PLANT MANAGEMENT
POWER L
Big Data is driving sustainable innovation in LIB manufacturing, explains Klaus Petersen
ithium-ion battery (LIB) cells are at the core of global electrification strategies, helping to meet ambitious net zero emission targets. To address
the fast-growing demand for these products, LIB cell manufacturers need to ramp up production, delivering products of high quality with limited environmental footprints and short lead times. Tese goals are becoming easier to reach when adopting data-driven, automated solutions. LIB cell manufacturing can rapidly increase productivity and throughput while improving their environmental impact by leveraging Big Data. Te number of electric vehicles (EVs)
is skyrocketing, with the total number of electric cars on the world’s roads in 2021 reaching a peak of 16.5 million. In the same year, new EV sales hit a new record of 6.6 million, representing nearly 10% of global car sales. Te move from traditional combustion-
driven road transportation to EVs is supported by customer demand as well as ambitious vehicle efficiency and CO2 standards. In effect, in most leading EV markets, these means of transport are seen as key to achieving decarbonisation goals, as the use of EVs can lead to the displacement of 1.6 million barrels of oil per day by 2025
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KNOWLEDGE IS
The number of EVs on roads is growing rapidly, meaning that demand for LIBs is rising ten-fold
(excluding two- and three-wheelers). Tis figure is expected to reach 4.6 mb/d by 2030.
Te currently favourable marketplace means that there are valuable opportunities for LIB manufacturers serving the transportation sector, as these electrochemical cells play a key role in the transition towards more sustainable mobility. More precisely, the annual global capacity covered by EV batteries is estimated to ramp up from approximately 340 GWh today to more than 3,500GWh per year by 2030. At the core of EVs are lithium-ion
battery packs, where a number of cells are assembled in a frame to form a module, which is equipped with key systems, such as control, protection and cooling. Terefore, these are the enabling technology to power next-generation means of transportation. LIB cells, in turn, are made of layers of metal foil coated with a fine layer of active conductive material. Tese two components form the battery’s key elements, the anode and cathode, which are separated by a porous film and electrolytes. Typically, it is necessary to combine multiple layers of anodes and cathodes arranged in a cylindrical or prismatic shape, giving batteries the shape required by the application.
At the core of EVs are lithium-ion
battery packs, where a number of cells are assembled in a frame to form a module. Tis structure is obtained by coating the metal foil and calendaring, which is a complex and precise process involving drying and rolling stages. Slitting of the material then follows, which involves cutting the foil into strips. Finally, depending on the battery format, they are die cut to size, stacked or wound and subsequently sent to the final process steps before undergoing end of line testing. Delivering products of consistent and high quality is key to ramping up production, as these are essential to ensure the right capacity, voltage and resistance are offered, ultimately determining battery performance and safety. As so many critical stages are involved in LIB cell manufacturing, companies need to invest in robust, resilient and future- oriented production assets if they want to be able to address today’s and tomorrow’s skyrocketing market demands while reducing their environmental impact.
LIB PRODUCTION PROCESSES UNDER THE MICROSCOPE In continuous LIB cell production processes this can be challenging. Firstly,
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