Battery Production

Batteries are considered a key technology in the field of e-mobility. The battery supplies energy not only to the electric motor, but also to other electrical systems in BEVs. The hydrogen fuel cell also represents an alternative drive technology in electric mobility. The various battery types, such as the lithium-ion battery cell, must be produced efficiently to meet the continuously growing demand. The implementation of an intelligent solution for production control, such as the iTAC.MOM.Suite, is therefore inevitable to optimize end-to-end production processes in battery manufacturing plants.

The manufacturers of batteries, e.g., lithium-ion battery cells, are facing the challenge of adapting their factories to increased production capacities in order to keep up with the current developments in the field of e-mobility and to follow the trend toward hydrogen as a type of propulsion. Some manufacturers are currently still frequently working with stand-alone solutions in IT production control that are focused on individual processes but do not represent a holistic solution for both upstream and downstream processes.

In order to meet the requirements of the market and fulfill the most important criteria of a battery (range, charging speed, reliability safety, lifetime), the implementation of an intelligent IT solution such as the iTAC.MOM.Suite represents a key factor in optimizing the manufacturing process. The entire production process is thus represented in one solution, which means that individual process steps of Li-Ion batteries such as electrode manufacturing, cell assembly and cell finishing, and additional process flows that go beyond individual areas, are also covered.

iTAC.MOM.Suite in Battery Productions

In the manufacturing process of battery cells, end-to-end quality analysis and traceability are enormously important to prevent errors in the production process. The manufacturing reporting of the iTAC.MOM.Suite, such as the iTAC.BI.Service and Quality Management, provide analysis and reporting options for all product-related quality data. Thus, the quality of the electrodes is evaluated and analyzed throughout the entire process. Defects, such as holes, which can occur in the production process of coating, are documented, can be traced back and thus sorted out in later process steps.

As an end-to-end solution, the iTAC.MOM.Suite supports production control including all production processes from electrode manufacturing, cell assembly to cell finishing. In addition to the lithium-ion battery cell (with the dominant cell formats of cylindrical, prismatic and pouch), production processes for other cell types can also be displayed in the MES/MOM solution. Moreover, the solution is also used for the manufacturing process of hydrogen fuel cells.

Opportunities for Battery Productions with Manufacturing Analytics

Throughout the battery manufacturing process, producers rely on continuous tests and quality checks. In the process, data is recorded and evaluated and tested for errors. In order to detect changes and anomalies in the processes at an early stage and avoid errors, the iTAC.MOM.Suite uses corresponding analytics tools such as the iTAC.IIoT.Edge.

The all-in-one solution uses mathematical algorithms to draw the relevant information from the collected data so that predictions about processes and their changes can be derived. The battery cell manufacturing process is therefore managed in real time to react immediately to disruptions in the production line. With the right data collection, data analysis and predictive quality tools, challenges associated with increased production capacity in battery manufacturing operations can be specifically addressed. This provides a focus on maximum output while maximizing quality.