ALLDATA shares insights on ‘gigacasting’ using Tesla OEM repair data

Gigacasting is changing vehicle manufacturing – and repair practices along with it. Helpfully, with ALLDATA Repair, workshops and bodyshops can either replace or repair complex aluminium structures, like those on Tesla models.

The body structure differs from conventional vehicles. The manufacturer promotes the use of gigacastings, large-format structural parts that are made of aluminium in a single casting. This technology makes production more efficient, reduces weight and increases the rigidity of the body – but what happens when it is damaged?

A rear frame, for example, is cast entirely from a single piece of aluminium. While a repair may seem difficult because the material is light and stable but is difficult to weld and strengthen, ALLDATA Repair and OEM Tesla repair data offers a solution.

Solution

Tesla’s guidelines provide precise specifications, with colour-coded diagrams showing which repairs are permitted:

• Blue and green areas: Minor welding or straightening work is permitted
• Yellow and orange areas: May be repaired within certain limits – in some cases with reinforcement plates
• Red areas: Safety-relevant – only a replacement is permitted

Assuming the damaged rear frame falls into the green area, welding and straightening is permitted up to a certain length – but only using cold methods and without heat distortion.

ALLDATA Repair can provide the technician with both the exact work area and information on permissible materials, structural adhesives and torques for fasteners.

As a result, the frame could be repaired safely – without the need for a complete replacement. This would save time and money while ensuring the structural integrity of the vehicle.

ALLDATA Repair provides professionals with direct access to original Tesla repair information, including safety regulations, material guidelines, repair limits and illustrated diagrams of gigacast structures. This allows them to accurately assess damage and make educated decisions about whether repair or replacement is necessary.

Modern manufacturing techniques, like gigacasting, highlight the importance of having accurate data to ensure repairs are performed correctly, efficiently and according to manufacturer guidelines.

With data from 44 VMs, over 100 million technical articles and more than nine million wiring diagrams and drawings, ALLDATA Repair covers over 165,000 vehicle combinations – that’s around 97 per cent of all vehicles on Europe’s roads.

ALLDATA will be exhibiting at the 2026 Auto Trade EXPO, which takes place alongside the CV Workshop EXPO from 10th -11th October at the RDS Simmonscourt in Dublin.