Rising Demand for the Battery Manufacturing and Storage Market
The increased awareness around environmental concerns, and the need for sustainable transportation options over the last few years, have led to significant growth and transformation of the electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing and storage market. This is further boosted by a series of incentives such as the Inflation Reduction Act in the USA, where tax credits for advanced energy technologies are leading to the building of more battery gigafactories.
Major car manufacturers are investing heavily in increasing their EV offerings also thanks to advances in battery technology. However, the industry faces some challenges, including:
Supply chain of raw materials – The production of EV batteries relies on the use of raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, and magnesium. The increasing need for such materials can lead to supply shortages and price volatility. There is also a considerable environmental impact since the mining of large volumes of minerals requires excessive amount of energy and water.
Cost of manufacturing – To make EVs more accessible and competitive against combustion engines, the cost of battery manufacturing needs to be reduced. Factors that may lower the costs are material selection and improvements in pack and cell design. A more efficient and sustainable manufacturing process (with reduced rejects, downtime, energy consumption, and material waste) can also contribute to bringing the costs down.
End-of-life management – Once batteries are no longer able to meet the demands of an EV they need to be disposed of, reused, or recycled. These approaches are neither simple nor straightforward and pose some challenges since they involve removal from vehicles, collection, transportation, and handling by trained personnel.
Safety – Protecting both the product and the personnel involved in its production is crucial. It is essential to have safety measures in place to mitigate risks and ensure a safe production environment and a reliable product. Batteries undergo a series of rigorous testing, such as fire resistance, thermal shock, electrical safety, etc. Common safety hazards include electric shock, arc flash burns, explosions, and chemical exposure.
Fortress Safety and the Battery Manufacturing Industry
Fortress offers a variety of safety solutions suitable for the battery manufacturing industry, encompassing multiple applications and machines, such as electrolyte filling, coating and drying, or cell assembly to name a few. We also have a wide range of solutions for the automation systems used for the transportation, picking, and storage of batteries and their components.
Our robust solutions are built to last for decades, even in the most challenging environments, contributing to minimising downtime. With manufacturing facilities in three continents and a large network of employees and trusted partners, Fortress has a global reach and can offer support all around the world. With increasing production levels to meet the growing demand for EVs, Fortress products can help address the need for scalability without compromising on quality or safety.
Metals such as zinc, copper, and nickel can affect the charge transfer, causing defects and influencing the battery performance, and therefore need to be avoided in some parts of the manufacturing process to prevent contamination. Fortress has quickly become a partner of choice for the market thanks to the ability to offer a range of products that are free from non-ferrous metals. Examples include stainless-steel interlocks (also compatible with corrosive environments), as well as a range of interlocks rated for explosive environments.
In circumstances where operators need to access safeguarded spaces to inspect and maintain machines, it is important to prevent anyone from getting trapped. In some cases, drilling through guards to install an escape release may not feasible due to the presence of volatile solvents and the risk of releasing potentially harmful gases. Fortress offers solutions that incorporate personnel keys to prevent personnel from being trapped, as well as enforcing a predetermined sequence of events. In addition, we offer products suitable for various stages of the battery manufacturing process, including a range of configurable and network-enabled interlocks.
Get in Touch
As the battery industry grows, at Fortress Safety we are confident we can find the right product for your application. For more advice on how Fortress can support you in battery manufacturing and other industries, do not hesitate to contact our experts.
