With the BLA production system, individual modules can be combined for different production process steps. These include, for example, the unwinding of pre-scored roll material for the anode and cathode, cutting these electrodes and placing them between the separator, heat and press lamination, all test steps or stacking on a workpiece carrier. The BLA system is freely configurable and can be used both as a pilot system and in automated mass production: this makes cell production very flexible for battery manufacturers. Battery sizes and configurations can be easily varied with the system from Manz. For example, mono or bi-cells can be manufactured in both axial and radial cell configurations.

Hard case and pouch battery cells are increasingly in demand for electric vehicles and stationary energy storage systems, as they offer more power than cylindrical batteries. © Manz

Laminating and stacking process
"In Manz's BLA process, the separator is not folded in a Z-shape, but the anode and cathode are placed on the centered separator from above and below. The resulting mono or bi-cell is then shrink-stably laminated, cut and stacked. Our production process is currently unique on the market, and the lithium-ion battery cells produced using this method offer significantly greater safety than non-laminated cells, especially against voltage flashovers," says Tamara Sonatore, Sales Manager Energy Storage at high-tech equipment manufacturer Manz.

With a material speed of up to four hundred millimetres per second, the BLA series from Manz is at least twice as fast as alternative stacking systems. In addition to the high process speed, a very high electrode placement accuracy and integrated optical and electrical test systems after the individual production steps ensure high productivity of the system and the highest quality of the battery cells produced. This means that defective material is ejected directly from the production process and not processed further. as