Cellerate is a global leader in developing and manufacturing advanced automated systems for battery research and technology scale-up. Specialising in engineering solutions that optimise the quality, performance, and longevity of energy storage technologies, fostering a more sustainable future. Their portfolio comprises of solutions for automated material handling, bespoke cell assembly, and industrial processing.
They collaborated with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and The University of Manchester to improve their processing techniques.
1. The challenge
Founded in 2020 by Dr. Richard Fields, Cellerate focuses on developing automated systems that accelerate the commercialisation of next-generation energy storage technologies and create a more sustainable future.
During his tenure at the National Graphene Institute, based at the University of Manchester, Fields identified the common challenges associated with manually building battery test cells, including increased human error in data collection.
Cellerate’s manufacturing and R&D facilities are based in Manchester and its biggest challenge is around supporting the scaling up of novel cell technologies for giga-scale production.
2. The solution
Cellerate in collaboration with The University of Manchester (UoM) and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) worked on the quality control standardisation of battery cell formation to support the scaling up of novel cell technologies for giga-scale production. The project focused on optimising laser systems and parameters to achieve high-quality electrode penetration cuts. The study investigated laser processing techniques for cutting and de-coating lithium-ion battery electrodes, as well as cutting the polypropylene separator. Research showed that wavelengths below 550 nm, particularly UV lasers at 355 nm, provided better material coupling for aluminium, copper, and graphite. Nanosecond and picosecond lasers were tested, with the latter offering reduced heat-affected zones (HAZ) and surface modifications. A Design of Experiments approach revealed that laser power was key for anode cutting, while cathode cutting was influenced by power, scan speed, and the number of passes. Picosecond lasers achieved superior precision with minimal delamination and HAZ.
De-coating trials confirmed the feasibility of UV lasers for both anode and cathode materials, though further optimisation is required to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact. In parallel, surface characterisation of Cellerate cells is being conducted through XCT scanning, assessing coin, pouch, and large cells. Additionally, NPL is performing battery cycling tests to compare hand-manufactured batteries with Cellerate systems, with samples sent to the University of Manchester for XCT analysis.
This research aims to enhance precision and efficiency in mass battery production, facilitating the transition to large-scale manufacturing.
3. The impact
This work has brought significant business benefits to Cellerate. The company has been able to validate evidence and knowledge about laser processing, giving customers the confidence to request new tooling from the firm.
This would not currently have been possible by Cellerate on their own due to the specific concerns about laser safety training. The company also did not have the tooling required to quantify cut quality, which was already part of the UoM laser facility.
The research allowed Cellerate to bring advanced processing techniques to their customers and scale-up the technology for low volume manufacturing. This processing technique is being used to develop lower cost and higher performance batteries, a key technology in green energy transition. It also allows organisations to reduce their wastage by using all of the available electrode area by optimising the cut shape packing on the coating. Laser processing also replaces traditional die tool cutting which wears down over time.