LaserScale

 

PEM Develops Energy-Efficient Plant Concept for Lithium-Ion Battery Production

The chair "Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components" (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University and three other major research institutions are working on the "LaserScale" project to implement an energy-efficient plant concept to reduce production costs while increasing product quality in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries. The joint project is part of the federally funded competence cluster "Intelligent Battery Cell Production" (InZePro).

More efficient process due to combined laser structuring and drying

The innovative system concept is designed to increase the energy and power density of lithium-ion batteries by introducing microstructures into the electrodes with the aid of laser radiation. The two-dimensional structuring of the electrode material is to be determined by using a multibeam multiscanner module. By combining laser structuring with flexible laser drying, it should also be possible to increase process efficiency. So-called surface emitters are planned for drying the coated electrode foils, which will enable dynamic adjustment and control of the temperature distribution for targeted drying of the electrodes. With the help of the integration of a data-driven process control system, essential process data will be collected and adjusted according to the optimal system range. The research team is also focusing on scaling the underlying laser processes towards industrial applicability.

 

The project

• "LaserScale": Scaled laser structuring and drying of lithium-ion batteries to increase performance

Research objectives

• Development of an innovative plant concept for increasing energy and power density of lithium-ion batteries
• Increasing process efficiency by combining laser structuring with flexible laser drying
• Use of innovative surface emitters for targeted electrode drying
• Scaling of the underlying laser processes to industrial applicability

Research and project partners

PEM of RWTH Aachen University (project coordinator)
IMA & IfU Cybernetics Lab – Institute of Information Management in Mechanical Engineering & Associated Institute for Management Cybernetics e.V. (RWTH Aachen University)
Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT)
Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management (iwb) (TU Munich)

Duration

• 01/01/2021 through 12/31/2023

Project sponsor

Projektträger Jülich (PtJ)

Funding code

• 03XP0316A

Grantor

Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)