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Schneider Electric has partnered with Liminal Insights, a provider of battery manufacturing intelligence, to address challenges in the battery manufacturing industry and support the increasing demand for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. This collaboration aims to help enhance operational efficiency and reduce waste as manufacturers scale up to meet global EV battery requirements.
With EV sales estimated to reach up to 40 percent by 2030, battery demand is estimated to increase up to tenfold in the next decade. However, manufacturers face hurdles in scaling production while minimizing scrap, which can range from an estimated 6 percent to 15 percent in established factories and can be higher in new facilities. These inefficiencies highlight the demand for new solutions.
To address these challenges, Schneider Electric and Liminal have developed a joint offering that integrates Liminal’s ultrasound-based metrology and analytics solutions with Schneider Electric’s automation and industrial intelligence ecosystem. This integrated solution helps to deliver real-time inline quality inspection for battery cells, helping to enable manufacturers to identify production deviations and conduct root cause analysis at the cell level. It is compatible with a wide range of battery cell chemistries, including NMC, LFP, NCMA, Li-metal, solid state, and Na-Ion.
The EchoStat ultrasound inspection solution from Liminal offers several key benefits:
End-to-End Automation and Integration: Utilizing Schneider Electric’s industrial automation and AVEVA’s software connectivity, the solution ensures a more seamless integration into manufacturing processes, helping to boost productivity and reduce quality costs.
Improved Operational Safety: Unlike traditional X-ray systems, ultrasound inspection is radiation-free, eliminating the need for shielding, permits, or specialized safety zones while creating a safer, more sustainable workplace.
Flexibility for Future Operations: The solution’s broad compatibility helps to allow manufacturers to standardize inspection across various cell types, which can simplify adaptation of new technologies and leverage historical data for future advancements.
Enhanced Efficiency and Performance: Real-time inline inspection can reduce floor space and power consumption versus conventional CT and electrical testing systems. Faster decision-making helps to improve throughput, productivity, and sustainability.
Early testing of Liminal’s EchoStat solutions has shown the potential for significant cost savings. A 1 percent reduction in scrap could save manufacturers up to an estimated $10 million annually for a 10 GWh production block, while an eight-hour reduction in the cell-finishing process could result in up to an estimated $3 million in savings annually for the same production capacity.
This partnership builds on Schneider Electric’s ongoing initiatives to support the battery manufacturing industry. By integrating Liminal’s advanced inspection solutions with Schneider Electric’s solutions in automation, manufacturers can address production challenges and help to drive greater efficiency, safety, and reliability in battery production.
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