梅(mei)賽德斯(si)-奔(ben)馳(chi)的(de)(de)阿拉(la)巴(ba)馬(ma)州比布縣電(dian)池廠(chang)正在組裝鋰(li)離子電(dian)池,以供其附近的(de)(de)塔斯(si)卡盧薩整車裝配廠(chang)使(shi)用。在拍攝這張照(zhao)片三(san)年后的(de)(de)今天,電(dian)池產能(neng)(neng)擴(kuo)張依(yi)然是業界(jie)關注的(de)(de)焦點,北美汽車制造商和全球最大(da)的(de)(de)電(dian)池制造商仍(reng)在竭力擴(kuo)張其超(chao)級工(gong)廠(chang)的(de)(de)電(dian)池產能(neng)(neng)。(梅(mei)賽德斯(si)-奔(ben)馳(chi))
Voltaiq的(de)電池制造流程(cheng)圖(tu)顯示,通過(guo)適當的(de)數據(ju)收集(ji)和分析,可以更早地發現和解決某(mou)些問題(ti)。(Voltaiq)
Voltaiq的高管(guan)表(biao)示,及(ji)早發(fa)現電池制造問題的成本要(yao)低得多。(Voltaiq)
Voltaiq首席執行官表示,北美OEM和電池制造(zao)商的學習和技術迭代速度遠(yuan)不及中(zhong)國同行。
電(dian)(dian)池(chi)分(fen)析公司Voltaiq首席執行官Tal Sholklapper在底(di)特律舉行的一次媒(mei)體吹風會上(shang)警告稱,北美汽車(che)制造商和電(dian)(dian)動(dong)汽車(che)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)公司必須(xu)在五年內趕超(chao)中國(guo)同(tong)行的電(dian)(dian)池(chi)技術和制造水(shui)平,否則在可(ke)預見的未來,他們可(ke)能不得不從中國(guo)進口電(dian)(dian)池(chi)。
Sholklapper指出,“中美電池產業競(jing)爭已進(jin)入(ru)最終階段。如果北(bei)美電池、電動車以及相關應用(yong)行業想要贏得競(jing)爭,就必須(xu)改(gai)變(bian)現有的運作方式(shi)。”
他指(zhi)出,這意味(wei)著:
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電(dian)池制造(zao)商必(bi)須專(zhuan)注于提(ti)高電(dian)池生產質量、積極(ji)引進外部專(zhuan)家(如(ru)數據分析專(zhuan)家)、加快(kuai)學(xue)習(xi)和技(ji)術迭代速度(du),并盡快(kuai)實(shi)現(xian)規模(mo)化生產。雖然這些要(yao)求(qiu)看似理所(suo)當然,但許(xu)多電(dian)池制造(zao)商并未做到。他們(men)往(wang)往(wang)不了解工廠出(chu)品的電(dian)池質量,直到車輛(liang)上路后才發現(xian)問題(ti),這導致了多起代價高昂的產品召回事件和安全事故。
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Sholklapper指出,OEM必(bi)須承認自己制造(zao)電池(chi)存在問題,而且也不能(neng)簡(jian)單(dan)地讓電氣工程師(shi)負責電池(chi)制造(zao)。Sholklapper常把(ba)電池(chi)比作“會呼吸的生(sheng)命體,因(yin)為電池(chi)在充放電過(guo)程中會發生(sheng)膨(peng)脹(zhang)和收縮。”
Voltaiq提倡在電池制造過程(cheng)中持續監控(kong)數據(ju),以便及時(shi)發現并(bing)解決問題,從而避免延(yan)誤(wu)或經濟損失。Sholklapper指(zhi)出,目前(qian)一些電池工廠仍然在每個制造環節使用U盤采集數據(ju),然后再進行集中分(fen)析(xi)。這種(zhong)數據(ju)采集方式并(bing)不實(shi)時(shi),Voltaiq的部分(fen)業務就是幫(bang)助客戶采集實(shi)時(shi)數據(ju)。
Voltaiq首席技(ji)術(shu)官Eli Leland指出,OEM在擴大超(chao)級工(gong)廠的(de)電(dian)池(chi)產能時(shi)面臨(lin)的(de)一大問題(ti)在于(yu)使用了錯誤的(de)專家(jia)。Leland指出,“特斯拉會請底特律(lv)動力(li)總成工(gong)程師(shi)來(lai)設計電(dian)池(chi)包嗎?顯(xian)然不會。”他強調,電(dian)池(chi)在本質上是電(dian)化學設備,其化學特性才(cai)是最難(nan)掌握的(de)。
在(zai)此次媒體(ti)吹風會上(shang),Voltaiq還(huan)宣(xuan)布與(yu)加拿大電(dian)池材料和(he)(he)測(ce)試(shi)公司Novonix建立(li)合作伙伴關系(xi)。根據(ju)合作協議,Voltaiq將(jiang)為(wei)Novonix提供數據(ju)分析(xi)和(he)(he)電(dian)池正(zheng)負極材料業務支持,以助力其實現產品商業化。此外,兩(liang)家公司將(jiang)共(gong)同為(wei)使(shi)用(yong)Novonix超(chao)高精度庫侖計設備(用(yong)于(yu)測(ce)試(shi)鋰離(li)子電(dian)池性能的設備)和(he)(he)研發服務的客(ke)戶提供技(ji)術支持。
Novonix總裁Lori McLeod表示,公司已(yi)經(jing)認識到外部專(zhuan)家(jia)的重要性。她指出,“大(da)約一(yi)年半之前(qian),我(wo)(wo)們(men)曾投(tou)入大(da)量(liang)資金,嘗試自(zi)(zi)主開發(fa)軟件。但在一(yi)年半后,我(wo)(wo)們(men)不得(de)不捫心(xin)自(zi)(zi)問:僅靠自(zi)(zi)己(ji),行得(de)通嗎?”
Voltaiq CEO says OEMs and battery makers just aren't learning and iterating as fast as China's industry has.
North American automakers and EV battery firms have five years to erase China’s dominance in technology and manufacturing or they may face the reality of buying batteries from China for the foreseeable future. That was the message from battery-analysis company Voltaiq CEO Tal Sholklapper at a media briefing in Detroit.
“We’re in the final innings now,” Sholklapper said. “If the industry around batteries and electric vehicles and all the follow-on applications wants to make it, we're going to have to change the way we play.”
