Cars have existed since the nineteenth century, with their introduction changing civilization for the better. Giving prompt personal transport to vast sections of the population, while creating a new workforce and introducing a new aspect of popular culture.
Today, the automotive industry exists everywhere across the globe. In the early 20th century, the U.S. dominated automotive production. Although cars today are manufactured on a mass scale around the world, China is currently the world’s leading manufacturer of road vehicles, manufacturing 33.9% of the total world production. In 2018 alone, 81.5 million cars were sold worldwide.
Since the first cars were introduced to the market, automotive manufacturing processes have changed drastically. When the mass production of cars first began, around the same time as when Ford introduced the iconic Model T, most assembly work was carried out by hand. However, since then robots have become common in the manufacturing industry, carrying out welding and assembly in a much shorter time-frame than would be possible with human hands.
For some automotive components, CNC machining, which involves carrying out tasks like drilling and boring with computer control and automation, now serves as a favourable option for both prototyping and production.
CNC machines turn a digital file into a sequence computer instruction, which are sent to a motorised tool such as a drill, lathe or mill. The tool turns a block of material into a finished product by cutting it in the appropriate places, providing much greater accuracy than conventional machining.
1.CNC Machining For The Automotive Industry in the Electric Vehicle Era
CNC Machining For The Automotive Industry in the Electric Vehicle Era. The push for electric vehicles (EVs) is nothing new. In fact, CNCchinese Company has noticed a strong, consistent uptick in parts and projects from the automotive and OEM automotive industries.
Now, IHS Markit predicts that 25 percent of all passenger vehicles sold worldwide will be electric by 2030, while Bloomberg forecasts at least two-thirds of global car sales will be electric by 2040. All this despite EVs accounting for less than 1 percent of the 250 million motor vehicles currently operating in the U.S. The inventory of automobiles is currently, in general, less than demand due to the supply chain issues of 2020 and 2021, leaving the market wide open for accelerated growth.
The automotive manufacturers that learned from the pandemic reassessed their production processes to maximize cost containment. That frequently meant fine-tuning and optimizing their CNC machining approach — pondering the ability to switch from manufacturing mainly internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to EVs. Luckily, CNCchinese and its specialized CNC machinery is here to help you and your company stay ahead of the automotive industry curve.
2. New energy vehicles
The term new energy vehicles (NEV) refers to plug-in electric vehicles, which include battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), also called hydrogen vehicles. This term is often used in Chinese territory, referred simply to as electric vehicles in other parts of the world.
New energy vehicles and hybrid vehicles are changing the transportation industry departing from conventional fossil-fueled vehicles towards a more sustainable and greener technology. The applications and functioning of each type of NEV are different, however, the non-conventional vehicle market is expected to grow exponentially in the next two decades.
2.1 The status of new energy vehicles
According to recent studies, the global market for New Energy Vehicles is growing continuously at an annual rate of approximately 22% and is expected to grow from 8.1 million units to 39.21 million units by 2030 without taking into consideration alternative fuels such as hydrogen and bio-combustibles. The machining parts have a big market.
2.2 The background of new energy vehicle
New alternatives for internal combustion cars started developing decades ago, however, electric cars entered the global market around 2010 when concerns about pollution impact started to hit at an international scale.
Nowadays, the automobile industry assimilated the greener energy initiative among their business goals, and big automobile and tech brands such as Tesla, Nissan, and Volvo joined the new energy vehicle market, especially around electric and hybrid vehicles.
In the last decade, China has become the largest seller of plug-in electric passenger cars in the world and new energy vehicles have more than doubled their sales from 2015 to 2020, selling over a million units. And many China machining vehicle parts manufacturer grows up very fast.
2.3 Electric vehicle and hydrogen vehicle
Electric vehicles, also called battery electric vehicles (BEVs), use electricity instead of internal combustion to run the engine. These vehicles use a large traction battery pack to power the electric motor and must be recharged with a piece of outer charging equipment or station to maintain the electric supply to the engine.
On the other hand, hydrogen vehicles (fuel cell electric vehicles) produce electricity using a fuel cell powered by hydrogen instead of drawing electricity from a battery like regular electric vehicles. In this case, the vehicle is designed so the hydrogen fuel cell has the appropriate size to power the electric motor and stored energy. Hydrogen cells don’t generate emissions or by-products during the energy conversion, since hydrogen is a clean (not-fossil) fuel.
