Battery Production

Explore the intricate details of EU Battery Regulation related to Battery Production.

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The State of the European Battery Industry (German) Dr.-Ing. Heiner Hans Heimes

Digital Continuity (English) Bryan Ng

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Battery Production & Inline Process Control (English) Klaus Hamacher

All-in on Batteries with Prof. Heiner Heimes (PEM RWTH) and Michael Deutmeyer (CEO EAS)

#9 (14.12.24) - Production Technology for E-Mobility

Latest Publications and Guides

Maximizing Efficiency: Navigating the Gigafactory Journey with Real-Time Data Insights

Content Type: Whitepaper
Authors: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Achim Kampker, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heiner Heimes, Dr.-Ing. Christian Offermanns, Robert Ludwigs, Paul Lingohr, Marcel Drescher, Mirčo Krsteski, PhD. Kalle Ylä-Jarkko, Dr.-Ing. Christoph Deutskens, Nico Gossen
Publisher: Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University, Elisa IndustriQ, PEM Motion, camLine

The increasing digitization in today’s production facilities has generated a vast amount of available and usable data ranging from process and machine data to data from inline quality inspections. These present an opportunity for valuable insights and benefits for both production processes and products. To leverage the knowledge from those data, the application of data analytics is a necessity. Read more…

Trajectory Mixing: Innovative Battery Processing

Content Type: Whitepaper
Authors: Prof. Dr. Achim Kampker MBA, Prof. Dr. Heiner Heimes, Sarah Wennemar, Gerrit Bockey, Peter Stellbrink, Bernhard Hukelmann
Publisher: Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University, hs-tumbler GmbH

The mixing process is the first process step in the production of conventional lithium-ion batteries. It is crucial for the quality of the battery and has one of the greatest influences on the subsequent cell performance. In the mixing process, active material, binders and conductive additives are mixed with a solvent to form a so-called slurry. Different equipment is used for this process step, and this equipment can be divided into different types of operation. Eead more…

Challenges and Solutions in Battery Safety

Content Type: Whitepaper
Authors: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Achim Kampker, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. Heiner Hans Heimes, Dr.-Ing. Christian Offermanns, Moritz Frieges, Julian Callard, Nima Ghandily, Jonas Gorsch, Maximilian Graaf, Adrian Herrmann, Niklas Kisseler, Benedikt Späth, Simon Quinker
Publisher: Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University

Battery safety is a multifaceted approach that should be considered on all levels of cell and battery pack design. The main hazard when operating a lithium-ion cell is thermal runaway, which occurs when the cell generates more heat than it can dissipate. When a threshold temperature is reached, the runaway becomes unstoppable and the stored energy will be released in the form of heat and burnable gases. The main triggers for a thermal runaway are either electrical, mechanical, thermal, contamination, or manufacturing defects. Read more…

Diode Laser Drying of Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Content Type: Whitepaper
Authors: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Achim Kampker, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heiner Heimes, M. Sc. Benjamin Dorn, M. Sc. Daniel Neb, M. Sc. Sebastian Wolf, Dr.-Ing. Alexander Arndt, Dr.-Ing. Simon Britten, Dipl.-Ing. Richard Hendel
Publisher: Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University, LASERLINE GmbH

“The drying of electrodes for LIBs is the most expensive process step in the entire battery production, accounting for over 20% of the total production costs. The process innovation of laser drying offers great potential to revolutionize electrode manufacturing. The main advantages of the diode laser drying technology are high energy efficiency due to direct energy input as well as footprint reduction and possible quality improvements. Depending on the selected hybrid drying configuration, this results in up to 30% lower OpEx on a gigafactory scale, which can realize cost savings of several million euros per year and per line. Read more…

Lithium-Ion Batteries X Production as a Service

Content Type: Whitepaper
Authors: Dr. Heiner Heimes, Henning Clever, Artur Scheibe, Dr. Phillipp Hypko, Johannes Metten, Philipp Kölbe
Publisher: Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University, FlexFactory

Pioneering the field of consumer electronics, lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are present in an everincreasing number of applications. With properties such as high energy density, fast charging capability, and extended cycle life, they are outperforming competing electrochemical energy storage systems and have established themselves as the leading battery technology. Current development forecasts show that battery demand and production volumes will witness unprecedented growth rates in the coming years. Europe in particular is rapidly catching up in terms of battery cell production capacities and expects future production volumes to increase tenfold to around 1.5 TWh in 2030. Read more…

Production of Lithium-Ion Battery Cell Components

Content Type: Electric Mobility Guide
Authors: Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. Heiner Hans Heimes, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Achim Kampker, Ansgar vom Hemdt, Kim D. Kreisköther, Dr. Sarah Michaelis, Ehsan Rahimzei
Publisher: Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University, VDMA

The following guide focus on the manufacturing processes of the active materials and the electrolyte. Subsequently, the electrode foil, the separator and the cell housing production are described. Read more…

