Xiaomi, the Chinese technology giant known for its smartphones, tablets and smart devices, recently entered the automotive sector with the unveiling of its first electric car, the Xiaomi SU7. This car, which is expected to be available on the market in 2024, promises to offer high performance, safety, comfort and convenience at an affordable price.
Xiaomi unveils its HyperCasting super die casting technology: a revolution in the production of electric cars
But what makes the Xiaomi SU7 so special? In addition to its elegant design, its autonomy of 600 km, its intelligent driving system and its advanced connectivity, the Xiaomi SU7 stands out for its HyperCasting die casting technology, which allows the car body to be produced with an innovative and efficient process.
HyperCasting die casting technology was announced by Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, at Xiaomi automotive technology conference held on December 28, 2023. This is a process that uses a machine to 9100 ton integrated die casting, capable of forming body parts in a single shot, reducing the number of components, weight, costs and production times.
This technology was first introduced by Tesla on its Model Y, but Xiaomi has pushed the bar even higher, increasing the size, quality and strength of the die-cast parts. Furthermore, Xiaomi is currently the only company in China that has both self-developed mass production of die casting alloy materials and self-developed large-scale die casting equipment systems, demonstrating its independent design and manufacturing capability.
The rear floor of the Xiaomi SU7, for example, It uses a large die-casting process and is 17% larger than Tesla's, requiring a die casting machine with a higher clamping force. For this reason, Xiaomi has customized and developed a giant die casting machine integrated with a clamping force of 9100 tons and a weight of 718 tons, equivalent to the weight of four Boeing 747s.
But one die casting machine is not enough. Self-developed die casting cluster design and materials are indispensable. Xiaomi collaborated with the National Key Materials Laboratory and used its AI simulation system of multiple material properties to select the optimal alloy formula that takes into account strength, toughness and stability from 10,16 million formulas, creating the “Xiaomi titanium alloy”.
Thanks to “Xiaomi titanium alloy” die-cast integrated into the rear floor and integrated CTB battery technology, the Torsional rigidity of the Xiaomi SU7 vehicle is as high as 51.000 N·m/deg, equivalent to double that of traditional combustion vehicles.
Not only that, Xiaomi has also creatively designed a three-stage anti-collision design in terms of structure. In the event of medium and low speed collisions, it is sufficient to replace the anti-collision beam and the deformation zone, without replacing the rear floor, ensuring economical maintenance.
The core of Xiaomi's HyperCasting die casting technology is a die casting cluster covering an area of 840 square meters and surrounds the die casting machine with more than 60 equipments. During spraying, temperature control and mold clamping, 9100 tons of powerful clamping force firmly locks the mold. The liquid aluminum alloy raw material heated to 700 degrees is transferred quantitatively through the closed system of aluminum liquid and injected into the mold within 100 milliseconds. The 90kg liquid alloy blank fills the entire mold in an instant.
This is not only the forming of die casting, but also the beginning of the cluster work: 9 main processes such as inspection, cooling and cutting, 433 industrial parameters are precisely connected, and 16 automated assembly processes are precise, consistent and meticulous, allowing you to combine 72 parts into one.
Xiaomi's HyperCasting technology represents a revolution in electric car manufacturing, which could change the landscape of the automotive industry and give Xiaomi a competitive advantage in the global market. Xiaomi has once again demonstrated its vision and ambition to bring technological innovation to everyone.
