Chinese mechanical engineering company LEAD has received a major order from Italian battery manufacturer FAAM. The order includes the delivery of an end-of-line (EOL) for the new 8 GWh LFP factory Teverola 2 near Naples.
The end-of-line production steps are considered particularly important in cell production, as this is where the cells are filled with the electrolyte and the decisive formation of the cell (the first charging) and the final inspection take place. FAAM relies on LEAD machines for this. “The system is designed to meet the most stringent efficiency, safety, and quality standards, giving FAAM a strong competitive edge in the global battery market,” the Chinese company wrote.
In fact, the solution should help to reduce operating costs in the production section on several levels. According to LEAD, “advanced charging/discharging technologies’ are used to reduce energy consumption in the forming phase. And thanks to LEAD’s “innovative negative pressure tray formation technology,” the required cleanroom space is said to be reduced by up to 90 per cent. Not only does a smaller cleanroom reduce the initial investment, but a smaller cleanroom also requires less energy to keep the climate conditions in the optimum range. In addition, the intelligent thermal management system is intended to enable “accurate and stable temperature control for each battery cell throughout the formation process.”
However, the Tervola 2 LFP cell factory is not only using production technology from China: a few weeks ago, the operator FAAM (also known as FIB) ordered systems for large-scale production from the Swiss technology group Bühler. This involves four continuous mixing lines for the production of electrode pastes. The systems are to be installed by the end of 2025, with production expected to start in 2026.
leadintelligent.com