From smartphones to electric vehicles, the demand for compact, reliable, and durable batteries is prompting many battery manufacturers to rapidly increase production capacity. However, these highly automated battery assembly lines typically take months to develop. So, can the pace be accelerated?
DWFritz Automation (Wilsonville, OR), a leading global supplier of precision automation, metrology, and inspection solutions tailored for advanced manufacturing, recently delivered a new, flexible, high-output, fully automated battery production line to a leading North American battery manufacturer at record speed.
Chris Povich, the company's vice president of sales, said, "DWFritz thinks about things in the micrometer and millisecond range. Solving our customers' manufacturing challenges requires extremely high operating speeds, advanced material handling, process automation, and very high precision, and these are the key capabilities we can provide."
Due to the project's complexity and short available development time, DWFritz sought a strategic partner capable of providing diverse technical expertise within a concurrent engineering design environment to rapidly iterate designs and accelerate project implementation. They chose Bosch Rexroth.
1. Effective collaboration enables delivery in the shortest possible time.
Regardless of size or shape parameters, battery manufacturing is a complex, multi-step process that combines different materials to form the cathode and anode, and then integrates them with conductors into a complete package. Today's batteries are achieving ever-increasing energy density while shrinking in size. Extremely tight assembly tolerances, higher throughput and real-time inspection rates, data acquisition, and communication with machine and factory-level control systems are key requirements for the solutions that DWFritz and Bosch Rexroth need to build.
According to Povich, several key design and operational requirements led them to decide to collaborate with Bosch Rexroth on the project. He said, "This assembly line had to operate at extremely high speeds, and space was also a challenge. Although the assembly line was over 100 feet long, its design had to be able to fit into a very compact space, and the motion platform had to be able to meet very strong motion control requirements, as there are more than 50 motion axes in just one system."
DWFritz President Mukesh Dulani stated that time was one of the biggest challenges. “In the past, we would work with several different suppliers, but in this case, just getting the collaboration between the suppliers started took at least 10 to 15 weeks. We only had 12 weeks for design and engineering and 8 weeks for procurement on this project, so we had to partner with someone like Bosch Rexroth to provide technical and engineering support to help us succeed.”
Matthias Aberle, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing, Engineering and Factory Automation at Bosch Rexroth North America, believes that for Bosch Rexroth, collaborating with leading machine manufacturers and integrators is a key step toward realizing the “factory of the future.”
He said, "The challenge we all face is that customers need better results and more open and innovative systems that transmit real-time machine information from the shop floor to places where that information can be used more effectively. To that end, we are building important partnerships with technology stakeholders such as DWFritz to leverage our combined strengths to drive significant change in the automation industry."
In the design process of the complex multi-technology production line, Bosch Rexroth provided a range of technical and system support for the creation of the new battery production line. These included:
• Multiple conveyor systems for transporting batteries within and between production units;
• Precision linear motion modules used in gantry crane systems;
The automation system platform ctrlX AUTOMATION and its control platform ctrlX CORE not only contributed to the success of this project, but also enabled customers to use the same software and hardware platforms to build future production lines.
• Aluminum structural frame;
• A complete set of advanced motion control and drive systems, including a system that utilizes Bosch Rexroth's groundbreaking new control platform, ctrlX AUTOMATION.
Dulani stated, “One of our most important goals was to establish an open machine control system architecture that allows customer servers to directly query machines and obtain real-time data. The ctrlX AUTOMATION automation system platform and its control platform ctrlX CORE not only contributed to the success of this project but also enabled customers to use the same software and hardware platform to build future production lines.” ctrlX AUTOMATION encompasses both hardware and software. With its Linux-based real-time operating system, continuously open system architecture, and web-based engineering, it allows users to create, add, or share automation functions through applications, and even purchase these functions from the Bosch Rexroth ctrlX Store, making automation as simple as using a smartphone.
Furthermore, Bosch Rexroth's controllers can manage third-party field devices through a defined real-time communication platform, support advanced cam drive solutions, and synchronize production modules on the same real-time control clock. The ease of use and openness of ctrlX AUTOMATION played a crucial role in enabling the team to complete this complex collaborative project within the stipulated timeframe. The platform supports the freedom to choose programming languages, not limited to proprietary platforms. Web-based system configuration makes the startup process quick and simple, requiring no software installation. The fully virtual development environment allowed the team to create a "digital twin" of the communication platform between the MES and automation controllers, saving significant time.
