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

algorithms and innovative lighting, all fully integrated in the control system. It provides the precision and microsecond synchronisation between all the automation components, from reading codes on the cells and packs for product identification to complex measurement tasks for quality assurance. All of this supports moving each battery cell independently without needing rigid timing, providing higher levels of flexibility that can improve the efficiency of the manufacturing processes by up to 90%. Data from sensors across the factory floor is also fed back to the digital twin for process optimisation and traceability. Adhesives Another key area of process automation is the application of adhesives, sealing compounds and thermal fillers, all of which have different viscosities and mixing ratios. Traditional glueing in automotive production uses one-component adhesives, which are cured in a furnace at about 160-180 ºC. Battery cells would not withstand that heat, so self-curing media or two-component adhesives are used, which undergo a chemical reaction after mixing and cure in the process. In addition, thermal gap fillers with a thermal balancing rather than adhesive function are applied. This extends the service life and range of a battery. The individual cells in batteries are glued together to form the modules before being put into battery welding, because a large contact area must be reliably produced with minimal heat input. Laser welding technology offers the advantage of being contact- free and force-free, and it is fast, precise, wear-free and easy to control. The laser optics ensure an optimum contact result, which allows the geometry of the welding seams to be designed flexibly. In the fourth section, an automated electrical and mechanical end-of-line test of the battery modules takes place. Among other things, the insulation values are tested for a voltage resistance of up to 5 kV. The test ensures that people and objects are protected from electrical flashovers and leakage currents. The battery housing is then covered with a heat-sealed lid to make the battery module safe to touch and protect it from dust. Finally, a Data Matrix code is lasered onto the battery module, which allows the module to be uniquely identified. Using industrial robot arms allows battery modules of various sizes to be produced in PHEV2 format. In addition, the way in which the individual battery cells are interconnected in a module can be varied. A robot shuttle carries the pack across the production floor at speeds of up to 5 m/s, following tracks on the floor. These can switch back and forth between track segments, enabling different branching and merging architectures rather than using a fixed production line. This requires real-time synchronisation with the robots and other sensors, including smart cameras with internal image processing Some suppliers of automatedmanufacturing systems Austria B&R Industrial Automation +43 7748 6586 0 www.br-automation.com Miba Battery Systems +43 7213 20400 www.mibabattery.com Rosendahl Nextrom +43 3113 3100 0 www.rosendahlnextrom.com Denmark Cotes +45 5819 6322 www.cotes.com Finland Jot Automation +358 403 015 000 www.jotautomation.com Germany Ballu +49 7158 173 0 www.ballu .com Durr +49 71 42 78 0 www.durr.com ElringKlinger +49 7123 7240 www.elringklinger.com KUKA +49 821 797 50 www.kuka.com Liebherr +49 7351 41 0 www.liebherr.com Manz +49 7121 9000 0 www.manz.com Schuler +49 71 61 66 0 www.schulergroup.com Siemens +49 89 3803 5491 www.siemens.com Teamtechnik +49 71 41 7003 0 www.teamtechnik.com Switzerland ABB +41 43 317 7111 www.abb.com UK Q5D – www.q5dtechnology.com USA Cognex +1 508 650 3000 www.cognex.com Rockwell Automation +1 414 382 2000 www.rockwellautomation.com The use of robotic arms is now extending from cell assembly to building complete packs (Courtesy of KUKA) 38 Winter 2022 | E-Mobility Engineering