Tesla Gigafactory

[brandude87]

What you see is part of the exterior wall. At the level of the middle of the 'X's there's a large beam for stiffness in the perimeter columns with a rectangular tube a foot or two above it.

You may be right. However, it has been confirmed that they are adding a second level at 23.5' and we know that the third level is at 41' and roof is at 71'. Based on that information, it would appear that those new horizontal beams are at about that 23.5' mark. Actually, if you look at the new horizontal beams on the far right section, there is some additional material just above the beams that make it look like concrete has been poured, creating the new floor. See image below:

 

[Merrill]

I have a few people tell me that the construction is slowing and there are issues with the Gigafactory. Cannot find anything related to that, are these rumors true or just more media stuff.

 

[pmadflyer]

You may be right. However, it has been confirmed that they are adding a second level at 23.5' and we know that the third level is at 41' and roof is at 71'. Based on that information, it would appear that those new horizontal beams are at about that 23.5' mark. Actually, if you look at the new horizontal beams on the far right section, there is some additional material just above the beams that make it look like concrete has been poured, creating the new floor. See image below:

View attachment 88316

I didn't see that. That would be about the level of the new floor. I made a basic render a few pages back.

I'm teaching myself steel design a year ahead of my university's curriculum for a competition. Once I get far enough, I should be able to much more accurately render a section of the factory. My plan would be to use mathematically correct members and connections. This assumes I can find some similar load numbers, and I don't know if any factories publish that.

 

[MartinAustin]

I have a few people tell me that the construction is slowing and there are issues with the Gigafactory. Cannot find anything related to that, are these rumors true or just more media stuff.

Why don't you ask the few people that are telling you this to substantiate what they're saying?

Until then it is made-up nonsense.

 

[brandude87]

I didn't see that. That would be about the level of the new floor. I made a basic render a few pages back.

I'm teaching myself steel design a year ahead of my university's curriculum for a competition. Once I get far enough, I should be able to much more accurately render a section of the factory. My plan would be to use mathematically correct members and connections. This assumes I can find some similar load numbers, and I don't know if any factories publish that.

View attachment 86821
This is a model I threw together after watching that video last night. This should help if anyone wants to visualize the location of the mezzanine floor. I doubt the new floor will reach the outer walls, but that is one of many assumptions made for the sake of quick modeling.

Nice work! It looks just like the latest picture!

View attachment 88434

 

[Merrill]

Why don't you ask the few people that are telling you this to substantiate what they're saying?

Until then it is made-up nonsense.

I did and they said they read it somewhere in the news but could not tell me specifics. Probably more fabulous journalism.

 

[AdamEKM]

There are higher resolution images here: Check Out the Latest Views of Tesla’s Massive Gigafactory - Bloomberg Business

 

[neroden]

To clarify immediately after stating 300k employees said that he expected the real number to be much lower... Like 60k because of automation and the future of factory jobs. And this was for the entire complex not just Tesla.

OK, that makes a LOT more sense. 60K is manageable with cars & buses. 300K would have been something else entirely.

 

[chickensevil]

I did and they said they read it somewhere in the news but could not tell me specifics. Probably more fabulous journalism.

Yeah, all the credible sources have stated that everything is either on schedule or ahead of schedule so I wouldn't expect anything your friends read about to be substantiated.

 

[jerry33]

Yeah, all the credible sources have stated that everything is either on schedule or ahead of schedule so I wouldn't expect anything your friends read about to be substantiated.

I've only seen those kinds of statements on FB and that was a couple of months ago. The building is so large that people and vehicles don't show up in most pictures.

 

[dhanson865]

I've only seen those kinds of statements on FB and that was a couple of months ago. The building is so large that people and vehicles don't show up in most pictures.

Yeah, once the walls/windows go up we'll have to resort to overhead photos of the parking lots or press releases to have any clue what is going on inside.

 

[austinEV]

I've only seen those kinds of statements on FB and that was a couple of months ago. The building is so large that people and vehicles don't show up in most pictures.

I think this is a true statement. I used to look at the site photos and think "they are really going slow. Where are the people, vehicles, machines?" Those things are just so small they don't show up in the photos. The building seems to be growing more than being built, judging by photos

 

[roow110]

This would indicate that the Gigafactory (not counting foundation) is actually 20% complete, not 25% as Elon stated. If you include the foundation, then it is 25% complete.

Is it officially 25% (or 20%) complete? I would be curious to see where people have said that. I've been looking at all the plans people have produced showing which part of the gigafactory is complete and it hasn't been lining up with what I've been seeing. I certainly could be completely mistaken, but it seems like less of it is completed and in a slightly different part of the building. I went through and pulled out all of the renders and plans of the building I could find and superimposed them together and then added the arial photos and satellite images of the construction together and formed a map. It was a bit crude and I totally could be off, but here is what I got:

The Property boundary is marked in black (dotted section presumed)
The roads are marked in red (dotted section variations in plans)
The black section is where I estimate the construction is (unless I am completely flawed)

 

[Johan]

Is it officially 25% (or 20%) complete? I would be curious to see where people have said that. I've been looking at all the plans people have produced showing which part of the gigafactory is complete and it hasn't been lining up with what I've been seeing. I certainly could be completely mistaken, but it seems like less of it is completed and in a slightly different part of the building. I went through and pulled out all of the renders and plans of the building I could find and superimposed them together and then added the arial photos and satellite images of the construction together and formed a map. It was a bit crude and I totally could be off, but here is what I got:

The Property boundary is marked in black (dotted section presumed)
The roads are marked in red (dotted section variations in plans)
The black section is where I estimate the construction is (unless I am completely flawed)

View attachment 89122

It could be they've done a lot of groundwork for the whole site, which qualifies to say "20% done" regarding the entire project, rather than 20% of the building is up.

 

[mspohr]

Had a chat at a Supercharger yesterday with a fellow who said his son was chief engineer for the Gigafactory. He said the factory is way ahead of schedule and should be making batteries this time next year (instead of 2017 which was the original schedule). Probably solid information.

 

[ScepticMatt]

We knew that for some time. Official opening is April 2016 (from referral program)

 

[mspohr]

We knew that for some time. Official opening is April 2016 (from referral program)

I thought we all knew this but we still get people in this thread claiming that the factory is behind schedule and that Tesla is misleading about its progress on construction (and a bunch of other nonsense). I thought I would add another data point from the real world.

 

[Vger]

Thanks very much, mspohr, for this credible info. I do not find it redundant, because it comes from a new and important source.

Thanks for contributing.

 

[MassModel3]

^ ^ ^ What he said!

Thank you for the input, mspohr. While some may not find first-hand information meaningful, I for one am glad to hear credible sources say that the gigafactory is still ahead of schedule -- contrary to so many misleading reports in the media.

 

[neroden]

OK, so the Gigafactory will be *ready* to make batteries in August 2016.

*But what about the raw material supplies?* Tesla's going to have to sign contracts to buy large quantities of lithium, graphite, silicon, nickel, cobalt, aluminum, and manganese, at *least*, and possibly other things too. Until those are lined up the Gigafactory can't *actually* make batteries. And providing sufficient supply for some of those may require that new mines open up... which *takes a while*.

I know that such negotiations are generally secret until they are concluded, but I'm surprised that not one of them has been concluded yet. We may see a delay in Gigafactory production due to materials supply.