Bühler and Hyundai Mark 20 Years of Die-Casting Collaboration
Hyundai Motor Group has deployed 43 Bühler die-casting systems across South Korea, China and India over the past two decades, as the automaker has expanded its manufacturing footprint and prepared its factories for a wider mix of internal-combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles.
Swiss technology company Bühler has completed 20 years of collaboration with Hyundai Motor Group in automotive die casting. The relationship began with the installation of an Evolution 270D machine at Hyundai's Ulsan manufacturing complex in South Korea. According to Bühler, that first machine remains operational and has recently received a control-system upgrade.
Since the initial installation, Bühler has supplied 43 systems to Hyundai facilities in South Korea, China and India. The installed base comprises 36 Evolution machines and seven larger Carat systems.
What the machines produce
High-pressure die casting is used to manufacture aluminium and magnesium components by injecting molten metal into a mould under pressure. In the automotive industry, the process is commonly employed for powertrain housings, structural parts and components used in electrified vehicles.
Bühler's Evolution platform covers locking forces from 2,600 kN to 42,000 kN and is intended for a range of automotive applications, including powertrain, structural and e-mobility components. The Carat platform operates between 10,500 kN and 92,000 kN and is designed for larger and more complex castings.
Of the seven Carat systems supplied under the partnership, six were installed at Hyundai WIA's facility in Rizhao, China. Hyundai WIA is the group's automotive-component affiliate. The remaining Carat machine was installed at Hyundai Motor's research and development foundry centre in Ulsan.
Hyundai reports lower scrap and higher equipment efficiency
Bühler said Hyundai had recorded operational improvements on production lines equipped with its systems. The release cited reductions in scrap rates of up to 50% and an improvement of around 10% in overall equipment effectiveness, or OEE.
These figures are company-reported outcomes and may vary by plant, component and production setup. The companies did not disclose the baseline scrap rates, assessment period or individual facilities covered by the comparison.
Even with those qualifications, the measures are important for vehicle manufacturing. A lower scrap rate can reduce aluminium and energy waste, while better OEE indicates more productive use of machinery by combining availability, operating performance and output quality.
Why die casting matters in the electrification era
The collaboration has developed alongside a major change in vehicle manufacturing. Carmakers are now required to produce internal-combustion, hybrid and battery-electric vehicles while improving flexibility and controlling capital costs. At the same time, lightweight aluminium components have become increasingly relevant as manufacturers seek to offset battery weight and improve vehicle efficiency.
Die-casting suppliers are responding with larger machines, greater process automation and connected controls. Large structural castings can potentially consolidate several smaller stamped or cast parts into fewer pieces, although the suitability and economics depend on vehicle architecture, production volume, repair strategy and plant design.
For Hyundai, the installed machinery forms part of a broader manufacturing network rather than a standalone vehicle programme. Bühler did not identify the Indian plant locations, individual components or Hyundai and Kia models produced using the equipment. It also did not announce any new order, investment or capacity expansion as part of the 20-year milestone.
Long equipment life becomes a strategic factor
The continued operation of the original Evolution 270D after two decades highlights another aspect of automotive manufacturing: major casting equipment is expected to remain productive across multiple vehicle cycles. Control upgrades, maintenance, training and technical support can therefore be as important as the original installation.
Bühler said its work with Hyundai includes these after-sales functions, with upgrades intended to extend equipment life and maintain operational reliability. This is particularly relevant as vehicle programmes evolve faster and factories need to adapt existing assets for new components and powertrain formats.
Supporting Hyundai's longer-term manufacturing plans
Hyundai has been expanding its focus on electrified vehicles, software-defined vehicles, battery technology and flexible production. The automaker has also stated a global sales target of 5.55 million vehicles by 2030.
Bühler said it plans to continue supporting Hyundai's manufacturing development through die-casting technology and technical services. However, the announcement is primarily a retrospective partnership update; it does not detail additional equipment deliveries or a future investment schedule.
Auto Punditz take
The headline number is not simply the 43 machines supplied, but the long operating relationship behind them. Automotive plants increasingly need equipment that can be upgraded and adapted as component designs, materials and powertrains change.
For India, the confirmation that Bühler systems are already part of Hyundai's regional production network is relevant as the country grows as both a domestic manufacturing base and an export hub. The release stops short of naming the Indian installations, though, so any link to a particular plant, component or model would be speculative.
The reported improvement in scrap and equipment effectiveness also shows where manufacturing competitiveness is being fought: not only through new factories and higher capacity, but through better material yield, uptime and utilisation of existing assets.
