Next level battery manufacturing:
New products, challenges, solutions

Components for battery production

Next level battery manufacturing - particle-free. Lubrication-free. IPA-approved

With the growing demand for electric cars, the need for high-quality lithium-ion batteries is also increasing. Battery manufacturing involves several critical components that are necessary for the production of batteries. Each component must contribute to maximising quality, safety and performance. With igus components such as plain bearings and linear technology as well as energy chains, efficiency can be increased, downtimes reduced and the automation of battery production plants improved.

Ideally, battery production takes place with minimum humidity and the greatest possible freedom from particles. Our cleanroom-compatible and dissipative cable guide systems for the dry cleanroom support this process and ensure reliable performance in battery production.

Areas of application: Material handling, electrode production, cell assembly, sealing and further processing as well as control and inspection

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Innovative products for battery production

Handling of battery cells

The automated handling of battery cells is a key factor in the optimisation of modern production processes. A room linear robot was used in a test setup to efficiently remove battery cells and position them precisely in holders. Working together with employees on the conveyor belt, the system consistently prepares assembled battery packs for the next process stage, reducing manual labour and increasing efficiency.

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Certified products for the dry cleanroom

What is a dry cleanroom?

A dry cleanroom for battery production is a special controlled environment that provides both extremely low humidity and a high level of particle-free air. There, the humidity is reduced to below 1%, often below 1% relative humidity, which corresponds to a dew point of -40°C. This ensures that no condensation takes place and no moisture gets into the materials. This is of great importance in some process steps of battery production because even small amounts of water can lead to battery fires.

Why is dry cleanroom important?

Higher product quality: reduced contamination leads to higher quality and reliability of battery cells
Longer service life: minimising chemical reaction extends battery life
Safer working environment: strict control over hazardous materials increases safety for personnel

Cable guide systems

Cable guide systems are essential for reliable energy and data transmission in dry cleanrooms, which are used in applications such as electrode coating and cell assembly. To ensure that our cable guide systems fulfil the requirements of the dry environment, we have tested them for durability and cleanliness together with the Fraunhofer IPA.

The result: High cleanliness over a test period of 10 months, 15 million double strokes and certification for ISO Class 3 or 4 dry cleanrooms.

TPE energy and signal cables

Our TPE cables are the perfect solution for energy and signal transmission in demanding battery production. Their abrasion-resistant TPE outer jacket reduces particle emissions and has been tested by the Fraunhofer Institute.

The flexible, resistant material guarantees reliability and durability even in dynamic energy chain applications. The cable material is characterised by its high resistance to mechanical stress, making it ideal for use in sensitive cleanroom environments. In dry environments, the material retains its flexibility as it only releases minimal moisture. This ensures that the outer jacket does not become porous and there is no risk of breakage.

All chainflex cables are specially developed for mobile applications and are tested and inspected in our in-house test laboratory spread over an area of 5,500m². In addition, all chainflex cables have a unique guarantee of up to four years, which emphasises their quality and durability.

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Tested quality for dry cleanrooms

Fraunhofer IPA certifications for the dry cleanroom

Together with the Fraunhofer Institute, we have developed two new certificates that confirm the dry cleanroom suitability of our energy chains in long-term tests. The two new certificates are divided into pre-aging and aging behaviour.

The "pre-aging certificate", which we commissioned for our e-skin soft and E14 energy chain systems, certifies the systems after 15 million double strokes and 10 months in the dry cleanroom. Here we received the best possible cleanroom ISO Class 4 certification (see Table 2).

Two of our cleanroom energy supply systems, the E6.J and the e-skin flat, were tested over a period of 10 months on an endurance machine in the dry cleanroom. They completed over 15 million double strokes. The systems were tested and certified for their cleanroom class every two months. The e-skin flat system withstood the double strokes without any problems and received the best possible ISO cleanroom Class 4 certification. A higher certification is not possible as the test environment (ISO Class 3 dry cleanroom with a relative humidity of <1% corresponding to a dew point of -40°C) is not clean enough. The E6.J was able to maintain this result for four months, but then lost a cleanroom class and finished with ISO Class 5 (see Table 3).

Table 1: STANDARD dry cleanroom	v = 0.5 m/s a = 1 m/s	v = 1 m/s a = 2 m/s	v = 2 m/s a = 4 m/s
E6 (IPA report 2303-1408)	ISO 4	ISO 4	ISO 4
TRC.ESD + fibre-rod (IPA report 2309-1461)	ISO 4	ISO 4	ISO 5

Table 2: PRE-AGEING dry cleanroom	v = 0.5 m/s a = 1 m/s	v = 1 m/s a = 2 m/s	v = 2 m/s a = 4 m/s
SKS28 (IPA report 2411-1575)*	ISO 4	ISO 4	ISO 4
E14 (IPA report 2411-1575)	ISO 4	ISO 4	ISO 4

Table 3: AGEING BEHAVIOUR dry cleanroom	Time / double strokes
	Time: After running-in phase \| double strokes: 0	Time: After 2 months \| double strokes 3.2 million	Time: After 4 months \| double strokes: 5.1 million	Time: After 6 months \| double strokes: 7.5 million	Time: After 8 months \| double strokes: 10 million	Time: After 10 months \| double strokes: 15 million
e-skin*	ISO 4	ISO 4	ISO 4	ISO 4	ISO 4	ISO 4
E6*	ISO 4	ISO 4	ISO 4	ISO 5	ISO 5	ISO 5

*Note: The cleanroom energy chains SKS28, e-skin flat, and E6 are certified to ISO Class 1 cleanroom standards under normal ambient humidity.

Product brochure and further information

Cleanroom product brochure

Cleanroom classes of our products as well as information on RoHs and ESD.

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XXL sample box

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Information on ESD

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