International. BMW Group Plant Leipzig's first cellular coating line goes into series operation as on-site electronic component production continues to gain momentum.
By 2024, the two existing module assembly lines will be supplemented by a third, as well as four more cell coating lines and two more high-voltage battery assembly lines.
The four coating lines will go into serial operation over the course of this year at approximately two-month intervals.
"From 2024, our plant here in Leipzig will be able to execute the entire process chain for the production of high-voltage batteries. We will therefore make an important contribution to the transformation towards electromobility," said BMW Group Head of Battery Production Markus Fallböhmer.
To meet its goal of all-electric vehicles accounting for at least half of all sales by 2030, the BMW Group is investing more than €800 million to establish and develop the production of electronic components at BMW's Leipzig plant.
Covering an area of 2,300 m2, the new cellular coating system at the BMW plant in Leipzig is located in the former production hall of the BMW i3, where production was phased out in the summer last year.
Immediately afterwards, the space was converted for the manufacture of electronic components in less than six months and the associates received the corresponding training.
The new coating line can handle more than 10 million cells a year, or more than 2300 per hour. The coated cells are then used on the battery module production line to manufacture modules for the all-electric BMW i4 and BMW iX1. Another line in the installation is the production of battery modules for the BMW iX.
The production of high-voltage batteries is carried out in three stages: cell lining, module production and assembly of the battery itself. The processes are highly automated.
The BMW Group sources its cells from partners who manufacture them exactly to specification. The type used depends on the vehicle in question and is chosen to ensure the best possible characteristics.
Coating lithium-ion cells consists first of pre-treating and modeling their surfaces with a laser. This involves the laser beam "chiseling" a texture on the outside of the uncoated cell to increase its surface area and reduce the surface tension of the aluminum housing. The cells are then cleaned with plasma to remove dirt particles and oxides.
Together, these two processes improve the adhesiveness of the surface, ready to apply the coating. It is delivered by a specially developed machine that coats the cells into two layers, which are then UV hardened and offer the best possible insulation for the cells.
Finally, a fully automated three-stage quality control process is carried out in which the thickness and surface quality of the coating are inspected. A high-voltage test is carried out to ensure that the coating is completely free of defects.
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