The UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) has begun installing a new cell assembly line at its Coventry facility as part of the continuing development of its Flexible Pilot Line (FPL).
The first items of equipment have now arrived on site and will enable customers to manufacture both tabbed and tabless 21700 and 4695 cylindrical battery cells. A new pouch-cell assembly line is currently undergoing testing and is scheduled for installation later this year.
It is expected that the new capability will become available to customers in the autumn following commissioning of the equipment.
Once operational, the cell assembly line will support a range of customer programmes and cell formats, expanding UKBIC’s capabilities across multiple battery chemistries and applications.
UKBIC: “an end-to-end truly integrated battery production line”
Sean Gilgunn, managing director of UKBIC, said: “The installation of our cell assembly equipment will be yet another major step forward in allowing UKBIC’s clients to accelerate technology innovation and manufacturing scale-up within the UK through an end-to-end truly integrated battery production line, which will support their drive to efficiently deliver a quality product to market.”
He added: “We’ll be able to offer a more cost-effective solution to customers, across multiple formats, and also give a natural progression to our larger line when clients are ready for industrialisation.”
The Flexible Pilot Line is intended to help companies bridge the gap between laboratory-scale development and commercial manufacturing. The addition of cell assembly capability will allow customers to evaluate manufacturing processes and cell designs before progressing to larger-scale production.
The new line complements the centre’s existing infrastructure, which includes its Giga-scale Industrial Scale-up Line, Battery Development Laboratory, cell cycling facility and Clean and Dry Zone.
Photo: taking delivery of equipment at the Coventry, UK facility
Credit: UKBIC
