines which will be installed and ramped up in separate phases.

The first phase consists of two die casting machines with the clamping force of 10,000 and 16,000 t. The two machines will produce rear underbody castings and battery housings and reach a combined production capacity of 200,000 units per year.

Tesla Cybercab’s Gigacastings and its 5 Seconds Production Line

Recently, there have been rumors regarding Tesla's commitment to front underbody gigacastings, especially since Tesla decided to abandon them for the new Model Y (click here if you want to find out why). However, a few days ago, Tesla's VP of Engineering, Lars Moravy, was interviewed by Sandy Munro.

In this interview, he confirmed that the new Cybercab and Tesla's next-generation platform will utilize Gigacastings for both the front and rear underbody. This development was to be expected, as the robotaxi adheres to Tesla's often mentioned "unboxed" process.

Tesla’ CEO, Elon Musk recently described the production process for the Tesla Cybercab as distinct from a conventional car manufacturing line, likening it instead to a "high-speed consumer electronics line." This innovative approach, he explained, reflects Tesla's ambition to revolutionize vehicle assembly with its cutting-edge Unboxed Process.

To achieve such blistering speeds, Musk emphasized the need to scale up Tesla’s Gigacasting process. (see the video)

I don’t expect this to be taken literally; instead, it’s intended as a thought-provoking exercise to highlight the importance of boosting the output and efficiency of Tesla’s die casting machines, encouraging the team to “brainstorm” innovative solutions.

The New Thixomolding Machines, 4,000t, 5,000, 6,000, 7,000...

The auction has just started

Haitian Metal announced the world's largest 7,000t magnesium Thixomolding machine will be ready by mid 2025.

Thixomolding offers a more cost-effective and safer method for manufacturing magnesium products, which are approximately 30% lighter than their aluminum counterparts. This makes it an ideal solution for reducing weight in Electric Vehicles.

Promising a significant leap in magnesium products manufacturing, the new 7,000t machine is expected to achieve a shot weight exceeding 25 kg. Currently, the title of the largest operational Thixomolding machine is held by Bole's MTX 4000, with a shot weight capacity of 17 kg.

In a recent development, Haitian introduced a 3,600 ton machine primarily used for mass producing automotive wheels and Cross Car Beams (CCB). For example the CCB weighs 6.1 kg and it's over 1.4 meters in length.

For decades, magnesium Thixomolding was confined to niche applications, consequently the size of available machines remained limited.

However, the past two years have witnessed a surge in the development of larger machines. The industry has progressed with 3,000t machine with double injection, Haitian's 3,600t model, Bole's 4,000t machine, and TPI which introduces the possibility to transform existing die casting machines into thixomolding machines.

Several companies have recently made significant announcements in the industry. Haitian and Yizumi plan to introduce a 5,000 ton machine in 2025, Bole announced 6,000 ton model with a 30 kg shot weight, set to be installed later this year, with plans for even larger machines in development.

Consequently, shot weights have surged dramatically, rising from just 2.5 kg a few years ago to over 25 kg in the near future a tenfold increase in less than half a decade.

This rapid evolution signals a trasformative shift in magnesium Thixomolding technology, opening doors to broader and more ambitious applications...

POTUS Signs an Executive Order to Increase American Mineral Production

On March 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order aimed at revitalizing domestic mineral production in the United States, citing national and economic security concerns due to reliance on foreign mineral supplies. Invoking his authority under the Constitution and federal laws, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, the President outlined a comprehensive strategy to reduce regulatory barriers, expedite permitting, and enhance investment in the mineral sector.

Key provisions include:

Priority Projects: Federal agencies must identify and fast-track mineral production projects within tight deadlines, with the NEDC overseeing approvals and transparency via the Permitting Dashboard.

Land Use: The Secretary of the Interior is directed to prioritize mineral production on federal lands rich in deposits, amending land use plans as needed. Agencies like Defense and Energy will lease suitable federal sites to private companies for mineral enterprises.

Regulatory Reform: Recommendations to clarify waste management under the Mining Act of 1872 will be submitted to Congress within 30 days.

Investment Boost: The order leverages the Defense Production Act and other authorities to channel public and private capital into mineral projects. It waives certain bureaucratic requirements, delegates loan and investment powers to the Department of Defense and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and encourages small business support through the Small Business Administration.

The initiative also involves collaboration across agencies to solicit industry feedback, streamline financing, and secure global mineral feedstock for domestic processing.

Humanoid Robots, From Low Volume Prototypes to High Volume Manufacturing

Figure AI has announced the launch of BotQ, a cutting-edge manufacturing facility designed to produce humanoid robots at an unprecedented scale. With its first-generation production line capable of manufacturing up to 12,000 robots annually, BotQ marks a significant milestone in the company’s mission to revolutionize robotics.

Design for Manufacturing

BotQ reflects Figure’s commitment to vertically integrated manufacturing, bringing the entire robot-building process in-house. This approach ensures greater control over quality, cost, and delivery timelines. Over the past eight months, Figure’s hardware and engineering teams have developed a scalable manufacturing process from scratch. The recently completed Figure 03, the company’s next-generation production robot, has been optimized for affordability and high-volume output. By shifting from slow, costly CNC machining, used in the prototyping of Figure 02, to faster processes like injection molding and die casting, Figure has slashed production times from days to mere seconds per part.

Building a Supply Chain from the Ground Up

Unlike traditional industries, humanoid robotics lacks an established supply chain. Figure has tackled this challenge by designing nearly every component, actuators, motors, sensors, batteries, and electronics, in-house. While core assembly remains internal, the company has partnered with expert vendors to produce complex parts, such as flexible OLED screens and precision optics. With a supply chain built to scale to 100,000 robots or 3 million actuators within four years.

Tesla CEO, Elon Musk recently shared updates on the company’s humanoid robot, Optimus, during a live-stream on Tesla’s X account. He expressed optimism about scaling up Optimus production in 2025, leveraging a manufacturing facility at Tesla’s Fremont vehicle factory, where the first robots are already being produced.

"This year, we’re aiming to produce around 5,000 Optimus robots" Musk said, addressing when they might be available to the public. He added that Tesla is securing parts to potentially manufacture "10,000, maybe 12,000" units, though he tempered expectations given the groundbreaking nature of the project. "It’s a completely new product, everything is uncharted territory, so I’d call it a success if we hit half of that 10,000 goal. Still, 5,000 robots is like a Roman legion in scale."

XPeng Switches From 7,000 to 12,000t

The updated XPeng G6 now utilizes a 12,000 ton die casting machine to produce its rear underbody Gigacasting. Previously, the G6 relied on a 7,000 ton machine to manufacture both its front and rear underbody castings, marking it as an early adopter in the field.

During the unveiling of the refreshed model, Xpeng announced the shift to the larger 12,000 ton machine, which had already been employed for underbody castings on the X9 minivan.

In 2024, the G6 was the vehicle adopting both Front and Rear Gigacasting with the highest production volume of any vehicle worldwide.

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