Münster. Combining excellent research with practical relevance is a key means of creating a new quality in application-oriented subject areas. The Fraunhofer Research Fabrication Battery Cell FFB and Münster University of Applied Sciences would like to take advantage of this to open up constructive cooperation in BatteryCityMünster and combine their strengths. On October 10, the joint English-language lecture series will therefore start for the first time. 

Philip Suttmeyer, Project Management and Academy Officer at Fraunhofer FFB, explains: »Due to their proximity to the professional and working world and their regional roots, universities of applied sciences play an important role in the transfer of scientific findings to society. We are therefore all the more pleased that with the lecture series at Münster University of Applied Sciences we are promoting the practice-oriented continuing education of students in the field of battery cell production and thus actively helping to shape and advance qualification in the battery sector in Europe.«

Wide-ranging teaching content

In a total of 15 lectures, students are taught detailed knowledge about battery production. Experts from the Fraunhofer FFB each shed light on their area of research, with the following three main topics being covered throughout the semester. These follow the process chain of battery production in terms of content:

• basics of battery production: 
  

Based on the current market developments and areas of application of modern batteries, the first section explains, among other things, how electrochemical energy storage devices work and the manufacturing process, cell types and alternative battery technologies, as well as factory and production planning.

• digitalized battery cell production: 

Digital technologies enable efficient and sustainable cell production. The second focus area of the lecture therefore focuses on battery production 4.0, such as the digital twin, data-based optimization and simulation technology.

• production management:

The lecture culminates in the characterization of innovation and technology management, sustainable battery cell production along the entire value chain, and production and quality management in the battery environment. Students from the following disciplines can participate in the lecture: Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Energy-Building-Environment.

Practical insights and qualification of specialist personnel for BatteryCityMünster

In addition, an accompanying internship at Fraunhofer FFB will enable students to experience the job profiles in the research field of battery cell production. Münsterland and neighboring regions are already dependent on skilled personnel and will continue to be so in the future, explains Michael Wessels, Group Manager PMO and Academy, Fraunhofer FFB: "Due to the rapidly growing demand for battery cells 'Made in Europe', especially in the automotive industry, several hundred thousand battery specialists will be needed along the entire European value chain by 2030. Now is the time to counteract this looming skills gap. Especially in BatteryCityMünster, qualified young professionals play a key role for the regionally based industries."

At the FH Münster Prof. Dr. Hans-Christoph Mertins is coordinating the lecture series: "We are very pleased with the Fraunhofer FFB's offer. This event is another stepping stone for our students into concrete research and development with great environmental technological significance."

For the Fraunhofer FFB, it is a matter of course to work in close cooperation with the universities of applied sciences, universities and educational institutions in the region. With the "ELLB - European Battery Cell Learning Laboratory", it is also actively helping to shape and drive forward qualification in the battery sector in Germany and Europe. To this end, it offers suitable further training courses for interested parties from industry and research, as well as retraining courses for employees from other technology sectors, in order to contribute to sustainable competitiveness on the battery market.