Automobile parts

Traditional all-aluminum frames are "assembled"—aluminum sheets are stamped into parts and then riveted, welded, and bonded together piece by piece. It involves many steps, complex processes, and places extremely high demands on welding and mold-making.

The latest approach is "casting" them directly. A company in Hubei has developed the world's first integrally cast low-pressure cast all-aluminum load-bearing frame, which is formed in a single pour. It has a projected area of 4.2 square meters, with thickness ranging from 4mm at its thinnest to 50mm at its thickest—a 12:1 thickness span, a world first in terms of precision.

What are the benefits of casting it directly? It eliminates hundreds or even thousands of weld points and rivet joints, significantly improving overall rigidity and torsional stiffness. The force flow path during a collision is also smoother, enhancing safety. This technology has already been applied to the BYD Yangwang U8L.

In short, all-aluminum frame manufacturing is moving from "assembly" to "casting"—integrated die-casting/casting is reshaping the rules of the game in body manufacturing.