Luxinar will showcase its laser applications for every stage of the battery production process at The Battery Show Europe, staged in Stuttgart, Germany, on 18-20 June.

The company will present its CO₂ laser sources and femtosecond lasers that can shape battery cells and refine electronic components for the first time at stand 4-G58.

Luxinar’s battery cell applications include cutting separator foils, and also cutting and notching electrodes. Battery module and power-train applications comprise e-vehicle battery-casing ablation and busbar isolation stripping and trimming, while e-mobility applications include electric-motor, hairpin-coating removal.

Prismatic cells in automotive applications are frequently wrapped in a self-adhesive, PET heat-shrink film. Selective removal may be required to add heat-management components to the bare metal of the can or complete removal to rework non-conforming cells in the production cycle. Finally, when the battery is recycled at the end of its life, the film has to be removed.

Currently, most of these processes are done manually by cutting the foil with knives and scraping it off before removing the residue with solvents. This leaves a clean, but scratched surface.

Non-contact laser processing allows partial or full automation of the process, and it can handle cells of different shapes and sizes in high volumes. A Luxinar OEM 45iX CO₂ laser source ablates the film, and it leaves an invisible and very thin layer of sticky residue on the bare metal surface, requiring post-process treatment. However, the residue can be removed by simply wiping with isopropanol, so the laser process removes the need for harsh solvents and intensive mechanical effort.

Christian Dini, commercial manager for central & northern Europe at Luxinar, said: “We are thrilled to be showcasing our laser sources for the first time at The Battery Show Europe. Luxinar has been mastering lasers since 1998, and the versatility and precision of our laser technology make various battery production tasks economically viable.”