Bühler Group
Left, the first Carat 610 megacasting machine installed for Duoli Technology; and right, its first Carat 920, installed in December 2023.

Chinese Group Orders Four Megacasting Cells

Jan. 23, 2024
Duoli Technology, a supplier to automotive OEMs, will add four more machines for high-pressure diecasting of large-dimension, unitary automotive structures.

Duoli Technology, a Chinese manufacturer of automotive stampings and related molds, has ordered four Carat 920 cells from Bühler Group, one of the largest individual orders for the Swiss business’s megacasting technology. It also stands to position Duoli as one the world’s largest operators of megacasting technology.

Megacasting, also called gigacasting, is high-pressure diecasting of large structural components, especially for automaking. Bühler introduced its Carat 840 and Carat 920 megacasting machines in 2021. These have been adopted by automakers to produce large-dimension, unitary components that require minimal welding to assemble into finished vehicle structures.

The two-platen Carat technology offers die-locking forces of 10,500-92,000 kilonewton (kN) to produce large, complex parts like rear and front underbodies cast as a single piece.

Bühler did not reveal the value of its new order. The Carat machines are being produced in China and will be delivered to Duoli during Q2 and Q3 2024.

“This order for four Carat 920 underlines our ambition to be a driving force in the megacasting business,” stated general manager and director Jianqiang Jiang. “With these new capacities, we can reliably produce rear underbodies in one shot for our customers.”

Duoli megacasts parts for automotive OEMs from three foundries in China, having entered the diecasting business in late 2020. It installed its first Bühler megacasting machine, a Carat 610, in 2021.

Last year it ordered two more Carat 610s and a Carat 920, the last of which started up in December 2023.

About the Author

Robert Brooks | Content Director

Robert Brooks has been a business-to-business reporter, writer, editor, and columnist for more than 20 years, specializing in the primary metal and basic manufacturing industries. His work has covered a wide range of topics, including process technology, resource development, material selection, product design, workforce development, and industrial market strategies, among others. Currently, he specializes in subjects related to metal component and product design, development, and manufacturing — including castings, forgings, machined parts, and fabrications.