E-Mobility Engineering 016 l Aurora Powertrains eSled dossier l In Conversation: Thomas de Lange l Automated manufacturing focus l Torque sensing insight l Battery Show Europe 2022 report l Sodium batteries insight l User interfaces focus

important role in ensuring the quality of the battery cells. For maximum process reliability, the car maker’s system is planned in such a way as to minimise the active leakage, with the air being injected via fine filters. Constructing these rooms is a skill. The adsorption dryers with individually dimensioned rotors are installed directly above the drying rooms as well as in a technology annexe, and ensure the air is prepared for the respective process steps with dew points down to -70 ºC as required. The temperature headroom of the three-rotor system means the dehumidifier can be designed for the size of a room, which is key for fitting larger equipment such as roll-to-roll systems as more of the process is automated. Also in Germany is the LoCoTroP project, which is developing technology for coating battery electrodes in a dry process. This will significantly cut production costs by eliminating the solvents without impairing electrochemical performance. The dry- mixing process makes it possible to produce specific powder mixtures for anodes as well as cathodes. That has helped the development of an electrostatic dry-coating process. Initially this was studied at the laboratory scale on electrodes coated on one side and then transferred to a pilot plant for anode mass production using a roll-to-roll system. In this process, the collector is directly coated with active materials that are then fixed thermo-mechanically onto it without the need for additional transfer steps, allowing more automation for the assembly of the cells and faster throughput. Contamination The increasing use of industrial robots to assemble cells and packs also raises the need for protection against contamination. To that end, a protective cover has been patented for dynamic automation components such as a robot ready for ultra-clean production. The cover consists of a permeable, moveable and multi-layered textile that is modelled on human skin in terms of its properties. Depending on the application, two or more layers can be used, with each layer separated by a spacer. In the gap between them, air can be removed, removing particles originating from the environment or from the automation component, while disinfectant can also be inserted into the gap. The cover can be changed in about an hour and can be reused after decontamination. The layers are also equipped with sensors that continuously measure parameters such as particle concentration, chemical contamination, pressure and humidity. Machine learning algorithms evaluate this sensor data and enable predictive maintenance. Battery pack assembly One of the first fully automated battery module assembly systems uses robot arms to produce around 300,000 modules a year, mainly for use in EVs. The production line uses a newly developed modular design in order to be able to react quickly and easily to customer requirements. The aim is to be able to serve smaller customers with a finalised product as well as established companies with an individual solution. The line is divided into four main areas. In the first section, the battery cells are tested and prepared for assembly. In the second, a so-called raw module is produced by combining multiple cells, which are combined into a stack in a ‘merging device’. The stack is pressed together with pressure plates at the ends of the stack, and the end plates are placed at the sides of the cells. Using a laser system and laser optics guided by an industrial robot, the end plates are welded to the pressure plates, thus completing the raw module. Depending on requirements, 12 to 24 cells can be joined together to form a battery module. In the third section, the battery modules are electrically connected and measured. For this, the cell-contacting system is put on and welded to the contacts of each cell. The particular challenges here are the very tight component and joining tolerances, as well as the special requirements for laser contact Focus | Automated manufacturing This highly automated production line includes a laser cell to produce parallel groups of batteries (Courtesy of Miba Battery Systems) 36 Winter 2022 | E-Mobility Engineering