Production Process of a Lithium-Ion Battery Cell

The manufacture of the lithium-ion battery cell comprises the three main process steps of electrode manufacturing, cell assembly and cell finishing. The electrode manufacturing and cell finishing process steps are largely independent of the cell type, while cell assembly distinguishes between pouch and cylindrical cells as well as prismatic cells. Read more…

Production Process of Battery Modules and Battery Packs

Content Type: Electric Mobility Guide
Authors: Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. Heiner Hans Heimes, M. Sc. Benjamin Dorn, M. Sc. Daniel Neb, M. Sc. Henning Clever, M. Sc. Artur Scheibe, Dr. Sarah Michaelis, Jörg Schütrumpf
Publisher: Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University, VDMA

With their ability to efficiently store large amounts of energy temporarily and then make them available as needed, battery systems in the form of battery modules and battery packs play a key role in the energy supply of the future. This is not only due to the increasing demand for electric vehicles and stationary energy storage systems, but also to the recognized need to drive the energy transition and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Read more…

PEM Researches Cheaper Battery Production Through Microenvironments

Content Type: Press Release
Publisher: Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University

The Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University has joined forces with Volkswagen’s battery subsidiary PowerCo and Jagenberg Converting Solutions in the “MiKoBatt” research project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The partners are looking into ecological, economical, and sustainable production of battery cells in order to give German and European manufacturers a commercial competitive edge in the future. Specifically, factory and machine concepts are to be developed for this purpose that allow efficient battery cell production with the help of so-called microenvironments. Read more…

Concept for Digital Product Twins in Battery Cell Production

Content Type: Research Paper
Authors: Achim Kampker, Heiner Hans Heimes, Benjamin Dorn, Henning Clever ,Robert Ludwigs ,Ruiyan Li, Marcel Drescher
Publisher: MDPI, Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University

This paper presents an approach for the design and derivation for establishing a digital product twin for battery cells. A digital product twin is a virtual replica of a physical battery cell and can be used to predict and optimize quality properties and performance in real-time. The study focuses on pouch cell manufacturing and aims to map the large amount and variety of process information down to purchased parts and interim products. The approach for this study was to collect and analyze data from the physical production process and use this information to structure a digital battery product twin based on its product architecture. The main findings of this study indicate that a digital product twin can be effectively structured and implemented in a digital interface based on its product architecture in combination with data from the physical production process. The results of this study show the potential of digital product twins, in which statements about material, design, and behavior can be made using real information from production. Further research will focus on the practical application and implementation of digital product twins in a battery cell pilot production. Read more…

Optimized LiFePO4-Based Cathode Production for Lithium-Ion Batteries through Laser- and Convection-Based Hybrid Drying Process

Content Type: Research Paper
Authors: Achim Kampker, Heiner Hans Heimes, Benjamin Dorn, Henning Clever, Robert Ludwigs ,Ruiyan Li, Marcel Drescher
Publisher: MDPI, Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University

The drying of electrodes for lithium-ion batteries is one of the most energy- and cost-intensive process steps in battery production. Laser-based drying processes have emerged as promising candidates for electrode manufacturing due to their direct energy input, spatial homogeneity within the laser spot, and rapid controllability. However, it is unclear to what extent electrode and cell quality are affected by higher heating and drying rates. Hybrid systems as a combination of laser- and convection-based drying were investigated in an experimental study with water-processed LFP cathodes. The manufactured electrodes were compared with purely laser-dried and purely convection-dried samples in terms of drying times and quality characteristics. The electrodes were characterized with regard to physical properties like adhesion and electronic conductivity, as well as electrochemical performance using the rate capability. Regarding adhesion and electronic conductivity, the LFP-based cathodes dried in the hybrid-drying process by laser and convection showed similar quality characteristics compared to conventionally dried cathodes, while, at the same time, significantly reducing the overall drying time. In terms of electrochemical performance, measured by the rate capability, no significant differences were found between the drying technologies used. These findings demonstrate the great potential of laser- and convection-based hybrid drying of LFP cathodes to enhance the electrode-drying process in terms of energy efficiency and operational costs. Read more…

Influence of Cell Dimensions and Number of Tabs on Cylindrical Lithium-Ion Cell Sidewall and Bottom Cooling Performance

Content Type: Research Paper
Authors: Heiner Heimes; Christian Offermanns; Moritz Frieges; Nima Ghandily; Ghazi Zamit; Jonas Gorsch
Publisher: IEEE Xplore, Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University

