3 ms·

Toyota gigacasting prototype cuts production from hours to minutes

35 points by harambae 3y ago

gorbypark 3y ago
I think the most interesting part of the article is about the "self propelled manufacturing". It seems like once they have the chassis far enough along in production, they bolt on some wheels and have the car drive itself forward, instead of using a conveyor belt or other traditional method to move a vehicle along the production line!
- benj111 3y ago
  Yes, pretty soon, instead of talking about 'delivery mileage' we'll be talking about 'construction mileage'
akadruid1 3y ago
https://archive.ph/BHUyU https://archive.ph/BHUyU
aaron695 3y ago
[dead]
lelag 3y ago
It's not very surprising they are taking this route. It was reported earlier this year that they were having an epiphany after taking apart a Model Y which their engineer described as a work of art... Toyota is all about efficiency and mass-production. Toyota makes close to 10 millions vehicules per year, that a new car every 3 seconds... There is probably no other alternative than following Tesla's steps to remain competitive in the EV world. References: https://www.autonews.com/manufacturing/how-toyotas-new-ceo-koji-sato-plans-get-real-about-evs https://www.autonews.com/manufacturing/how-toyotas-new-ceo-k... https://www.carscoops.com/2023/03/toyota-rethinks-its-approach-to-evs-after-tearing-down-work-of-art-tesla-model-y/ https://www.carscoops.com/2023/03/toyota-rethinks-its-approa...
panick21_ 3y ago
Toyota new strategy "If Tesla is doing it, copy it".
ornornor 3y ago
Is it paywalled? I can only see what looks like part of the article only.
3seashells 3y ago
I don't really understand the hours argument. Every step takes at Max one cycle, once the line is running and all stations saturated, it's one car per cycle. Reduced complexity? Yes. Less flaws? Certainly. Less production costs. Absolutely. But time saved in a sequence of small tasks seems to be a bad metric.
- biugbkifcjk 3y ago
  Maybe this allows for a factory to create on demand, rather than always running to keep up with demand?
  - 3seashells 3y ago
    So you Pause with a full line and produce on demand?
lemonwaterlime 3y ago
I’m not sure of the details of this, but Tesla and Toyota were (maybe still are) “aligned”, which is a thing in Japanese culture. It wouldn’t surprise me that they have discussed this technology together at some level. The idea that Toyota suddenly “copied” Tesla with this gigacasting idea, complete with working prototypes, after a short news cycle is a ridiculous interpretation either way.
- panick21_ 3y ago
  I don't get what you are talking about. Tesla has been using gigacasting for years and years now. Basically since the first major iteration on the Model 3 internals. Everybody has been copying this, multible companies in China have done that already and others have talked about it. Tesla and Toyota are not working togher and have not for a long time. If anything spliting the car into parts is something that Tesla has only just in planning and Toyota seem to be the first other company jumping on that concept.

35 points by harambae 3y ago

I think the most interesting part of the article is about the "self propelled manufacturing". It seems like once they have the chassis far enough along in production, they bolt on some wheels and have the car drive itself forward, instead of using a conveyor belt or other traditional method to move a vehicle along the production line!

benj111 3y ago
Yes, pretty soon, instead of talking about 'delivery mileage' we'll be talking about 'construction mileage'

akadruid1 3y ago

https://archive.ph/BHUyU https://archive.ph/BHUyU

aaron695 3y ago

[dead]

lelag 3y ago

It's not very surprising they are taking this route. It was reported earlier this year that they were having an epiphany after taking apart a Model Y which their engineer described as a work of art... Toyota is all about efficiency and mass-production. Toyota makes close to 10 millions vehicules per year, that a new car every 3 seconds... There is probably no other alternative than following Tesla's steps to remain competitive in the EV world. References: https://www.autonews.com/manufacturing/how-toyotas-new-ceo-koji-sato-plans-get-real-about-evs https://www.autonews.com/manufacturing/how-toyotas-new-ceo-k... https://www.carscoops.com/2023/03/toyota-rethinks-its-approach-to-evs-after-tearing-down-work-of-art-tesla-model-y/ https://www.carscoops.com/2023/03/toyota-rethinks-its-approa...

panick21_ 3y ago

Toyota new strategy "If Tesla is doing it, copy it".

ornornor 3y ago

Is it paywalled? I can only see what looks like part of the article only.

3seashells 3y ago

I don't really understand the hours argument. Every step takes at Max one cycle, once the line is running and all stations saturated, it's one car per cycle. Reduced complexity? Yes. Less flaws? Certainly. Less production costs. Absolutely. But time saved in a sequence of small tasks seems to be a bad metric.

biugbkifcjk 3y ago
Maybe this allows for a factory to create on demand, rather than always running to keep up with demand?
- 3seashells 3y ago
  So you Pause with a full line and produce on demand?

lemonwaterlime 3y ago

I’m not sure of the details of this, but Tesla and Toyota were (maybe still are) “aligned”, which is a thing in Japanese culture. It wouldn’t surprise me that they have discussed this technology together at some level. The idea that Toyota suddenly “copied” Tesla with this gigacasting idea, complete with working prototypes, after a short news cycle is a ridiculous interpretation either way.

panick21_ 3y ago
I don't get what you are talking about. Tesla has been using gigacasting for years and years now. Basically since the first major iteration on the Model 3 internals. Everybody has been copying this, multible companies in China have done that already and others have talked about it. Tesla and Toyota are not working togher and have not for a long time. If anything spliting the car into parts is something that Tesla has only just in planning and Toyota seem to be the first other company jumping on that concept.