Manufacturing processes are subject to fluctuations within defined tolerances. The reduction of process fluctuations is usually associated with increasing effort and higher costs. However, specific coordination of process tolerances with the desired product properties is necessary to ensure the desired quality of the product reproducibly. The production of battery cells can only become established in Germany in the long term if it is possible to reduce production costs and at the same time to ensure high product quality. The consortium of the Sim2Pro project starts at this point by optimizing the manufacturing processes with regard to a targeted and appropriate definition of process tolerances.
A method is to be developed which makes it possible to investigate the effects of fluctuations in the individual processes along the entire process chain on subsequent processes and on the properties of (intermediate) products. This is to be achieved by means of theoretical models, which should enable an overall increase in product quality and reproducibility as well as a reduction in costs in the overall process. A combined simulation method is planned which allows the identification and analysis of the influence of the individual production processes in cell production on the structural parameters and thus on the properties of the battery cell. Two models are to be developed. A “production model”considers the influences of selected processes.
An “electrochemical battery cell model” considers the influence of the distribution of properties with regard to performance and the corresponding fluctuations. In addition, a “surrogate model” is inserted to ensure the conversion of structural parameters into battery model parameters. The models are then linked in a so-called “multi-level simulation”. The developed models are to be used to carry out prototype simulation runs on selected production scenarios. Overall, improved manufacturing strategies with regard to quality, reproducibility and costs are to be derived from these results.
