Purposes and Objectives

Purposes and objectives of the "FoFeBat" project

The concept of the Research Fab Battery Cells Project
The concept of the Research Fab Battery Cells Project combines laboratory research with observations from the operation of experimental production lines.

The Fraunhofer FFB, which is set up with the "FoFeBat" project, is being designed to provide industrial manufacturers with a central research infrastructure and ultimately to help them produce battery cells with high levels of economic efficiency and ecological sustainability. It intends to accelerate the innovation and commercialization processes of production technologies for existing and future, yet-to-be-developed cell formats. The research effort will focus on the acquisition of experiences with large-scale industrial production processes, on the build-up and development of skills required to manage these processes and on the elimination of existing gaps in our knowledge and understanding.

 

The concept

Feedback from industrial manufacturers and information about their needs and requirements will be integrated into continuous updates of the research concept and the research agenda. This commitment is a key ingredient of the long-term success of this ambitious project. The "FoFeBat" project has been primarily designed to explore tomorrow’s production technologies, aiming to support domestic manufacturers as well as international partners in their efforts to develop future-oriented manufacturing techniques. A modular structure and a maximum degree of flexibility will be required if we want to ensure that new insights and ground-breaking research results will be quickly integrated into industrial practice.

This is why the concept is based on a combination of laboratory research and observations from the operation of experimental production lines. All or some of the battery cell production processes as well as the individual elements of the entire value chain can be tested and subsequently optimized, whether they involve the selection of materials, production technologies, the levels of energy efficiency and resource efficiency, quality standards, rates of throughput or costs. The range of products and services delivered by the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell Production FFB will cover the following areas:

  • Technology
  • Equipment
  • Process design
  • Application
  • Consultancy

The Fraunhofer FFB will also offer digital products and contract research studies, providing a central pillar for a permanent and sustainable transfer of ground-breaking research results into industrial environments.

The results of research clusters from Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 5 to 6 will be applied to experimental but large-scale battery cell manufacturing lines on TRL > 6 with a view to preparing their application in industrial environments.