Electricity and Control April 2022

INDUSTRY 4.0 + IIOT

At a glance  The billions of watts of energy that EVs will need in the coming decades will require ‘gigafactories’ for battery manufacturing.  The digital thread generated through smart manufacturing, from R&D through product lifecycle management and ongoing optimisation, will be a key enabler.  Smart, flexible, high-performance machines will also play a crucial role.

According to the IEA, global production capacity for EV batteries will need to more than triple from 2020 to 2025 to meet estimated EV production targets. The Battery Passport’s role in underpinning a responsible battery value chain has been endorsed in global policy discussions, including at the 2021 G7 Leaders’ Meeting, as well as in the draft EU Directive on Batteries and by the Canadian and US administrations. All the data for this will have to be aggregated automatically. Better by benchmarking Together with Samsung SDI, a leading manufacturer of Li-Ion batteries and energy storage systems, Rockwell Automation has developed an MES system that is paperless and complete with quality loops. Every single production step is documented by the MES. For example, FactoryTalk® Analytics™ could point out that increasing error rates at a station where batteries are bonded directly correlates to the adhesives drum recently integrated into the manufacturing process. According to Samsung SDI, this analysis tool contributes to significant increases in efficiency in the most diverse areas. As well as addressing the obvious, it links the correct dependencies for a continuous improvement process, and it is easy to use. The fact that gaining insights which used to take at least an hour can now be achieved within five minutes indicates how quickly this solution can amortise its cost. Looking to the availability of the data outside of the MES, we work with PTC on its IoT platform to increase the visibility of assets. With the data collected and the increased visibility this provides, users can benchmark different machines around the world. If a business has ten manufacturing plants, it can see which plants, lines and machines are performing better than others. It can aggregate real-time information from the shop floor and other data sources to gain a 360-degree vision of its operations. Intelligent conveyor systems Some may think that smart manufacturing is all about software. However, hardware will also play a crucial role in gigafactories, with high-performance, flexible machines. Equipment such as traditional conveyor systems may only slow things down. These systems use motion-control technologies with hundreds of mechanical details, like

The drive to decarbonise mobility is pushing demand for new battery technologies and higher production levels. rotary-driven chains, belts and gear boxes. As a result, they have limited flexibility and operational speeds, and acceleration/deceleration speeds that may fall short of the gigafactory’s needs. A better alternative is a motion-control system with Independent Cart Technology (ICT). Free from the constraints of a traditional conveyor system, this can create faster, more flexible battery lines using independent, programmable movers. It can reduce changeover times significantly with simple software profiles that allow the user to change products at the push of a button. In one case, Eagle Technologies used this technology on a battery pack assembly machine it developed to help maximise EV battery throughput. The machine’s capabilities span from individual cell sorting to full battery module and pack assembly, as well as performing required testing. The machine incorporates linear servo motors that position loads in precisely the correct direction at high speeds. And changeovers involve simply selecting the correct mode from the operator interface. Charging ahead In order to play its part in the decarbonisation of mobility, the fast-growing EV market will need highly efficient and flexible factories to produce EV batteries in high volumes, at high speeds and at a consistently high quality. The end- to-end digital thread will play a crucial role in delivering these smart data-driven facilities. □

For more information visit: www.rockwellautomation.com

APRIL 2022 Electricity + Control

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