Sealing
To move the electrode stack into the packaging, first a pouch foil is deep-drawn according to the cell dimensions. The electrode stack is moved into the preformed pouch foil. Finally, the pouch foil is sealed gas-tight on three sides. Partial sealing is necessary in order to be able to fill the cell with electrolyte.
Detecting the limit level of the stack height
Ensuring prompt refilling of the aluminium foil
A measurement of the height of the aluminium foil stack is important to prevent small stops in the production process. The measurement in real time makes it possible to fill the stack promptly and leads to improved system availability as well as saving time and money.
Ensuring system availability
Enhancing performance
Solution
Ultrasonic sensors from ifm provide contact-free detection regardless of the colour, transparency or surface qualities of the object. That makes them ideally suited for foils that may be reflective.
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Pressure monitoring during deep drawing
Monitoring the forming process of aluminium foil
The aluminium film is formed to the requested end product by means of vacuum and compressed air.
Enhancing performance
Quality assurance
Solution
Series PN pressure sensors reliably detect the required pressure. If the pressure sensors need to be replaced, the set parameters can be copied to the new sensor via IO-Link. This saves time and prevents possible setting faults.
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Measuring a pneumatic cylinder
Reliably detecting the piston position in pneumatic cylinders
Many different pneumatic cylinders are used to perform precise recurring linear movements. To detect end piston positions in pneumatic cylinders reliably and precisely, cylinder sensors are used.
Enhancing performance
Solution
Cylinder sensors from ifm reliably detect the piston position. They can be fixed to almost any T-slot, C-slot, clean-line, tie rod, integrated profile or trapezoidal slot cylinder. The self-adhesive fixing mechanism enables fast assembly and easy adjustment. That saves time when exchanging devices and increases system availability.
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Protection of hazardous areas
Reliably safeguarding the hazardous area
A large number of machines in production represents a potential danger for persons who are working in the area. With safety light curtains from ifm, you can reliably protect your employees and your production material. An invisible protection field is generated by means of infrared beams. If an infrared light beam is interrupted, a shutdown command is immediately and reliably triggered.
Ensuring system availability
Enhancing performance
Solutions
OY series safety light curtains are used to safeguard hazardous areas and protect personnel. Depending on the protected area height and number of beams, the units can be adjusted to protect hands or an entire person. Thanks to their slim design, they are suited for applications with limited mounting space.
Safety light curtains are optoelectronic safety devices consisting of one transmitter and one receiver. They conform to the safety requirements of type 4 / SIL 3.
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Energy monitoring
Monitoring compressed air consumption reduces energy costs
Compressed air is indispensable in today's producing industries. It is also one of the most expensive forms of energy. Efficiently measuring compressed air can lower energy consumption and costs significantly.
Enhancing performance
Solution
The SD's precise volumetric flow monitoring allows for leakage detection and energy cost savings. In addition, the unit's high repeatability enables exact allocation of the costs of compressed air to the respective production line as well as optimised product cost calculation.
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Monitoring suction pressure
Ensuring reliable gripping
The negative pressure on the suction nozzles makes it possible to fix the cell in place so that it can be inserted into the deep-drawn aluminium housing. Monitoring and control of a constant suction pressure is necessary for precise positioning of the electrode sheet.
Enhancing performance
Solution
Series PN vacuum sensors reliably detect the required negative pressure. If the minimum values are not reached, the suction gripper remains in its initial position to prevent damage to the workpieces and systems. If the pressure sensors need to be replaced, the set parameters can be copied to the new sensor via IO-Link. This saves time and prevents possible setting faults.
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Robot gripper navigation
Ensuring reliable gripper navigation
Navigation of the gripper is necessary to remove the cells from the goods carrier and to position them in the aluminium housing. Automated gripper systems increase the productivity of many applications, as they carry out monotonous manufacturing steps more quickly and evenly than a human. Monotonous movements with heavy objects are bad for workers’ health and lead to frequent absences. If the robot takes over these activities, the availability of the system increases.
Ensuring system availability
Enhancing performance
Solution
ifm's 3D sensor detects the object position and transmits it to the robot control, which controls the gripper. Automatic adjustment of the coordinate systems of the handling robot and the 3D sensor can save time and money during installation.
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Object and position detection of cells
Ensuring error-free insertion of the aluminium foil
Precise and reliable detection of the aluminium foil is necessary to insert the cells into the deep-drawn aluminium foil.
Enhancing performance
Solution
The compact OJ laser sensors are designed to provide reliable position detection in feeding, assembly and handling applications with limited space. If distance measurements are required, O1D and OGD sensors are also suitable.
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Completeness check of goods carriers
Ensuring resupply for problem-free production
Coordination of automated work steps and intralogistics processes plays an important role in flexible production processes. To ensure prompt resupply of cells, the filling quantity of the goods carrier system must be queried. This leads to greater system availability and also saves time and money.
Ensuring system availability
Enhancing performance
Solution
ifm's 3D sensor has a wide variety of uses. A typical application is detecting underfilling. The 3D sensor compares the image with the programmed model and indicates deviation by means of a switching output. It can be integrated into automation systems via digital I/Os or Ethernet interface and ensures necessary communication.
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Monitoring the sealing pressure
Ensuring consistent quality in sealing
The aluminium film is sealed to the requested end product by means of vacuum and compressed air. A precise pressure measurement for constant sealing pressure is indispensable for ensuring consistent quality of the sealing seams.
Enhancing performance
Quality assurance
Solution
Series PN pressure sensors reliably detect the required pressure. If the pressure sensors need to be replaced, the set parameters can be copied to the new sensor via IO-Link. This saves time and prevents possible setting faults.
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Monitoring the sealing temperature
Monitoring the sealing temperature for continuous quality
In addition to the pressure, sealing of the aluminium foil requires a defined temperature for the desired end product. An exact temperature measurement ensures consistent quality of the sealing seams.
Enhancing performance
Quality assurance
Solution
Conventional temperature sensors can drift over the course of time, which leads to quality problems. ifm temperature sensors use PT1000 sensor elements for exact and consistent temperature measurements in aggressive environments.
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Measuring a pneumatic cylinder
Reliably detecting the piston position in pneumatic cylinders
Many different pneumatic cylinders are used to perform precise recurring linear movements. To detect end piston positions in pneumatic cylinders reliably and precisely, cylinder sensors are used.
Enhancing performance
Quality assurance
Solution
Cylinder sensors from ifm reliably detect the piston position. They can be fixed to almost any T-slot, C-slot, clean-line, tie rod, integrated profile or trapezoidal slot cylinder. The self-adhesive fixing mechanism enables fast assembly and easy adjustment. That saves time when exchanging devices and increases system availability.
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Collision avoidance
Preventing collisions while transporting goods
The purpose of collision protection of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) is to protect people and also to protect machines and the robot itself. Correctly avoiding obstacles prevents injuries to persons and reduces machine downtimes while increasing the overall efficiency of operation.
Ensuring system availability
Enhancing performance
Solution
With the O3R robotics platform, ifm offers a multi-camera and sensor system for complex applications. It was developed to manage the degree of automation of the fifth level, complete automation without any interaction of a driver. The O3R robotics platform is specifically designed and dimensioned for application scenarios where several cameras and sensors are used simultaneously in a combined way. The system thus significantly reduces the individual development work for these usually complex applications.
