Dongfeng’s advanced die-casting facility cuts vehicle component production to minutes

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Chinese automotive manufacturer Dongfeng Motor Corporation is accelerating vehicle manufacturing efficiency through one of the world’s largest integrated die-casting facilities, capable of producing major automotive structural components in just minutes.

Located in Wuhan, Hubei Province, the advanced workshop uses molten aluminium and ultra-high-pressure die-casting technology to create large finished vehicle parts at unprecedented speed. During production, molten aluminium is poured into specialised moulds before a massive press instantly clamps shut. Within approximately two minutes, a fully formed structural component emerges from the process.

At the heart of the operation are two ultra-large die-casting machines operating side by side, with clamping forces of 10,000 tonnes and 16,000 tonnes respectively. Together, they form what Dongfeng describes as an industry-leading integrated die-casting production line, currently recognised as the largest of its kind globally.

According to Qi Yelong, Head of Advanced Materials and Process Technology at Dongfeng Motor Corporation’s Research and Development Institute, the integrated die-casting plant was completed and officially commissioned in 2025.

Positioned adjacent to the Voyah Yunfeng vehicle assembly plant, part of Dongfeng’s premium electric vehicle brand, the facility operates under a collaborative “factory-within-a-factory” manufacturing model. This integrated production setup enables faster coordination between component manufacturing and final vehicle assembly.

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The company has already begun mass production of integrated die-cast battery housings for a newly launched vehicle model introduced on 30 May. The technology significantly simplifies manufacturing by combining hundreds of smaller parts into a single component.

There's a boost to productivity, as processes that took many hours can now take 2-3 minutes for completion, resulting in upwards of 100 times the productivity. Integrated die-casting not only increases productivity but also promotes greener production, reduces vehicle weight, enhances safety and increases structural integrity. 

The first phase of production at Dongfeng is scheduled to produce 200,000 lightweight auto parts per year, with a goal of 600,000 parts annually in an expanded phase.