‘Gen 5’battery target
PNT supplied assembly process equipment for new batteries to Samsung SDI’s Goed plant in Hungary. It is planned to be used in the production of’Gen 5’batteries that have increased energy density by more than 20% than before.
Until now, PNT has been focusing on equipment for electrode processing that makes anodes and cathodes. The assembly process equipment business has a relatively short history. As Samsung SDI succeeded in securing a large customer company, a blue light was lit in the activity of receiving orders for assembly process equipment.
According to the industry on the 3rd, PNT has successfully won an order for assembly process equipment for the production of Gen5 batteries, which Samsung SDI is preparing for mass production. It is a notching device to open the tabs located at the ends of the positive and negative plates. If you use a blade-shaped mold, it is a press method. With a scale of about 10 units, some of the equipment has been installed in local factories since December of last year.
The specific order amount was not delivered. However, it is estimated to be around tens of billion won in that the price per unit of the corresponding notching equipment is around 2 billion won. This is the first time it is known that PNT has supplied notching equipment to Samsung SDI’s Hungary plant.
PNT is a company specializing in coater equipment for electrode processing. The assembly process is focusing on notching equipment. The stacking equipment, located after the notching equipment, is also in mind. Stacking refers to the work of stacking cathode materials, anode materials, electrolytes, separators, etc. like steps. In the case of Samsung SDI’s Gen5 battery, Fill Energy supplies the stacking equipment alone.
Samsung SDI will use press notching to produce Gen5 batteries for the time being. This is because the Zen5 battery uses a new method such as stacking in which the battery material is stacked instead of a jelly roll in which the cathode material, separator, and anode material are rolled. A laser notching technology suitable for the stacking method is being developed. PNT is also in the state of entering into research and development (R&D) of laser notching equipment.
An industry insider said, “Samsung SDI has used the laser notching equipment made by Fill Energy, but the Gen5 battery is using the traditional press notching equipment.” “There is a high possibility that this will be utilized.”
Samsung SDI’s plant investment in Hungary will continue until 2030. The mid- to long-term goal is 18 million cells per month by 2030 by adding both the first and second plants. The first plant is set at 6 million cells per month, and the second plant is set at 12 million cells per month. The total investment is about 1.2 trillion won. The Gen5 battery is currently being tested and ready for mass production. Nickel-cobalt-aluminum (NCA), a high-nickel cathode material, and the stacking method are used at the same time.
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