2.4 The famous brand of new energy vehicle
As stated above, many brands and companies have joined the new energy vehicle market worldwide, however, the industry leader is Tesla Motors without any doubt. The company led by famous entrepreneur Elon Musk is the number one seller and manufacturer of electric and autonomous vehicles, electric traction motors, electric machining traction motors parts, independent battery motors, and machining battery motors parts.
With a focus on vision-based solutions for auto-piloting vehicles, Tesla mass produces autonomous driving cars in the United States combining green technologies with intelligence and technology. They focused on creating powerful vehicle batteries and building multiple charging facilities for their drivers. CNCchinese is a lucky machining parts company, which is a machining parts supplier of Tesla Europe.
Other only-electric automobile companies are gaining popularity around the world including Li Auto, Rivian, and BYD Auto, the last one being the world’s best-selling manufacturer of highway-legal light-duty plug-in electric vehicles in 2016.
3. The development trend of new energy vehicles
Although fuel cell electric technology is growing in importance in the clean transportation movement, the automotive industry nowadays is more oriented toward improving the battery range and autonomy. Also, as long as the machining parts production technology improved, they help battery to be improved.
In this sense, the key to developing electric vehicles with longer driving changes is to improve the characteristics of batteries to gain higher performances without harming the environment. In the early stages of electric car manufacturing, lead acid batteries were the first option for energy supply.
However, advancements have been made to improve their performance by trying new materials in battery composition and the CNC machining technology improve the battery housing, The alloys of lithium with phosphate and manganese have shown successful results in this matter. Likewise, manufacturers lean towards the use of gel and silicon batteries to replace common lead acid batteries without the need to significantly increase the price of vehicles.
3.1 The new energy vehicle will be the most important part of automotive industry in the future (Carbon neutral agreement)
In 2015 the United Nations gathered to commit first-world countries and industrial powers to the Net Zero initiative, and as part of this agreement, nations agreed to reduce carbon emissions to a minimum and establish a road to emission-free transportation, considering the impact that fossil fuels and the energy sector have on the environment.
In this sense, international and national policies are focusing on achieving carbon neutrality before the year 2050, investing millions of dollars to transform the energy sector and include renewable energy and fuel alternatives to achieve the zero emissions goal. Hence, the new energy vehicle market is predicted to keep growing worldwide, expecting to become the first option for buyers in the car market by the year 2060.
3.2 Electric vehicle will be more popular – green energy and intelligence system
Due to their scale, car markets create millions of job opportunities, specifically in the electric vehicle supply chain including CNC machining parts, from the investigation of advanced materials for battery packs to power electronics, machining, engineering, motor manufacturing, assembling, and more. Electric vehicles promote the pace of innovation in the transport sectors, as part of the green energy initiative.
Electric car manufacturers are focusing on decreasing battery costs to make new energy vehicles affordable and incorporating artificial intelligence algorithms and controllers to improve driving range and optimize energy conservation.
4. Electric Vehicles and the future of CNC in China
4.1 A step towards a greater uptake of contract manufacturing
Every automotive design engineer knows that the electric vehicles rolling off their production lines have fewer moving parts than their Internal Combustion Engine predecessors.
This, however, must mean significantly less will be invested in in-house machining equipment. Is this an opportunity to incorporate specialist external CNC Machining centres into your supply chain? Or, when the focus is to keep your supply chain as short and flexible as possible, will outsourcing CNC machining compromise what you are trying to achieve?
4.2 CNC requirements and EV manufacture
It is widely reported that as electric vehicle production takes off, there will be an increase in demand for machined components such as blade carriers, gear wheels, planet carriers, shafts, transmission components, a variety of battery cells and modules, and compressors. CNC investment for OEMs and the larger Tier 1 suppliers, particularly those that have invested in local battery manufacture, will therefore concentrate on stacking and winding technologies.
Demand for comp brake shoes, electrical housing, heat sinks, panels, and electrical components such as radar sensors, optical instruments, switches and sockets is not going to dwindle significantly. However, the superior surface quality and a need for identical parts may see many of the smaller components being produced through additive manufacturing.
