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One complete battery factory, please.

Dürr, GROB and Manz have partnered in the field of lithium-ion battery production technology for one year now. Enjoy the first status report

 

Walk through the streets, and you'll see them everywhere: electric cars, electric motorcycles and even e-buses and e-trucks. Electromobility is obviously booming. Until recently, Europe lacked suppliers offering comprehensive plant technology for manufacturing vehicle batteries from a single source. Thankfully, that changed when Dürr, GROB and Manz formed a unique European partnership focusing on production technology for lithium-ion batteries last year. Their goal was to position themselves in the market as suppliers of complete battery production systems.

The team of three chose the slogan "Made in Europe" to capture the market’s attention. Their combined capabilities present a unique selling point for lithium-ion battery production, providing the complete value chain from a European source. At the same time, they support companies in meeting the rapidly growing demand for high-quality, high-performance batteries. Additionally, the trio aimed to target stationary storage and consumer electronics projects.

Manz, GROB and Dürr have formed a strategic partnership to offer manufacturers production technology from a single source - spanning every stage of the value chain.

Combining skills is the secret to success

As one of the world's leading mechanical and plant engineering companies, Dürr delivers expertise in electrode manufacturing, the application of glues, sealants and fillers, and assembly and testing technology via its subsidiary teamtechnik Group. Moreover, their expertise in process digitalization is unparalleled. Leveraging this experience, Dürr provides the team with both comprehensive solutions and individual components.

Electrode coating

Dürr supplies innovative technology for simultaneous two-sided and tandem coating. Tandem coating is less sensitive with film quality and optimized for wider films, which is why it's best suited for series and mass production. In addition, highly efficient systems remove, recover, and purify solvents in the exhaust air flow of electrode coating lines, rendering over 95 percent of solvents reusable after distillation, ensuring Dürr’s compliance with global and local emissions standards.

Glue, sealant, and filler application

Protecting battery cells from collisions or vibrations is crucial and requires a highly precise application process. Completely sealing battery cells without air inclusions optimizes heat conduction and prevents moisture from penetrating and gases from escaping. Leveraging decades of experience as a global market player, Dürr excels in high-precision adhesive technology, ensuring the application of abrasive materials at a high flow rate while maintaining a stable temperature.

Assembly and test systems

Dürr's subsidiary, teamtechnik, is a leading supplier of modular and flexible assembly and test systems. The company's expertise in end-of-line (EOL) testing and packaging of battery cells, battery module testing and assembly, and EOL battery pack testing is in high demand due to stringent battery production requirements.

Process digitalization

Coordinated interfaces seamlessly integrate machines and systems into Dürr software solutions. Through its subsidiary iTAC, Dürr ensures enhanced productivity, improved agility, and greater sustainability by combining manufacturing and process expertise with manufacturing operations management (MOM), manufacturing analytics, and AI.

Spotlight on electrode coating

The Cellforce Group already uses Dürr's unique process for simultaneous double-sided electrode coating. In a technology partnership, the Porsche joint venture and Dürr collaborated to commission a high-tech coating plant for high-performance battery cells in Bietigheim-Bissingen in 2022.

Togehter with teamtechnik, Dürr delivers expertise in electrode manufacturing, the application of glues, sealants and fillers, and assembly and testing technology.

As a global high-tech engineering company, Manz AG contributes expertise in developing critical production processes for manufacturing various types of lithium-ion cells and assembling them into battery modules.

For more than 95 years, GROB-WERKE GmbH & Co. KG has been a pioneer in manufacturing and automation systems. The company's strength lies in the design, planning and commissioning of highly complex and customized systems for large-scale production focused on e-mobility within the automotive industry.

What's the progress of the collaboration after a year?

One year, one team – the first status report

What started with three signatures and a shared vision in 2022 has developed into a solid partnership a year later. Multiple business units meet weekly, from product development to marketing, to make their collective goal a reality. A design of the envisaged complete solution, including a reference plant, is ready, and the "Battery Production Plant Made in Europe" project has been jointly presented at trade fairs.

German Wankmiller, Chairman of the Board of Management of the GROB Group, Dr. Hannes Schmüser, Member of the Board of Management of the Clean Technology Systems Division at Dürr, and Martin Drasch, Chief Executive Officer of Manz AG, offer more insight into the partnership in this video.

 

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    • IN THE
      FRAME
      3 questions with

      Bernhard Bruhn

      VP Global BU Lithium-Ion-Battery
    • What does LIB do in battery production?
      The LIB – lithium-ion battery – division offers machines and systems for electrode production and focuses on coating, drying, calendering and solvent recovery.
    • With which goal?
      We want to establish ourselves as the leading European machine and plant manufacturer for electrode coating in battery cell production in Europe, North America and India.
    • What new developments are there?
      We are working on several innovations at the same time, including dry coating, a new coating technology that offers significant advantages over conventional wet coating.
    • Back to overview