High-Speed Electrode Handling Case Study Highlights
Challenge
- A battery manufacturer needed to handle electrodes produced at 200 parts per minute (PPM) from an existing progressive die press.
- Electrodes arrived in random orientations on a conveyor, so they needed to be identified and re-oriented before going downstream.
- Teams had to manage excess electrodes and deal with curved, non-pickable parts as the material roll was consumed.
Solution
- Implemented a back-lit conveyor with an overhead high-speed vision system to identify the part type, location, and orientation.
- Utilized a “spider” robot with dual vacuum grippers to pick and place electrodes on-the-fly.
- Designed a compact system with only two robots, reducing material costs and engineering time.
Results
- Achieved a high rate of 200 PPM, ensuring the efficient handling and re-orientation of electrodes.
- ATS provided comprehensive training for personnel on-site and at their facility, along with start-up support and spare parts after installation.
Company
Contract Manufacturer
Industry
Battery Manufacturing
Region
North America
Customer
A contract manufacturer based in North America that specializes in building battery packs for customers. It operates within the electric vehicle (EV) battery industry and focuses on producing battery cells for EVs.
Challenge
Overcoming High-Speed Electrode Handling Challenges
A battery manufacturer faced a significant challenge in handling electrodes produced at a high rate of 200 parts per minute (PPM) from an existing progressive die press. The electrodes arrived in random orientations on a flat belt conveyor. That meant they required identification, confirmation of their variant, and re-orientation for a downstream process that did not match the press’s speed. Additionally, as the material roll was consumed, the electrodes curved, making some parts non-pickable and necessitating manual handling.
ATS Industrial Automation’s extensive experience with high-speed vision systems and robotic automation was crucial in addressing the battery manufacturer’s challenge. ATS worked on previous projects involving similar high-speed, high-precision requirements. This gave the team the expertise needed to develop a solution to meet the battery manufacturer’s specific demands. The collaboration with engineers and demonstration of similar challenges helped guide the customer, which led to the successful implementation of the automated solution.
Solution
Innovative High-Speed Electrode Handling Solution
To address the electrode handling challenge, the team implemented a sophisticated solution involving a back-lit conveyor with an overhead high-speed vision system to identify the part type, location, and orientation. This setup enabled a “spider” robot to pick and place electrodes in process, ensuring they were correctly oriented for the downstream station. The solution effectively managed the buffer problem while reorienting parts at the required rate.
The ATS team’s technical competence was evident through the use of cutting-edge vision technology and high-speed robotic and vision systems. When these were combined with conveyor tracking, the integrated system enabled the precise identification and handling of parts. Since the “spider” robot had dual vacuum grippers, it could handle two parts simultaneously. This significantly enhanced downstream efficiencies.
To ensure cost-effectiveness, the team also designed a compact system that required only two robots, which reduced material expenses and engineering time. Finally, ATS mounted the robots over the work surface, eliminating the need for additional floor space.
Results
Implementing the high-speed electrode handling solution for the battery manufacturer yielded impressive results. The system met all the requirements, fit within the allocated footprint between the two processes, and addressed the speed and orientation challenge. Finally, the electrode handling assembly system achieved a high rate of 200 PPM.
Throughout the project, the ATS project management team collaborated well with the customer, ensuring smooth implementation while meeting a tight timeline.
To ensure a successful transition and consistent equipment maintenance, the team provided comprehensive training for personnel on-site and at their facility. ATS also delivered start-up support and spare parts after installation to make sure the system could continuously operate efficiently and effectively.
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