Over the same period (a decade, we presume, given the 2030 deadline), we are likely to see a downturn in demand, but for the time being not a total eradication, of high-pressure fuel pumps, particulate filters, and pistons to name a few. With this expected downturn, investment in new milling, drilling, honing and grinding equipment will show a steady decline. If OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are not investing here, it remains for some of the smaller Tier 1s and Tier 2s to provide the services. So, no supply contraction just yet.
4.3 The EV supply chain and built-in flexibility
The ‘demand’ or ‘upstream’ component of most automotive supply chains tends to be protracted, often extending to three tiers or more between raw materials supplier and OEM. The component part manufacturer is uniquely positioned, though, to act as an overseer of these transactional steps, taking away the responsibility from the OEM or Tier 1. This is a process of contract manufacturing, where the supplier takes responsibility for quality, traceability, materials sourcing, and delivery and becomes a single point of contact for the OEM. The added benefit is that the onus for ongoing investment into the milling, drilling, honing and grinding falls to the component manufacturer.
In China focused on re-shoring with government support, contract manufacturing of component parts is a way for OEMs and Tier 1s to de-risk the supply chain and even shorten the supply chain. Investment at this level can focus on new requirements, allowing depreciating assets of milling, drilling, honing and grinding equipment to fall away.
4.4 Capitalising on opportunity
Smaller components are ideal outsource opportunity. There are plenty of CNC component manufacturers out there offering turnkey solutions. Those offering contract manufacturing solutions offer distinct advantages from extensive industry experience to guaranteed quality and traceability with batches delivered to your specific timescale. These are fewer in number. If this is the chosen route, your selection should not just focus on reputation but clearly outlined, no-nonsense value-added services.
A CNC contract manufacturer should be able to tailor their solutions to meet your specific needs, whether they provide the main bulk of your component part supply, or they are there to provide on-demand back up for contingency parts. Let’s face it, in a production utilising 10,000 parts per month, you will need to plan for up to 6% in loss, damage and not-fit-for purpose. You need a strategy in place that can ensure these replacement components are available on demand.
As the production of EVs ramps up and evolves, your outsource partner should include a company can be flexible on lead times; can scale production as required; is collaborative and ready to alter design at the drop of a hat; and who has optimised their own supply chains.
CNCchinese CNC Technologies has made significant investments in machine technologies to support this paradigm shift in manufacturing requirements. We offer a contract manufacturing service to facilitate EV production, founded upon a wealth of industry expertise and designed around supporting complex, high-mix, low volume production. Partnering with us will enable you to invest in the evolving machinery requirements without having to maintain more traditional machine requirements. Your supply chain remains flexible and accountable.
5.Electric Vehicles and CNC Machining: What You Need to Know
The automotive manufacturers that learned from the pandemic reassessed their production processes to maximize cost containment. Often that meant optimizing their CNC machining approach. Luckily, that exact choice will make it easy to switch from manufacturing mainly internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to EVs. That switch will be more difficult for shops that have overly specialized equipment, but investing in the right software in the coming years could put them back on the right path.
The most obvious concerns when producing EVs rather than ICE vehicles are reducing weight, achieving the precision necessary for making battery packs, and producing internal components with longer lifespans than their ICE counterparts. The right software and machining centers will help manufacturers move quickly from prototyping to mass production, in time to meet regulatory deadlines and even just to stay competitive.
These companies are a metaphorical large ship with a small rudder and need time to re-tool and change course from ICE to EV. This article will focus specifically on the sectors involved in machining automotive parts in these companies, and how the change to EV will affect them.
6.Machining automotive parts in an ICE factory
Internal combustion engines are notoriously complex. This complexity stems from the need to convert chemical energy to mechanical advantage. This power then needs to be changed from a linear force to a rotational force in order to turn the wheels via the transmission. The complexity does not end here however as the engine must be kept cool, power must be transferred to the wheels at different torque and speed combinations, etc. The vast majority of the parts in an ICE vehicle are made from metal and therefore need to be machined at some stage in their manufacturing process.