That means, he said:
- Battery manufacturers need to narrow their focus on making high-quality cells, bringing in outside experts on things like analytics. They must learn and iterate faster and get to scale as fast as possible. This might seem intuitive, but many of the expensive recalls and dangers in the industry have been the result of not knowing enough about the quality of a factory’s output until the batteries are already in a vehicle on the road.
- OEMs, Sholklapper said, must admit that making batteries in-house is problematic, and that electrical engineers can’t just switch to making batteries. Sholklapper often refers to batteries as living, breathing beings, since they expand and contract under charge and draw conditions.
Voltaiq advocates constantly monitoring data during the manufacturing process so problems can be addressed quickly before they result in delays or monetary losses. Sholklapper said that some of today’s battery factories even gather data by plugging thumb drives into machines at each step in manufacturing before collecting it in one place for analysis. Part of Voltaiq’s work is helping clients gather that data in real-time.
Eli Leland, Voltaiq’s CTO, said part of the problem OEMs have trying to scale directly to batteries in huge gigafactories is having the wrong experts on hand. “Did Tesla hire a bunch of powertrain engineers from Detroit to come and design their battery packs? We know the answer, right?” He underscored that batteries are electrochemical in nature, and it’s the chemistry part that is most difficult to master.
And unlike the consumer electronics industry, which was able to perfect batteries in low volume, high value products before scaling, those products are rare in the automotive world, Leland said, pointing to examples like the Mercedes G-class EV.
Sholklapper also underscored the importance of OEMs and battery companies taking a collaborative approach to development. “You need to focus on your core strength. And whether it's the vehicle integration, whether it's making cells… One thing that you need to do to be successful is focus on that and then bring in best-in-class providers to help you with the rest.” He also said that as long as China’s subsidized industry can produce batteries for around $50 per kilowatt-hour, it would keep pressure on North American industry.
The briefing also served as an introduction to Voltaiq’s new partnership with Novonix, a Canadian battery materials and testing company. The agreement calls for Voltaiq to handle Novonix’s analytics and support the company’s anode and cathode materials business as it nears product commercialization. Together, the companies will support customers of Novonix’s ultra-high precision coulometry equipment (that tests lithium-ion battery performance) and R&D services.
Lori Mcleod, president of Novonix, said the company had experience in learning the value of outside experts. “About a year and a half ago, we went down this path of trying to do our own thing. We're going to become software makers,” she said. “And after a year and a half of investment, it was hard to ask ourselves the question, should we be doing this anymore?”
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