Megacasting at Volvo: The new EX60 hits the road
In the EX60, this applies to the rear underbody, which is cast from a single piece. The technology replaces many classic body parts that were previously manufactured, joined and assembled in several production steps. This saves time, assembly and logistics costs and can also reduce weight – key factors for modern vehicle architectures.
Clamping forces of 8400 tonnes
Significant infrastructural changes have been implemented at the Swedish main plant in Torslanda, Gothenburg, in recent years. Volvo has consistently invested in building up megacasting expertise, including the procurement of large die-casting cells, the construction of its own production hall and the training of specialist personnel.
The central technical equipment consists of Carat 840 megacasting cells supplied by the Swiss Bühler Group. These machines belong to the Carat series, which was specially developed for large-format structural casting applications. The Carat 840 operates with clamping forces of 8,400 tonnes. With a height of 7.6 metres and a footprint of around 160 square metres, it can pour over 200 kilograms of liquid aluminium into a mould within milliseconds.
Greater range thanks to lower weight
Where numerous stamped and welded parts used to be delivered and assembled, a large component is now produced directly where it is installed. The close proximity to the assembly line is advantageous. Reducing the number of components leads to lower weight and greater structural rigidity. For electric vehicles, this is not an end in itself: every kilogram saved has a direct impact on energy consumption and thus on range.
At the same time, the integration of megacasting into existing production systems requires interdisciplinary thinking: foundry technicians, toolmakers, body engineers and assembly planners must work closely together to exploit the full potential of the method. The fact that a – presumably – high-volume mid-range SUV such as the EX60 is adopting this technology can be seen as confirmation of the megacasting approach.
New electric platform
The EX60 is based on a newly developed electric platform, where the battery, drive and structure were designed together from the outset. The battery is no longer simply installed but integrated into the vehicle structure as a load-bearing element (cell-to-body principle). The new model is expected to drive further and charge faster than any other Volvo electric car before it.
‘The EX60 is designed to be a gamechanger,’ said Anders Bell, Chief Technology Officer at Volvo Cars, at the presentation. ‘With our new electric vehicle architecture, we directly address the main worries that customers have when considering a switch to a fully electric car. The result is class-leading range and fast charging speeds, marking the end of range anxiety.’