7.Machining automotive parts in an EV factory
An EV is significantly less complex in terms of moving parts. An electric car has 3 main components, namely an electric motor, a battery pack and a transmission. The battery pack has no moving parts and the electric energy is extracted via a chemical process which then powers the motor. The motor then transfers power to the wheels by making use of a small transmission, typically a single speed transmission as is the case with Tesla vehicles. This means that the overall requirement for machining automotive parts is much less than an ICE factory.
8.EV Machining Requirements
OEMs and their suppliers will need to evolve alongside the market drive towards electric vehicles. This will require shifts in the components being made as well as how they’re made. Listed below are some of the requirements in the EV industry for machining automotive parts and areas of focus.
- Battery manufacture – Battery manufacture will be the bottleneck of future EV production. Tesla anticipated this and is planning on mitigating this effect by constructing battery manufacturing hubs called gigafactories. Car companies will need to wade into battery production as the market is already strained with limited worldwide EV adoption. BYD has also undertaken the manufacture of battery packs. Battery production is no trivial task and requires precise manufacture only achievable with advanced CNC mills, lathes and grinders.The battery pack of an EV is essentially a Russian nesting doll of components: battery cells within battery modules within the battery pack attached to the vehicle frame.Parts like rotary shafts, linear ball bushings, and configurable plates can only be made with extremely precise machining.Batteries need to be protected from vibration and environmental factors (extreme temperatures, moisture, etc.). Their seals must perform even better than those in an ICE, because electric motors operate at greater speeds and temperatures.
- Power-train manufacture – Power trains for EVs are far less complex than a typical ICE power train. OEMs and their suppliers will be able to transition to the manufacture of these drivetrains with minimal changes to their existing machines and processes, albeit at a smaller production volume.
- Body panels – These panels are created by stamping or drawing sheet metal into the required shape by means of a die to create the complex forms of modern passenger vehicles. The dies used for this process are machined using 5-axis machines. This process will not change once manufacturing transitions to EV vehicles.
- Higher quality – Due to the relative simplicity of EVs and the resulting low maintenance requirements, the focus will shift to producing parts of a higher quality. In order for machined parts to last as long as the electric components of an electric car, they need to be manufactured with machinery that can meet the accuracy and repeatability required.
- Lightweight – EVs are very sensitive to excess weight, therefore parts need to be manufactured from lightweight aerospace materials. Parts will also be designed using optimisation technologies like generative design and topological optimisation. These complex parts will require more time to manufacture than traditional automotive parts due to the complex organic shapes that are a result of these algorithms.Any part of a modern EV has been designed, modified, and redesigned to eliminate weight, drag, and friction as much as possible.
- Body panels are made from innovative dies, which are machined by powerful 5-axis machining centers.
- Internal components are pocketed to reduce overall mass. Reaching these compartments without multiple setups would be impossible without multiaxis machining.
- Lightweight aerospace materials are used for many of an EV’s parts, but often these are difficult to machine with traditional processes. Without CAM software that offers detailed simulations and continuously monitors the machining process, the risk of gouging or warping is high.
- Low noise – EVs are quiet by design. However, the immersion is broken if there is excessive noise from poorly machined parts. One of the easiest ways to achieve the surface finishes necessary to reduce noise is to use purpose built grinding machines that can achieve the tolerances required.
- Meeting Tight Tolerances–Even though they perform at high speeds and temperatures, consumers expect less maintenance on EVS. There are fewer overall components in an electric motor, so each must be flawlessly manufactured for OEMs to meet this expectation.
- Parts must have perfect surface finishes that require little deburring.
- Any pocketing that is done must not alter the strength of the machined part, so each stepover and stepdown must be accurate to thousandths of an inch.
- The Right Tools–Automotive manufacturers should seriously consider reorganizing their shops and processes to make way for EVs. The best way to do that is to invest in the right equipment, and the right CAD/CAM software for the job is CNCchinese.
- CNCchinese automatically generates optimized toolpaths for making automotive dies and for producing complex parts with deep pockets.
- Dynamic Motion Technology monitors the stock material during the entire cutting process, automatically adjusting feeds, speeds, and tool angle to keep machining safe and efficient.
- Verify and Backplot functions accurately simulate every stage of machining and highlight possible mistakes, gouges, and collisions.
- Extremely accurate toolpaths can meet even the tightest tolerances.
