Cell Assembly Equipment for UKBIC Flexible Industrialisation Line (FIL)

UKBIC has a requirement to purchase a range of equipment for the assembly of both cylindrical and pouch cells to establish a Flexible Cell Assembly Line at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre.

The UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) is part of the UK Government's Faraday Battery Challenge. UKBIC is a national battery manufacturing development facility helping to scale-up battery manufacturing and facilitate upskilling in the battery sector. We are a publicly funded, open access facility, funded by the Faraday Battery Challenge at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

This PIN lists the general requirements for cylindrical and pouch cell manufacturing equipment, which is required for the manufacture of high quality, commercially relevant, high power or high energy, cylindrical and pouch cells in low volumes.

This requirement is split into three lots:

Lot 1 - Vacuum drying ovens

Lot 2 - Cylindrical cell assembly equipment

Lot 3 - Pouch cell assembly equipment

Suppliers will be able to bid for individual lots, however bids that offer combined solutions incorporating more than one aspect of this equipment are encouraged.

Bidders are also encouraged to put forward energy efficient solutions.

All equipment to provide UKCA conformity.

Additional information: Two independent vacuum ovens for the drying of electrodes. The ovens should have an internal volume of between 100l and 200l and a drying temperature range of 50 to 150ºC. The system should have the capability to program the vacuum drying sequence to operate on a schedule.

The drying ovens shall be supplied with vacuum pumps that are compatible with the moisture and trace levels of solvents that will be removed from the anode and cathode electrodes.

Suppliers should highlight any other special features available, such as the ability to purge with inert gas before/after drying. Cylindrical cell assembly equipment for the manufacture of 21700 and/or 46800 cells. The equipment should be capable of producing high quality commercially relevant cylindrical cells in low volume, such as 1-10 cells per hour.

It is anticipated that the assembly equipment will comprise multiple semi-automated stations that cover the entire cell manufacturing process from taking reels of anode and cathode electrode at the input and producing finished cells ready for FA&T (Formation Age & Test) as the output.

Ideally UKBIC wants the capability to produce both cylindrical cell types, however suppliers who can only offer a solution for one or other of the cell sizes are encouraged to do so.

Suppliers shall highlight what degree of flexibility there is to produce other cell sizes using this equipment, for example by reconfiguring the stations and the use of different sets of tooling. Pouch cell assembly equipment for the manufacture of pouch cells up to a size of 300mm long x 100mm wide x 4-12mm thick (counter sided taps). The equipment shall be capable of producing high quality commercially relevant pouch cells in low volume, such as 1-10 cells per hour.

It is anticipated that the assembly equipment shall comprise multiple semi-automated stations that cover the entire cell manufacturing process from taking reels of anode and cathode electrode at the input and producing finished cells ready for FA&T (Formation Age & Test) as the output.

Suppliers should highlight what degree of flexibility there is to produce other cell sizes using this equipment, for example by reconfiguring the stations and the use of different sets of tooling.