What are the benefits of simulation-driven design and optimization of stacking processes in battery cell production? This question is addressed within the scope of the paper. This work proposes a method to reduce the effort for model-based design and optimization. Based on three case studies which originate from the development of high-speed stacking processes, this paper illustrates how the relevant loads on the intermediate products are determined with the help of the method. Subsequently, it is shown how the specific material models for battery electrodes and separators are identified, created and validated, as well as how process models are created and process limits are identified and optimized. It was possible to prove how process simulations can be used to minimize the effort required to validate developments and to efficiently determine optimized process parameters for a format and material change in a model-based manner. Consequently, more and more model-based processes should be taken into account during development and start-up in the future.

To provide storage capacities for the emerging markets of electromobility and stationary applications, the increase of productivity within the production of lithium‐ion batteries is crucial. A special focus lies on the assembly of the electrode–separator–compound as a bottleneck process within battery cell production. Consequently, novel process technologies arise for high‐throughput assembly technologies. However, complex process–product interactions drive complexity within the design of new processes. Process models, experiments, and simulations support the process design but must depict nonlinear material behavior. This increases the expanse in time and resources for the process design. Herein, an approach to reduce the effort of process design using the example of the assembly of the electrode–separator–compound is shown. The approach aims to identify and select solutions within the process design. Analytical, simulative, and experimental methods and tools are applied within the approach to investigate the design solutions at different levels of detail. The practical application of the approach is demonstrated in two case studies within the assembly of the electrode–separator–compound. The results of the case studies show a profound choice of the process design and a gain in knowledge on process–product–interactions of the novel processes.

Due to the increasing demand for lithium-ion battery cells, the cell production processes face substantial challenges to increase productivity. Among these production processes, the assembly of electrode-separator-compounds is very relevant regarding the value added towards the process chain. However, it also represents a productivity bottleneck due to the time-consuming nature of conventional stacking processes. A novel assembly process with a rotational handling unit and continuous material flow has a significant potential to decrease the influence of this bottleneck process and to enhance the overall productivity of the process chain. However, the alignment of the electrodes within the compound is challenging. This work systematically identifies alignment principles for high-speed assembly processes in general, and for the novel assembly process in particular. By transferring the selected principles to the rotational process, suitable alignment mechanisms are developed for the assembly system. Due to their modular design, the mechanisms can be adapted to the positioning requirements of the relevant process phase and the electrode type. Consequently, the positioning mechanisms are suitable for both pre-/coarse-positioning and fine positioning and can be applied for anode, cathode, as well as laminated intermediate products. An experimental validation describes the effectiveness of the developed mechanisms for the alignment within the electrode-separator-compound for different types of electrodes. Overall, the introduction of alignment mechanisms in the assembly system leads to enhanced deposition accuracy and contributes to establishing the novel stacking process in an industrial context.