9.The application of machining parts in new energy vehicles
As the new energy vehicle industry becomes more competitive, efforts to implement data-driven manufacturing technology and advanced machining tools will increase to meet high-performance standards. As the electric vehicle market grows, the demand for CNC machining parts such as gear wheels, transmission components, compressors, battery cells, and trays will increase exponentially. This involves tighter tolerances in machining processes and advanced/updated grinding, milling and drilling methods.
9.1 Machining parts in vehicle body and chassis system
Several parts of the vehicle skeleton or chassis are made of plastic polymers nowadays, where molding technology plays an important role. The frame or main structure of a car is made of metal alloys with high impact and tension resistance. However, laser CNC machines aid engineers in the manufacturing process of roof panels, bumpers, fenders, and other machinining parts of the car’s body system.
9.2 Machining parts in vehicle braking system
The braking system in new energy vehicles is quite similar to the internal combustion cars, with the only difference being that electric vehicles use an electric-powered system to trigger the brakes. However, if the power supply runs out or fails they still have the regular hydraulic brake system installed.
The main parts of the braking system such as braking pads, brake discs, plates, studs, and bearings are often mass-produced with CNC machines with lathes and milling tools. Especially the CNC machining parts with tight tolerances such as wheel bearings and adjustment ratchets.
9.3 Machining parts in the vehicle steering system
A key part of the steering system in any automobile (new energy vehicles and conventional vehicles) is the steering gearbox. Gearboxes are also part of the transmission system with shafts and gear components allowing vehicle movement. These machining parts are also manufactured with CNC machines (mostly drills and mills).
9.4 Machining parts in vehicle drive motor
Just like their internal combustion engine counterparts, electric vehicle motors consist of a chamber, gears, bearings, wires, and so on. The main difference is the source of energy that makes the motor run, in which the electric motors use electromagnetism as the main functioning principle.
What gears, tensors, bearings, chains, pumps, cylinders, bolts, etc., have in common is that they are made of steel and are highly detailed steel machining parts that need CNC machining processes to adjust to the tight tolerances of vehicle performances. This involves drills, mills, lathes, and modern machining centers to manufacture these components.
9.5 Machining parts in vehicle battery
In electric vehicles and new energy vehicles in general battery trays need to be carefully manufactured to ensure the safety and proper functioning of the battery. These trays are usually made of highly detailed aluminum machining parts, needing precise CNC machinery to tap and drill small holes and other characteristic features.
9.6 Machining parts in vehicle drive system
Not to forget that CNC machines are versatile when it comes to different cutting materials. Not only steel and its alloys but also wood, plastic, carbon fiber, and other materials manufactured using CNC lasers or routers.
Routers are useful to cut dashboard frames and manufacture interior panels, gauges, and light cases made with plastic materials to produce plastic CNC machining parts and brass materials to produce brass CNC machining parts.
Machining PMMA enables manufacturers to produce lighting for a vehicle, both its headlights and interior lighting. Even though these acrylic pieces need grinding and polishing after the CNC machining, the entire process is still quite fast. Therefore, allowing auto manufacturers to prototype new light fixtures for their cars quite quickly.
Commonly used as a shatter-resistant alternative to glass, PMMA can also be used for:
- Fish tanks
- Transparent shields
- Windows
9.7 Other parts
CNC machining is also used to produce a vast range of other car parts, such as:
- Fluid system components
- Exhaust parts
- Bushings
- Suspension components
- Valve retainers
- Carburettor housings
In addition, CNC machining is particularly useful for customising vehicles and their specific components, since CAD allows for the quick alteration of part designs.
10. What are the performance requirements of flame-retardant plastics used in new energy vehicles?
In recent years, in the context of the blowout development of new energy vehicles, some new energy vehicles have successively suffered fire and explosion accidents of lithium batteries. This is worthy of our alert to the safety of these new energy batteries. Although these accidents have a certain degree of particularity, the safety of new energy vehicles is worth paying attention to.
Different from plastics used in fuel vehicles, plastics used in new energy vehicles often need to work at higher voltages, currents and electrical power, which requires plastic materials to have better flame retardant and electrical properties. At present, the core of plastic applications for new energy vehicles is mainly concentrated in the fields of motors (coils, controller housings), battery packs (battery housings), and automotive electronics.
