Ford has produced more than 5,000 large aluminum unicastings for its upcoming Fathom midsize electric truck, following the giant casting method that Tesla brought into production with its Giga Press in 2020.
According to a Ford From the Road article published Wednesday, the castings are being produced at its Shelbyville Technical Center to support process testing and prototype assembly ahead of the truck’s planned 2027 launch.
Each Fathom will use two large aluminum castings, one for the front and another for the rear, replacing 146 structural parts.
Ford says the castings reduce mass and improve overall energy efficiency.
Ford CEO Jim Farley confirmed the milestone
Ford CEO Jim Farley confirmed the milestone on X on Wednesday, saying the company is rethinking how vehicles are designed and built rather than removing features to lower costs.
“5,000 unicastings and counting!” Farley wrote, adding that the technology supports Ford’s new Universal Production System at its Louisville Assembly Plant.
That system divides the traditional assembly line into three main branches, allowing major vehicle sections to be assembled simultaneously before being brought together.
Tesla’s first Giga Press, built by Italy’s IDRA,
Tesla’s first Giga Press, built by Italy’s IDRA, started running at the Fremont factory in August 2020, roughly six years earlier.
Tesla used the massive casting machine to produce rear underbody structures for the Model Y, with Elon Musk saying it would make the rear body in a single piece, including crash rails.
Ford is now refining its own process, including reducing casting cycle times and engineering the components to support modular repairs.
Production involves melting aluminum at approximately 700 degrees
Production involves melting aluminum at approximately 700 degrees Celsius before injecting it into moulds, followed by cooling, trimming, machining and several quality inspections.
The castings undergo X-ray inspections, optical scanning and dimensional checks, with production batches held until testing requirements are satisfied before shipment to Louisville.
Ford says the more than 5,000 castings produced so far are being used to build Fathom prototypes in Louisville, with the Fathom’s launch planned for 2027.
- Ford Works With BC Hydro, Other Utilities to Prepare Fathom Electric Pickup for Home Power
- Ford opens preorder invite list for Fathom electric pickup
- Study Finds Tesla Gigacastings Lower Vehicle Repair Costs
- GM buys Tesla gigacasting supplier TEI: Report
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