FOOD - Formation optimization in battery cell production using diagnostic procedures and digital methods

Brief description

As part of the FOOD research project, a new approach to optimizing the forming process in battery cell production is to be developed and tested. This involves using measurement data from the forming process, which to date has only been used to control and regulate the process. Forming data will be evaluated using new battery diagnostics methods to be developed. Instead of comparing individual measuring points with threshold values, model-based and AI-based approaches as well as methods derived from laboratory analysis are used. In this project, the results of the battery diagnostic procedures are transferred to a database whose data records are evaluated using ML methods.

Based on the evaluation methodology, three digital production modules are being developed and tested in this project:

1. “Optimization of the forming protocol”

2. “Improved cell grading”

3. “Reduction of end-of-line tests”

The work plan is divided into eight work packages:

1.     requirements analysis and application scenarios (FFB, ACC): Determination of cell designs and reference processes of cell finalization.

2.     evaluation & selection of battery diagnostic processes (FFB, ACC): Research, evaluation and selection of different battery diagnostic processes in cell finalization.

3.     data acquisition and integration (FFB, ACC): Concept development for data processing in cell finalization.

4.     realization of the battery diagnostic procedures (FFB, ACC): Development and implementation of the battery diagnostic procedures selected from WP2.

5.     orchestration of the battery diagnostic procedures into digital services (FFB, ACC): Implementation of the software cockpit with the three digital modules.

6.     cell production and long-term tests (FFB, ACC): planning and implementation of cell production and long-term tests.

7.     integration, demonstration & validation (FFB, ACC): Validation & demonstration of the software cockpit as well as the optimizations in cell finalization.

8.     PM and utilization of the results: Project management and coordination.   

New methods are being developed to optimize cell finalization. This will make cell finalization faster, cheaper and require less energy. Publications and conference contributions are planned for utilization.