The specific performance requirements of new energy vehicles for flame-retardant plastic materials mainly include the following four aspects:
10.1 Flame retardant performance
UL94: V0/V2
Glowing wire test 30s 750/850℃
Ball compression hardness test 75/125℃
10.2 Thermomechanical properties
-40℃-85℃
Vibration, thermal shock, mechanical shock
10.3 Resistant to chemical contact
Water, salt
Electrolyte
Lubricant, dust
10.4 Electrical performance
Electrical insulation strength (>4KV)
Leakage prevention (>250V)
11. Advantages of CNC machining car parts
11.1 Speed
The most significant advantage of CNC machining car parts is the speed it offers. Machining is carried out automatically by a computer, therefore, no human limitations need to be factored into the process. This advantage becomes more apparent with high volume machining of a part, specifically because the computer instructions can be repeated as many times as necessary.
Although CNC is much faster than conventional machining, conventional machining may be faster in certain circumstances. For example, when only a single unit of the object needs to be produced. In this instance, the time it takes to create the computer instructions may surpass the time it would take to machine a single part manually.
11.2 Accuracy & precision
Many automotive manufacturers favour CNC machining due to the accuracy it offers. The autonomous nature of the process leaves a very small possibility of an error occurring, with the finest machining settings providing tolerances of ±0.001″. This is highly advantageous as the automotive industry demands the highest of standards along with such fine tolerances, since the malfunction of a critical component could have severe consequences for the end user.
11.3 Repeatability
With CNC machining, the same part can be produced multiple times without inconsistency between parts. Therefore, proving extremely useful when an auto manufacturer is producing large volumes of a single part. This is particularly beneficial within the automotive industry where on average a staggering 81.5 million cars are manufactured and sold per year, so the demand for large volumes is constant.
In fact, producing larger volumes with CNC machining is more cost-effective, since the machining of the product itself is less labour-intensive than the introductory stage. This is because the initial stage involves digitally designing the component, preparing G-code and selecting materials.
12. Energy Vehicle Aluminum CNC Machining Parts
New energy is the development trend of a new type of resource in the future, especially new energy vehicles have a good development prospect. For example, a new energy vehicle company found CNCchinese from Google to make aluminum CNC machining parts for new energy vehicles.
They said: “I need CNC machining of a precision valve body part for use in automobiles, which requires high precision and requires the cooperation of a powerful aluminum CNC machining parts factory.” CNCchinese has very rich experience in CNC machining parts for new energy vehicles , CNC machining of new energy auto parts and auto parts at home and abroad.
CNCchinese has processed many cases of new energy CNC machining parts in aluminum alloy CNC milling and CNC turning. Most of our customers say, “I found that there are many CNC machined parts factories that can be processed, but your CNC machined parts factory is more perfect in terms of scale, equipment, and machining strength.
When the customer’s drawing documents are sent, the tolerance of more than 80% of the dimensions on the drawings is 0.02-0.01mm. Whether it is the hole position or the shape and position tolerance, our project seems to be very difficult, but we have processed similar CNC machining parts, which can be done. We can meet the customer’s tolerance requirements with some fixtures and custom cutters, but it requires more time and effort.
The use of new energy CNC machining parts is not only reflected in cars. With the development of scientists, it has been used in many industries such as automobiles, water heaters, water pumps, air conditioners and electric power, nuclear energy, geothermal energy, etc., and has good prospects. CNCchinese professional aluminum cnc machining factory is very happy to contribute to the research and development of new energy CNC machining components!
Looking to the future
As consumer demand for EVs continues to rise, OEMs and suppliers will need to transition towards production lines that are appropriately designed, even more aggressively. The general trend will be a vastly reduced metal-part count but an increase in requirements for higher quality surface finishes and tolerances with increased part complexity when it comes to machining automotive parts. Businesses supplying OEMs in the automotive industry will need to diversify their client base, and look to other industries to ensure that there is not a catastrophic loss in production capacity.
Having supplied high quality components to clients in the automotive, medical, and oil and gas industries, we offer a significant level of expertise across multiple sectors. CNCchinese offers world-class tooling design, process control and manufacturing solutions. Our extensive experience and capabilities translate to faster lead times and cost-effective products.
