According to estimates, by 2025 some 600,000 tons of used batteries from electric passenger cars need to be recycled. Since batteries are energy storage devices made from valuable raw materials, this inevitably raises the question of sustainability. Festo therefore offers modular automation concepts not only for cell producing, assembling battery modules and packs, and platform integration, but also for disassembling and recycling or separating the materials.

The success and reputation of electric vehicle manufacturers depend on the safe and flawless functioning of batteries. HAHN Automation Group has therefore developed a battery tester that carries out a complete test of the mobile energy storage units fully automatically. A 3-axis gantry for optical and leak tests, consisting of electric drives from Festo, takes centre stage.

If manufacturers of automation technology want to create real added value for their customers, digitalisation solutions are the way to do it. “That is why Festo developed the Festo Automation Experience, or Festo AX for short,” explains Dr. Oliver Niese, Vice President Digital Business at Festo. Festo AX boosts the performance of machines and systems, thus making customers even more successful.

Degassing and sealing are core processes in battery cell production that directly follow the initial contacting of the battery cells with electrical voltage. The battery cells are pierced with lances and the forming gas produced during contacting is extracted. Pneumatic and electric actuators from Festo are used to handle and pierce the battery cells.