47 Battery production technology | Insight Quality control Quality control is increasingly being integrated into manufacturing processes, characterised by advanced sensors and machine vision, significantly increasing the probability of defects being detected and corrected swiftly. “With increasing demands on cell performance and durability, end-of-line test systems offer a broad portfolio of electrical, mechanical and optical inspection options,” Dürr’s Bruhn notes. “These include visual cell-can inspection, extensive electrical testing in the cell and pack area, and tactile length measurement in the installed state. Furthermore, 100% inline monitoring of welding and gluing processes is standard in our production lines.” Battery cell quality and reliability begins before the production line starts, says ATS Industrial Automation’s Melischko. System and organisational control (SOC) checks, and parts/equipment traceability begin during procurement, and they are maintained throughout the supply chain lifecycle. Traceability and documentation cover in-line and end-of-line testing station equipment, and the tests conducted at each station – these check electrical function, look for leaks, examine protection against liquid ingress (to IPX 6-7) and thermal monitoring, and more. Where laser welding is employed, an intelligent laser inspection system should be used to ensure no gaps are left and the process is stable. “It’s about using the right testing device and test method at each quality inspection checkpoint,” Melischko says. “Testing devices and processes need robust data-management systems for configuring test requirements and parameters, maintaining parts standards, enabling traceability and auditing, planning and executing build processes and instrumentation control, analysing production line performance, and more. “These data-management systems are an integral part of any manufacturing execution system (MES) and provide the basis for accurate quality assurance and performance validation.” Continuous r&d testing of new materials is essential for maintaining quality and reliability, Melischko adds, especially as key battery parameters such as size, electrical connections and power output change, and advanced technologies such as solid-state batteries are developed. Automation and robotics Automation and robotics are already well integrated into battery production lines, says Kühnast. They are focused on high throughput and/or high-precision operations, particularly for assembly tasks that may be unsafe for human operators, with the degree of automation required for efficient production increasing with volume, she adds. “Automated assembly and testing lines drive value in reducing OPEX costs, while automation and robotics together improve OEE, yield and quality control benchmarks. We are also seeing increased use of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) for transporting large battery packs within the production site.” A continuous system offers more automation than using a batch process, says Coperion’s Bernert. “System solutions with integrated extrusion, feeding and refilling technologies enable a higher degree of automation.” The roll-to-roll aspect of electrode manufacturing is mostly automated, except for the loading and unloading of the film and coated material coils, notes Dürr’s Bruhn, and these steps are expected to be automated in the future using AGVs with grippers for coil handling. The additional steps of cell and module assembly, and testing are already highly automated with handling robots. Flexibility and diversity Implemented correctly, automated systems can improve production flexibility, scalability and adaptability E-Mobility Engineering | July/August 2024 Coperion K-Tron feeders are designed for continuous feeding in electrode compound manufacturing, as well as for black mass recycling (Image courtesy of Coperion)
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