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Manufacturing aluminum castings at scale efficiently (without using excessive amounts of metal) is a difficult problem to solve. This kind of stuff has plagued
by Roark66 3y ago
Manufacturing aluminum castings at scale efficiently (without using excessive amounts of metal) is a difficult problem to solve. This kind of stuff has plagued other car manufacturers too and with much smaller components. For example aluminum Ice engine heads and blocks. Certain vehicle years (for example 2005 Golf tdi) are known for "porous" and cracking castings.
There is a very good reason (other than "they" want cars to rust) for using steel. Just based on my hobbyist knowledge it's a metal that behaves a lot more predictably.
- digdugdirk 3y agoThis isn't accurate. Aluminum casting is a well known and understood process, the only issues are either from poor manufacturing control or a poor design. In Tesla's case, it seems to be a mix of both, with a bit of "we're doing something gigantic that few companies have experience with" sprinkled on top.
- hn_throwaway_99 3y agoThe problem with how difficult aluminum casting is or is not is totally irrelevant. The real problem is that this structural member with a giant visible crack in it somehow made it through Tesla's QA process. I think I could give Tesla some slack when they were originally ramping up Model 3 production (it was a "succeed or the company goes under" moment), but reports of their sub-par QA keep coming and coming.
- pengaru 3y agoThis company is supposedly sophisticated enough to develop AI technology capable of driving their cars. Surely they can point some of those cameras at the gigapress output with their AI magic rejecting any parts letting light through where none is expected.