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With the widespread adoption of new energy technologies, the lithium battery industry has entered the TWh era, placing higher demands on efficiency, precision, and stability for lithium battery equipment, a critical component in the lithium battery supply chain.
The production process of lithium-ion batteries is intricate, involving over 30 steps to bring a single battery into existence. Among these processes, the lithium-ion battery stacking machine, as a midstream equipment component, plays a vital role in enhancing the energy density, endurance, and safety performance of the batteries. Data shows that winding/stacking machines account for nearly 70% of the value in midstream manufacturing processes, prompting major lithium battery equipment manufacturers to accelerate their investments in the stacking machine sector.
Addressing pain points: Starting with stacking machines
According to cell fabrication techniques, stacking machines can be categorized into Z-type stacking, thermal composite stacking, and simultaneous multi-sheet stacking. Among these, Z-type stacking is a highly mature battery manufacturing process characterized by moderate equipment procurement costs, making it an accessible choice for startups and enjoying widespread application.
As a 100% self-owned intellectual property supplier of LIB key production, KATOP's stacking business originated with Z-type stacking machines. Our first stacking machine achieved a single-station stacking efficiency of 0.7s/pcs and a stacking precision of ≤±0.5mm. Upon market launch, this product garnered widespread acclaim from customers due to its exceptional performance, with over 150 units delivered, firmly establishing a strong technological foundation and market reputation for KATOP's midstream equipment offerings.
Leading the pace: Strengthening investments in integrated cutting & stacking machines
As the lithium-ion battery market continues to expand, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) increasingly demand superior battery performance. Integrated cutting & stacking machines break through the bottlenecks of cell yield and stacking efficiency, ushering in a new generation of high-performance batteries. Drawing upon profound market insights and technological accumulations, KATOP has developed a comprehensive product portfolio centered around these machines.
For instance, Consumer Electronics (CE) Cell Cutting & Stacking Machines and Electric Vehicle (EV) Cell Cutting & Stacking Machines are KATOP's star products tailored respectively for the production needs of lithium-ion battery cells in smartphones, tablets, and other consumer electronics, as well as those for electric vehicles.
In accordance with different stacking processes, KATOP also covers two series: Z- stack integrated cutting & stacking machines and lamination & folding machines.
Z-stack Integrated Cutting & Stacking Machine: Crafting "Core" Perfection
The Z-stack integrated cutting & stacking machine consists of positive electrode die-cutting, negative electrode die-cutting, stacking stations, and discharge stations. With a single-station stacking efficiency of 0.45s/pcs and a single-machine stacking efficiency of 0.1125s/pcs, when the cell stacking layers reach 143, the machine's capacity can reach 3.41PPM. Each stacking station is equipped with online detection and automatic correction functions, enabling real-time correction of electrode misalignment, defect detection, and automatic rejection of faulty electrodes, significantly reducing the defect rate and lowering production costs.
As one of KATOP's earlier models, the Z-stack integrated cutting & stacking machine includes three generations: the pendulum, translation, and rotation types. The four-station translation type integrated cutting & stacking machine is among KATOP's most representative products.
Integrated Thermal Lamination & Folding Machine: Breaking the 0.1s/pcs Barrier
The integrated thermal lamination & folding machine integrates positive electrode cutting, negative electrode cutting, thermal lamination, stacking, hot pressing, and encapsulation, effectively mitigating or eliminating issues such as core wrinkling, gaps, bending-induced powder loss, decreased separator performance, and stacking misalignments encountered in traditional core manufacturing processes. This enhances the quality and performance of lithium-ion batteries, providing an ideal option for the production of high-energy-density large cells.
KATOP's first-generation integrated thermal lamination & folding machine (continuous separator type) boasts a stacking efficiency of up to 0.125s/pcs and a stacking precision of <±0.5mm, addressing the industry pain points of low traditional stacking efficiency and internal cell/separator tail-end wrinkling. This machine was recognized as a First Set of Major Equipment in Jiangsu Province in 2023 for its outstanding performance.
Through continuous innovation and iteration, the second-generation integrated thermal lamination & folding machine (separator cut-off type) has elevated stacking efficiency and stacked cell yield to new heights. It can achieve a single-station stacking efficiency of up to 0.1s/pcs, with a stacking precision of ≤±0.3mm and a yield rate of 99.8%. To date, KATOP holds over 40 patents in the field of thermal composite stacking, harnessing technological innovation to unleash "lithium" potential.
Facilitating the Global Export of Chinese Lithium Battery Equipment
Chinese lithium battery equipment manufacturing technology has long reached world-class levels. Leading lithium battery equipment manufacturers like KATOP, having firmly secured their domestic market positions, have concurrently chosen to venture overseas, exploring international markets. As one of the early pioneers in going global, KATOP now serves clients in more than twenty countries and regions worldwide. Domestically, they count giants like CATL and BYD among their lithium battery manufacturing clientele, while internationally, they have secured orders from multiple industry-leading manufacturers. KATOP is, in its own way, propelling the Chinese lithium battery equipment industry onto the global stage.
