Optimized Microenvironments for Battery Cell Production: Space-Efficient Handling Systems and Economic Feasibility

The increasing demand for battery cells, driven by market volatility and rapid technological advancements, necessitates agile and energy-efficient production strategies. Traditional large-scale dry rooms, which are essential for moisture-sensitive battery manufacturing, pose significant challenges due to their high energy consumption and limited adaptability. As an alternative, microenvironments as small dry rooms designed as robot cells, offer a more flexible and efficient solution by creating localized, controlled atmospheres that minimize energy usage while maintaining strict environmental conditions. A key advantage of microenvironments is the elimination of human operators within these enclosed spaces, requiring fully automated handling processes. However, standard industrial robots, often employed for automation, demand substantial space, leading to an increase in the overall volume of the microenvironment and, consequently, higher operational costs. To address this limitation, the microenvironment is analysed systematically to identify the interfaces and functions of the microenvironment. Based on the functional description, a space-optimized handling system is developed that enables material manipulation while minimizing the required footprint. ... mehrThis study explores the design and implementation of such a system, using a dry coating process as a practical application example. Beyond the technical development, the economic viability of microenvironments and the proposed handling system is assessed. By evaluating energy savings, material efficiency, and operational flexibility, the study highlights the potential of microenvironments to enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of battery cell production. The findings suggest that integrating compact, automated handling solutions within microenvironments can significantly reduce costs and improve adaptability to fluctuating market conditions. The paper presents the potential of an optimized handling system inside microenvironments regarding the required space. Furthermore, a standardized functional description of microenvironments is given as a basis for the design of optimized microenvironments.