Laserline at the Battery Show Europe 2024 Energy-efficient laser applications for the e-mobility and battery industry

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This year, Laserline is focusing on high-efficiency diode lasers for economic and eco-friendly battery drying. Also, the blue diode laser for effective processing of copper components is in focus.

Laserline is at the Battery Show Europe 2024 from June 18 to 20 in Stuttgart. There, the diode laser specialist presents energy-efficient laser applications for industrial material processing in the field of electric mobility and battery manufacturing. Highlights of the trade fair appearance include the LDF-30.000-DR and LDF-15.000-DR diode lasers - two high-efficiency laser systems that are intended to support a diode laser-based drying process for the efficient, economical and environmentally friendly production of lithium-ion batteries.

The process enables the production of anodes and cathodes in a roll-to-roll process for the first time. This offers an alternative to the dominant convective drying in power or gas operated continuous ovens. Compared to a conventional Giga-Fab drying line, it ensures operating cost savings of 28 percent, as well as halving the required production area. Therefore, it represents an important milestone on the way to a CO₂-neutral and competitive battery cell production.

The two models of the Laserline-LDF series are predestined for surface applications with their precise, homogeneous top-hat beam profile with a width of up to 1.4 meters. In addition, they are supposed to offer output powers of 15 or 30 kilowatts respectively. The lower power class can also be upgraded directly in the field to 30 kilowatts after successful process establishment. According to the manufacturer, the high-efficiency lasers contribute to the reduction of process-specific CO₂ emissions. With an electrical efficiency of over 50 percent, they consume less energy than traditional industrial lasers, according to the company. As a result, they are said to not only reduce operating costs, but also contribute more than any other laser tool to climate and environmental protection.

Blue diode lasers

In addition, Laserline will reportedly inform visitors at the trade fair booth about its solution portfolio in the field of high-performance blue diode lasers. One of the main applications is said to be the welding of copper components, for example in electric drive technology or power electronics. Its wavelength of 445 nanometers is claimed to be absorbed ten times better by copper and copper alloys than infrared radiation, ensuring exceptionally smooth melt pools without pore formation.

An application that is presented for the first time is the removal of insulation layers on copper conductors with blue lasers. This uses the absorption characteristic of short wavelengths in carbon compounds. The highlight of the product range is said to be the world's first commercially available blue diode lasers with 4 kilowatts of CW output power. These open up new areas of application, such as deep welding of inverter assemblies. At the trade fair stand, the most compact variant of high-power blue diode lasers is presented. The LDM-blue lasers are available with CW output powers up to 2 kilowatts and, according to the manufacturer, can be easily integrated into machine and system concepts due to their space-saving 19-inch format (7 rack units).

Laser welding, with its reduced, adaptable heat input, is also well suited for industrial material processing tasks as pure laser beam welding. They are also suitable for use with welding filler materials, such as those intended for battery box production. In addition, the diode laser-based process supports numerous beam shaping possibilities. With their help, power input can be individually adapted to the respective component. As a result, there are fewer hot cracking formations, according to Laserline.

At the exhibition stand, an addition of welding filler material will be presented as cold or hot wire. This offers further advantages such as the optimization of welding speed and mechanical-technological properties. Laserline will demonstrate the advantages of the interaction between laser technology and welding filler material delivery - such as reduced rework - using battery box profiles.