Bühler supplies megacasting solutions for Honda’s electric vehicle production hub
Honda adopts Bühler’s Carat 610 die-casting machines to advance EV production in North America, reinforcing its commitment to 100% electrified vehicle sales by 2040.
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Bühler Group has supplied Honda Motor Company Ltd. with their first megacasting solutions. The Japanese automobile manufacturer has invested in multiple Bühler Carat 610 die-casting machines to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) production across its network in North America and meet continued strong customer demand across the region. Honda is using one of the Carat 610 cells in Japan for research and development, and the others will be operated at the Anna Engine Plant, in Anna, Ohio, US.
Honda is investing in growing its EV production operation in North America to strengthen its supply system and its ability to prepare for a continued increase in demand in the region. The company 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 its vision to make battery-electric and fuel-cell electric vehicles represent 100% of its vehicle sales by 2040.
As part of this strategic move, Honda is installing several Bühler Carat 610 megacasting machines to 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 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.”
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 realize their megacasting ambitions,” says Cornel Mendler, Managing Director Die Casting at Bühler. “Our Carat series is the most successful solution on the market and is driving forward megacasting production across the world. Together with Honda, we have installed our megacasting solution in Japan. It was the first of its kind in the country.”
The Carat 610 was commissioned in March 2024 at Honda’s site in Tochigi, Japan. This cell is being used for research and development (R&D). Honda is conducting controlled experiments under different casting conditions to ensure and improve the quality of their end products. “Several parameters such as the casting temperature, the pressure, the casting speed, and the cooling rate can be varied in order to examine their effects on the properties of the parts,” says Cornel Mendler.
The use of various fully-automated peripheral devices, such as spray robots for applying release agents, removal robots for lifting the parts from the molds, trimming presses for removing casting flashes and the cooling basin for regulating cooling processes, enables precise control of the entire casting process and helps to achieve reproducible results. “The R&D cell makes it possible to test process innovations and newly developed parts quickly and efficiently. This rigorous testing allows us to optimize our processes,” says Honda representative. “The expertise and experience that we gain in Japan will be shared across our production network in North America to support our electrified future.”
The first Carat 610 cells have already been installed at Honda’s Anna Engine Plant and production is ramping up. “This project is a global cooperation between our teams in Japan and the US,” says Cornel Mendler. “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.”
A groundbreaking 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. The two-platen technology with die locking forces of 10,500 to 92,000 kilonewton (kN) is specifically designed to produce large and complex parts.
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.
Bühler has manufacturing sites for the construction of its Carat machines in Europe, the US, and China. This unique setup enables the company to produce regionally and to be close to its customers. With more than 900 machines in operation, Bühler’s Carat series is the most successful solution on the market.
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