The industry trend for lithium-ion battery cells for automotive applications is moving toward increased cell dimensions. For cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells, the introduction of the 46xx format is an example of this trend. To ensure a long lifetime and safe operation, lithium-ion batteries must be operated within an optimum temperature window. This is managed by cooling the cell with battery module or battery system level cooling strategies. In comparison to the state-of-the-art 21700 cell format, these 4680 lithium-ion battery cells represent an approximately 5.5x volume increase while introducing new cell design challenges: Larger cells can increase the distances between heat generation and the cooling system and require new design approaches for the internal tab configuration. Furthermore, the surface to volume and heat generation ratio shrinks with increasing cell size, leading to challenges for the cooling strategy. This paper analyzes the influence of the cell size and the number of tabs on sidewall and bottom cooling performance of cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells. Therefore, the cooling effectivity of sidewall and bottom wall active cooling of 18650, 21700, 4680 cell formats as well as different numbers of tabs was investigated from a thermal perspective. The results indicate a change of optimal cooling strategy depending on cell dimensions and number of tabs, showcasing performance optimization potentials for module and cell design. Read more…

A Review of Process Innovations in the Cell Finishing of Lithium-Ion Batteries in Large-Scale Production

Content Type: Contribution to a conference proceedings
Authors: Jan Felix Plumeyer, Nils Menebröker, Henning Clever, Lukas Kokoyinski, Saskia Wessel, Heiner Hans Heimes, Achim Kampker
Publisher: Universitätsbibliothek RWTH Aachen University, Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University, Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell Production

The European Union’s ambitious climate targets will make climate-friendly storage technologies essential. More than any other, this decade could be marked by battery technology, especially the lithium-ion battery (LIB). In addition, various trends in mobility and consumer electronics are spurring the cross-industry use of this secondary storage device. As a result, the need for additional production capacities is rising, and the need for vertical integration of the value chain of LIB in Europe. In current forecasts, Europe has a considerable deficit between battery cell demand and production capacities. The deficit highlights the need for additional capacities and effort to develop new production systems. Furthermore, production technologies remain challenging, as high reject rates are expected initially, and a reduction of costs at the battery cell level is mandatory. Formation and aging as part of the cell finishing are the production steps with the highest processing time and space requirements. The formation can take up to 24 hours, and the subsequent aging between 8 to 36 days. It thus represents the biggest bottleneck. Read more…

Optimizing the Cell Finishing Process: An Overview of Steps, Technologies, and Trends

The cell finishing process is the final stage in the production of a battery cell. Almost one third of the production costs of a battery cell are related to this part of the production. It includes a series of steps and technologies aimed at optimizing the battery cell’s performance, quality, and safety. The process is divided into three categories: pre-treatment, formation procedure, and quality testing. The order of the processes and the time required for each step can vary depending on the manufacturer and the cell format. Recent trends in optimizing the cell finishing process include the integration of a second filling process for larger prismatic cells and the optimization of the formation protocol or Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) as possible methods for quality inspection. Efforts are also being made to reduce the pre-treatment time and improve the degassing process to ensure cell performance, quality, and safety. In this paper, all process steps of the cell finishing process are presented, and their function and technological implementation in the industry are explained. Future innovations are analyzed in terms of time to market and the potential to optimize the process in terms of quality, time, and cost. Read more…

Framework and Classification of Battery System Architectures

Content Type: Research Paper
Authors: Achim Kampker, Heiner Hans Heimes, Christian Offermanns, Janis Vienenkötter, Tobias Robben
Publisher: MDPI, Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University

In this paper, battery system architectures are methodologically derived in order to find the key type differences. In a first step, the system levels are identified and distinguished. In order to be able to completely cover the solution space of battery system architectures, a distinction is also made between mono- and multifunctional materials. Based on the system levels, a framework for possible architectures is derived. Four system architecture generations with a total of eight different types are identified and analyzed in the dimensions “Nomenclature”, “Approach”, “Omitted Components” and “Industry Examples”. In this way, upcoming system architectures, such as cell-to-pack and cell-to-chassis, can be clearly differentiated. Finally, fundamental product characteristics for the four system generations are derived and compared. Read more…

Reduction of the Manufacturing Process Time of Lithium-Ion Battery Cells by a Parameter-Based Analysis of the Formation in Battery Cell Production (German)

Content Type: PhD Dissertation
Authors: Christian Offermanns, Achim Kampker (Thesis Advisor), Robert H. Schmitt (Thesis Advisor)
Publisher: Apprimus Verlag, Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University

Due to the rapidly growing demand for automotive battery cells, it is necessary to optimize battery cell production economically and in terms of production output. The consideration of defined characteristic values shows that the sub-step of finalization or process step formation represents a bottleneck. In order to increase the output of the production line as well as to reduce the product costs per gigawatt hour by a guarantee of a constant or improved quality of the existing and future production lines, it is necessary to understand the cause-effect relationships of the processes. Based on the objective and investigation of problem-relevant scientific literature, clear deficits can be identified in the investigation of environmental conditions (mechanical stress and ambient temperature) during the formation of lithium-ion battery cells. Read more…

Battery Production Europa