Featured Image Credit: @tobilindh/Twitter

Tesla Gigafactory Berlin's construction is moving forward at a steady pace, and more materials are being unloaded on site. Giga Berlin may receive approval to start building the Model Y factory soon, especially considering that the specs for Tesla’s bespoke Giga Press machines for the Model Y’s underbody castings were revealed a revised application. The Model Y factory is scheduled to start production by July 2021.

By the current pace Giga Berlin is moving with production, the Model Y factory could be ready to start operations by Tesla’s estimated date. Just recently, drone-operator @GF4Tesla posted on Twitter that Giga Berlin workers have begun unloading reinforced concrete floor delivery by trains on site. Just a couple of weeks ago, gravel was being poured on the ground, and now reinforced concrete floors could be laid down soon. 

According to those in the industry, reinforced concrete floors are sturdy and can be resistant to cracking, bending, or any damage caused over time. Steel bars provide support to reinforced concrete floors, making them durable. 

#GigaBerlin

Monday july 06 / 2020

The week begins with the unloading of the reinforced concrete floors.🏗
Delivered by train.

Photo credit: @RalfThomas pic.twitter.com/pLcdQtHyCM

— @GF4Tesla..🏗️🏗️.build #GigaBerlin. (@Gf4Tesla) July 6, 2020

Because reinforced concrete is fortified by steel bars, they are capable of carrying more weight, which Tesla may have considered necessary in its Germany-based Model Y factory. Tesla decided to order an aluminum die-casting machine for the Model Y’s rear underbody, allowing it to be produced in a singular piece instead of two separate pieces.

According to documents about Giga Berlin, Tesla plans to place a total of eight die-casting machines in its designated casting area. The EV automaker made sure to leave ample space for the eight machines. Based on a previous Tesmanian report, the machines mentioned in Tesla’s documents are most likely IDRA Group’s OL 6100 CS Giga Press, which was modified with specifications from the EV automaker.

Giga Berlin documents may have revealed some of the specifications of Tesla’s OL 6100 and other details as well. A local observer of Giga Berlin, @tobilindh, was kind enough to provide a translation of the eight machines Tesla described. “There are eight die-casting [sic] machines with a maximum operating capacity of 73.1 t/ d per machine. The maximum total capacity is 213,474 t/ year,” read the documents @tobilindh presented.

There will be 8 big casting machines.

They also seem to be bigger than the Giga Press described at Wikipedia: https://t.co/p5g0GkxWWI pic.twitter.com/c6g8UnWeLy

— Tobias Lindh (@tobilindh) July 5, 2020

The documents also explained other materials the die-cast machines would need. “The following chemicals are required for each aluminum casting: 1: Die-casting release agent (The Slick, 35 ml per shot) and 2) Tip lubricant (8 ml per shot. Some of these chemicals, neither of which are hazardous substances according to the CLP-VO, are evaporated when they come into contact with liquid aluminum. The emissions are released into the general operating room. Ultimately, they are extracted by ventilation fans on the roof.”

The documents also revealed how the die-cast machines worked. Having eight die-cast machines shows how serious Tesla is in reaching its 100,000+ per year vehicle production goals in Giga Berlin’s first year. As more details come to light about Tesla’s Model Y factory, it’s becoming more apparent that Giga Berlin is not vaporware as suggested by the company's critics. Instead, it is something very, very tangible, and something that could be very disruptive.