Straight to efficiency

Greater efficiency, greater process stability—these are two key requirements shaping the complex workflow of battery cell manufacturing. Nord Drivesystems supports the industry with tailored drive solutions that enable manufacturers to keep their total cost of ownership under control. These solutions include, among other things, components that are both energy-efficient and low-contamination.

According to the International Energy Agency, energy storage capacity must increase sixfold to 1,500 GW between 2023 and 2030 to meet the climate goals set at the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference. Batteries are expected to account for 1,200 GW of this total. For battery cell production, this necessitates ramping up output volumes without compromising quality or cost-efficiency—no easy task given the multitude of process steps, some of which are highly sensitive and energy-intensive. One key lever is the use of drive solutions that ensure stable and cost-effective manufacturing processes. Nord supports OEMs and plant operators across the entire process chain with comprehensive, single-source solutions.

High output with consistent quality

One example is drive solutions for calendering, a process that significantly influences electrode quality. During this step, the active material is rolled using a roll-to-roll process to impart the necessary electrochemical properties. Nord components ensure consistently high rolling forces, which are crucial for product quality. The block bevel gear motor delivers torque of up to 50,000 Nm and offers a wide gear ratio range. The Nordac Flex decentralized frequency inverter ensures that this power is transmitted safely and evenly to the rollers. It is characterized by high compatibility and scalable functionality, allowing it to be flexibly adapted to various applications. To protect sensitive materials—particularly in lithium battery cell manufacturing—against contamination, Nord offers an optional, specially developed coating for its components. This coating is completely free of copper, zinc, and various other non-ferrous metals. Furthermore, all galvanized parts—such as screws, washers, or oil caps—can be replaced with corrosion-resistant V4A stainless steel. The result is drive systems that significantly reduce the risk of ionization occurring between the cathode and anode materials and the drive units.

Efficiency for energy-intensive process steps

Users benefit from Nord’s efficient solutions, especially during cost-intensive process steps like electrode drying. One example is the highly efficient IE5+ synchronous motor, which holds global certifications. Its efficiency exceeds the benchmarks of the highest defined energy efficiency class and remains consistent across the entire speed range. This not only boosts the overall efficiency of a conveyor system but also enables variant reduction, thereby contributing significantly to lowering the Total Cost of Ownership.

Ensuring high availability

From the mixing of raw materials to the formation of finished batteries, Nord’s durable drive solutions ensure the reliability of production systems, even under demanding conditions such as wide temperature fluctuations or high axial and radial loads. The Nord Drive Monitor IIoT solution handles condition monitoring by tracking all relevant operational data. Finally, the industry benefits from the solution provider’s proven strengths: leveraging a modular product portfolio and process expertise spanning over 100 industries, Nord develops scalable drive concepts tailored to specific needs—backed by a global network across 80 countries that guarantees short delivery times and rapid service availability.