Swiss technology company Bühler Group’s megacasting solution aims to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) production across Japanese automobile manufacturer Honda Motor Company’s operations in North America.

The megacasting solution entails multiple Bühler Carat 610 die-casting machines which will be operated at the Anna Engine Plant, in Ohio, in the US, with several Carat 610 cells already installed at the plant and production ramping up.

Additionally, a Carat 610 die-casting machine, commissioned in March 2024 at Honda’s site in Tochigi, Japan, is the first of its kind in the country and is currently used in Japan for research and development, says Bühler die-casting MD Cornel Mendler.

Through its investment in the megacasting solution, Honda aims to grow its EV production operation in North America, strengthen its supply system and its ability to prepare for an increase in demand in the region.

Honda is establishing an EV Hub in Marysville, Ohio, which will begin production of EVs alongside existing internal combustion engines and hybrid powered vehicles this year.

This expansion of capabilities in North America supports the company’s vision to have battery-electric and fuel-cell electric vehicles represent 100% of its vehicle sales by 2040, according to Mendler.

Aligned to this, the Bühler Carat 610 megacasting machines will cast the cases for its intelligent power units (IPUs). The IPU case will contain the EV battery module and serve as the main frame structure for the floor of Honda and Acura EVs. They will be manufactured at the Anna Engine Plant, then delivered to the EV Hub in Marysville, where the battery modules will be installed.

“The IPU case is much larger than anything Honda has die-cast before. It will be die-cast in two pieces and welded together,” says a Honda representative.

“In-house production of IPUs is a first for Honda. Bühler is equipped to support Honda in this venture with its experienced process engineers and extensive technological know-how, alongside the advanced Carat 610 die-casting machine, to ensure the successful production of the IPU case.”

Innovative Technology
“Bühler has been active in die-casting for nearly 100 years and the Carat series is Bühler’s answer to the globally accelerating trend towards larger structural castings in modern car architectures,” says Mendler.

The company has manufacturing sites for the construction of its Carat machines in Europe, the US and China. This setup enables the company to produce regionally and to be close to its customers.

The two-platen technology, with die-locking forces of 10 500 kN to 92 000 kN, is specifically designed to produce large and complex parts.

Mendler explains that megacastings reduce complexity in production by enabling between 70 to 100 parts to be replaced by a single die-cast part. These single-piece castings will generally be produced close to the automotive assembly line, allowing for better integration and reduced transport.

Establishing Expertise
“We have a long history with Honda and, with the Carat 610, we are very pleased to provide the company with a solution to realise their megacasting ambitions,” says Mendler.

With more than 900 machines in operation, Bühler’s Carat series is the most successful solution on the market and is driving forward megacasting production around the world, he adds.

By using the Carat 610 for research and development, Honda can conduct controlled experiments under different casting conditions to ensure and improve the quality of its end products.

“Several parameters such as the casting temperature, the pressure, the casting speed and the cooling rate can be varied to examine their effects on the properties of the parts,” says Mendler.

The use of various fully-automated peripheral devices enables precise control of the entire casting process and helps to achieve reproducible results.

These peripheral devices include spray robots for applying release agents, removal robots for lifting the parts from the moulds, trimming presses for removing casting flashes and the cooling basin for regulating cooling processes.

“The research and development cell makes it possible to test process innovations and newly developed parts quickly and efficiently. This rigorous testing allows us to optimise our processes,” the Honda representative says.

“The expertise and experience that we gain in Japan will be shared across our production network in North America to support our electrified future,” they add.

“This project is a global cooperation between our teams in Japan and the US. Thanks to our worldwide setup, we are able to work closely with our customers and supply them with the technologies and solutions they need for success in the changing automotive landscape,” says Mendler.