At Dongfeng Motor’s integrated die-casting plant in Wuhan, the countdown to full production has begun. Covering 47,000 square meters, the facility houses two industrial giants — a 10,000-ton and a 16,000-ton die-casting machine, the latter being the largest in the world. With a clamping force equivalent to the weight of more than 200,000 people, it enables the production of massive structural parts in a single cast.
According to Wu Xiaofei, General Manager of Dongfeng Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. Wuhan Branch, integrated die casting replaces the conventional car body structure — previously assembled from hundreds of welded components — with just three large cast parts. This drastically reduces the number of components and weld points, improves production efficiency, cuts vehicle weight, and increases torsional stiffness by up to 20%.
The process operates with extreme precision: molten aluminum is injected into the mold at 40 MPa, where it is clamped with 16,000 tons of force and rapidly cooled. The highly automated production line achieves a 135-second cycle time per part and a 95% qualification rate. Moreover, with a 96% material utilization rate and fully recyclable aluminum, the plant embodies the principles of sustainable manufacturing from the outset.
Construction of the integrated die-casting project began in November 2024, and the main facility was completed and approved in August 2025. The first phase, involving an investment of around 500 million yuan, will produce 200,000 lightweight automotive components annually. A second phase is already planned, adding four more production lines and increasing annual capacity to 600,000 components — including large structural parts such as rear underbody modules and battery housings for new energy vehicles.
With this achievement, Dongfeng not only matches but surpasses global pioneers like Tesla in scale and technological integration. The new plant represents a milestone in China’s evolution from follower to leader in advanced automotive manufacturing.