Dave Hull, Regional Vice President of Bosch Rexroth, said: “The digital twin capability provides DWFritz engineers with a software platform that is ready to use immediately. Engineers are able to test all systems, test how they operate, and how they will work with the battery manufacturer’s MES system months before they even receive the hardware. All of this gives us a first-mover advantage.”
2. Rexroth technology helps achieve precise transmission and high productivity.
DWFritz has built its production units around its innovative DWFritz Flexible Platform DFP5000 assembly unit. This flexible, modular platform allows for customization of controllers, servo drives, and feed transfers for specific processes. Mart in Bamberger, a senior engineer at DWFritz, stated that precision kinematic tooling is a fundamental element for composite production units to perform a wide range of assembly and inspection tasks. He said, “Because battery assembly and processing require fairly high throughput, properly calibrating all components in the battery to tolerances between 20 and 50 micrometers requires the use of precision parts.”
To ensure the required precision and efficiency of these kinematic tools, they selected Rexroth's CKK compact linear modules. "Our modules are very compact, highly accurate, and repeatable within five micrometers," said Mike Ziencina, Rexroth Sales Manager. These modules are combined to develop various kinematic solutions, such as the Cartesian robot pick-and-place system, integrated into the DFP5000 unit.
The compact IndraDrive Mi motor-integrated servo system is another key technological contribution from Bosch Rexroth, used in network processing stations during the initial battery production phase. IndraDrive Mi is a cabinetless system that individually packages the servo drive and motor, allowing for flexible connectivity based on application requirements. This enabled the team to integrate all electrical drive components directly into the machine, saving space and installation time.
Due to the high speed and complexity of this production line, safety is a crucial consideration. Bosch Rexroth offers a complete suite of state-of-the-art machine safety solutions, including an integrated safety PLC with automatic controllers, advanced SafeMotion safety technology built into servo drives, safety I/O, and integrated safety communication support via PROFIsafe.
In terms of product transport, Bosch Rexroth's conveyor system was key to the project's success. To determine which conveyor system was most suitable, the team considered factors such as the size and weight of the manufactured products, production speed, and required stopping accuracy. Ultimately, Rexroth chose the VarioFlow plus conveyor system.
The system is configured as a pallet-based solution, providing the most suitable platform. VarioLow plus is a flexible, modular plastic chain conveyor system designed for versatility, capable of moving large volumes of products horizontally, vertically, around obstacles, or in other configurations. Workpiece pallets can be used with Vario Flow plus to perform product transport tasks in applications requiring positioning or higher precision.
Thanks to the tight integration of assembly units and automated components, the VarioFlow plus system allows for multiple strokes while maintaining the pallet's position on the conveyor system. Furthermore, VarioFlow plus simplifies the creation of recycling systems, allowing empty pallets to be returned to their starting position for repeated cycles, thus saving valuable floor space. Bosch Rexroth also collaborated closely with DWFritz to design an open architecture for the production line.
3. Establishing partnerships in parallel design is key to the future of automation.
If partners can collaborate in a way similar to that of DWFritz and Bosch Rexroth, then the engineering processes and development partnerships established in this project will be valuable.
(Designing, programming, purchasing, and integrating systems within tight and overlapping timeframes) will become the standard approach for complex automation projects in the future.
DWFritz's Povich stated, "From the very beginning, when we were still developing the technical concept, Bosch Rexroth was already collaborating with our engineering team. After we won the project, a collaborative team from both companies was immediately formed, working together to solve the challenges from our customer." For Bosch Rexroth, the success of this project not only laid the foundation for future project collaborations with DWFritz but also created a model for realizing the vision of Industry 4.0 in manufacturing.
Dave Hull of Bosch Rexroth stated, “This partnership demonstrates the practical and concrete steps needed to achieve our goals. We are delighted to partner with a company like DWFritz to showcase how we can shorten delivery cycles, help our customers succeed, and provide solutions that meet their current and future needs.”
As one of the world's leading suppliers of drive and control technologies, Bosch Rexroth is committed to providing efficient, powerful, and safe intelligent motion solutions for a wide range of machinery and systems. The company has extensive project experience in mobile machinery applications, mechanical applications and engineering, and factory automation, and creates the perfect application environment for connected industry through its intelligent components, customized solutions, and services. Bosch Rexroth also provides customers with a variety of hydraulic, electronic drive and control, gear, linear drive and assembly technologies, software, and IoT interfaces. The company operates in more than 80 countries and regions worldwide, employing over 31,000 professionals, and achieved global sales of nearly €6.2 billion in 2021. Since entering the Chinese market in 1978, Bosch Rexroth has established production bases in Beijing, Wujin, and Xi'an, employing approximately 2,800 people as of December 2021.
