Dürr, GROB and Manz Present Concept Factory for Battery Production

In 2022, Dürr, GROB and Manz formed the first European partnership in lithium-ion battery production technology. Their goal is to become a leading European supplier of complete battery production systems. This year, the three companies are showcasing their jointly developed concept factory at the Battery Show Europe in Stuttgart. The factory highlights end-to-end process automation, perfectly coordinated interfaces and integrated, holistic digitalization solutions. 

Dürr, GROB and Manz possess most of the necessary machinery and plant technology to cover the entire process chain from electrode production to cell assembly and from module to pack assembly. Since the partnership began, they’ve focused on developing a concept factory for battery production. In six defined workstreams, particular emphasis was placed on achieving above-average process efficiency during the planning phase.

The goal: production with high overall system efficiency

Both technical and digital interfaces between the three partners are crucial to development. Dürr’s subsidiary iTAC, an expert in process digitalization, contributes its MES/MOM solution, enabling end-to-end visibility of all battery production steps. This includes control and planning of the entire production process, as well as analysis and traceability. The result is high overall system efficiency and lower operating costs, primarily achieved through reduced energy consumption and a smaller overall plant footprint.

The first joint customer project, a system for electrode production and battery cell assembly, is already underway. The single-source approach saves the customers from complex project management, as processing interfaces have been streamlined. Dürr, GROB and Manz offer smooth implementation following proven project management standards and have an extensive supplier network at their disposal.