Handover of grant notification for the “BIP Inline” project, VisiConsult headquarters, May 17, 2024
VisiConsult has received a 1.1 million euro grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), from the Schleswig-Holstein state government to work on its Battery Inspection Portfolio Inline (BIP Inline) project. According to the X-ray systems specialists, the projects aim to develop X-ray-based computed tomography (CT) systems that allow for the non-destructive testing of battery cell types in inline production towards the end of the assembly.
While inline inspection is already present in the initial, optically exposed, steps in the cell assembly process, ensuring quality assurance is difficult to achieve both after assembly and before finalisation. Specifically, when the anode and cathode material are in closed housing. With optical inspection methods not effective in this scenario, and no other NDT solution available, the CT inline inspection portfolio from VCbattery is critical development.
“Battery manufacturers must already consider which technologies are available to them in their production processes when planning their production facilities,” said Lennart Schulenburg, CEO and Co-shareholder of VisiConsult. “We are therefore extremely pleased that the state government of Schleswig-Holstein recognises the urgency of ramping up cell production and is also supporting key technologies for quality testing in parallel with initiatives to locate production facilities.”
The BIP inline project aims to develop VisiConsult’s VCbattery specifically in the areas of inspection speed, defect detection, and multimodal inspection approaches. By innovating the product in these areas, VisiConsult is hoping to maximise the application's benefits and its place in the entire value chain (e.g., battery cells, modules, and systems, as well as R&D, production, reuse, and recycling).
“This method revolutionises the quality control of batteries because it enables manufacturers to detect and rectify faults at an early stage. This improves the quality and service life of batteries,” said Claus Ruhe Madsen, Minister of Economics and Technology of Schleswig-Holstein. “With its commitment to R&D, VisiConsult is about to show how Schleswig-Holstein is also developing into a high-tech battery location from within – through such hidden champions founded here.”
VisiConsult’s VCbattery systems are suitable for all cell types. The second generation of the CT inline cell inspection systems can be quickly used in specific regions in pouched and prismatic cells. Now, with the third generation of the systems, entire cylindrical cells can be inspected allegedly 50 times quicker than other solutions.
“Substantial process improvements made possible by the use of our CT Inline technologies can also contribute to massive cost savings in the design of a factory in order to achieve production targets. The reduction in the scrap rate also brings substantial cost savings in the manufacturing costs per cell,” added Bernhard Mürkens, Head of VCbattery by VisiConsult. “Last but not least, it is also about sustainability, i.e. the longest possible battery life cycle, which should be achieved early on through quality inspection at all key milestones in the production process. Our CT inline technology is predestined for this.”