Global technology and services company Bosch has been pursuing a sustainable, safe, and exciting vision of mobility. The company has been offering a portfolio of solutions ranging from 48-volt mild hybridisation to fully electric vehicles and fuel cells as part of this intent. In addition, the company has garnered expertise in developing batteries for vehicles and e-bikes, power tools, and kitchen appliances and has extensive manufacturing operations.
With the demand for lithium-ion batteries expected to increase from about 200 GWh in 2019 to over 2,000 GWh by 2030 (source: BMWi, 2021), Bosch intends to use this know-how to meet the growing demand. More than 60 percent of that demand currently stems from electromobility (source: VDMA, 2020).
Rolf Najork, Member of the Board of Management responsible for industrial technology, Bosch, said the company assumes that the global battery market will grow up to 25% each year, and it is doing its part to meet this demand.
The company pools in its mechanical engineering expertise and offers its customers several battery production equipment, including individual components, software solutions, and complete assembly lines to support these requirements.
Interestingly, one of its pilot customers - Webasto, is equipping its battery factories with these technologies.
'We know batteries like the back of our hand, as well as how they have to be manufactured,' says Najork.
In entering this business, the company intends to increase vertical integration in mechanical engineering. By 2025 it hopes to generate annual sales of about € 250 million with equipment for battery production.
Production know-how
Besides, the company also uses its production know-how in the plants. For instance, the company is now launching full-scale second-generation 48-volt batteries in Eisenach, Germany. In addition, the company is investing € 70 million this year in expanding local manufacturing operations.
Webasto battery production
Sunroof major Webasto is also a pioneer in the production of battery packs. The company has been involved in electromobility since 2016. In addition to high-voltage heaters and recharging solutions, it focuses on battery systems for electric vehicles. The battery production at Webasto's plant in Schierling, Germany, serves as a blueprint for new production facilities like Dangjin, Korea. Here, Bosch's role is to supply automated assembly lines for welding and glue the battery cells. Towards this, the various functions of module production are combined. It includes cell cleaning with incoming inspection, the stacking process, and a special laser-welding process. The end-of-line inspection ensures the quality of the product. Thanks to a sophisticated line concept, there is no particle contamination during processing.
In a two-step procedure consisting of dispensing technology and laser welding, robots automatically assemble the cell stacks. Then, a comprehensive safety concept makes it possible to establish the battery module's electrical connection using a highly dynamic and precise laser-welding process.
Demonstrates impressive battery know-how
Bosch believes that its industrial technology is the way forward for its plants. For example, the company's Eisenach plant produces 48-volt batteries for hybrid vehicles. Such batteries ensure lower emissions for ICE vehicles, especially in cities, and reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 15%. The second generation is now going into large-scale production at Eisenach. During production, over 90 components pass through over 100 process steps, say the company.
Full range of services
The company that generated sales of € 71.5 billion in 2020 serves as a general contractor for factory construction and supports individual components and software solutions. 'As a leading IoT company and successful machine manufacturer, we offer the opportunity to customise the factory of the future,' Najork says.
The company develops equipment, machinery, hardware, and software for manufacturing battery modules and packs built from cylindrical, prismatic, or pouch cells and used in electric vehicles. Tightening, welding, and glueing processes are used to connect the cells firmly. Depending on requirements, the company will supply either partially or fully automated lines. Besides, the company's portfolio includes drive and control technologies, intelligently designed manual workstations, manufacturing execution systems (MES) for production scheduling, and software for connecting machines and systems.