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ProBat

Project planning for quality-oriented, flexible battery production systems

The focus of the project is to research into concepts and tools for planning and controlling quality-oriented battery system manufacturing. The aim is to make production efficient and constantly improve batteries and their production processes. The electrification of the drive train of motor vehicles presents a promising alternative to the conventional internal combustion engine. One of the main challenges here is the cost-efficient manufacture of the battery system. Until now, the production engineering suitable for mass production of battery systems has existed primarily in the consumer area. In contrast, lithium ion batteries for automobile applications must satisfy strict and comprehensive requirements concerning safety and reliability, as well as performance and volumetric density. This is why a new approach to production is required here.

In the project “Project planning for quality-oriented, flexible battery production systems (ProBat)”, research is being undertaken into concepts and instruments for planning and controlling quality-oriented battery system manufacturing. This comprises the systematic study and assessment of plant layouts and quality assurance systems in terms of safety and efficiency and the merging of this information in a software-based planning tool. With this, production systems can be portrayed ranging from small to large scale mass production.

Innovations and prospects

The holistic approach of gathering, analysing and archiving data and the validation of plans through simulations has the potential to produce efficient production systems and the constant improvement of batteries and their production processes. The planning instruments will help plant builders and battery manufacturers to build more efficient and scalable battery production systems in order to enable economic battery production in Germany.

Project profile

Group coordinator

  • Dürr Systems GmbH

Project period

  • 08/2012 – 07/2015

Project partners

  • Dürr Systems GmbH, Bietigheim-Bissingen
  • Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH, Oberkochen
  • Daimler AG, Stuttgart
  • Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), wbk - Institute of Production Science, Karlsruhe

Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)