„Power for e-mobility“

Hairpins, busbars, high-voltage connectors etc.

The huge increase in demand for electric and hybrid vehicles in the future will require new precision parts for drives, batteries and power supplies. Even now, Bihler already offers the platforms and technologies needed for the industrial, automated, economical manufacture of core components such as hairpins, busbars, high-voltage connectors, cell and module connectors and power distributors for stators.

The growth of e-mobility offers enormous business potential. At the same time, however, it is also confronting conventional OEMs and suppliers with new challenges. For Otto Bihler Maschinenfabrik, which has been intensively researching and developing the new  technology for many years, this change is of crucial importance. Moreover, since the start of the year, a Bihler Key Account Manager, Martin Lehmann, has been concentrating exclusively on the subject of e-mobility. Because one thing is clear: the advent of e-mobility is inevitable and the demand for the corresponding vehicle parts will very soon skyrocket.  That is why it is crucial for OEMs and suppliers to look to the future and invest in suitable manufacturing systems for e-mobility components right now.

Modular and flexible

And it is precisely to meet these requirements that Bihler is already offering forward-looking automation solutions in the form of its BIMERIC servo production and assembly system and the GRM-NC servo stamping and forming machine. These have not only proven to be outstandingly effective in practical applications for several years but are also perfectly suited to the production of the new components needed for e-mobility. “The advantage of the BIMERIC concept lies in the fact that it is designed as a modular system in which all the process steps can be seamlessly integrated,” emphasizes Lehmann. “It means that we can respond flexibly to all inquiries relating to the e-mobility field and configure systems designed to meet specific customer requirements.”

Above-average throughput speeds

Customer inquiries can relate to very different areas of e-mobility. These include components of the drive, the power supply and the battery. In the drive field, the focus is placed on the manufacture of the so-called hairpins. In a BIMERIC, these can be manufactured in unsurpassed parts numbers of up to 120 units per minute. The BIMERIC also offers unique performance for the manufacture of busbars – fully automated with high throughput rates of up to 60 parts per minute. At the same time, the BIMERIC is also the optimum solution for hybrid components made from metal and plastic. Thus, for example, power distributors for stators, interconnections between assemblies, cell connectors and JV plugs can be manufactured in a single production process. The production of the metal parts, the insertion of the plastic parts, and final assembly are all performed at above-average speed. By contrast, the GRM-NC provides the perfect manufacturing capabilities for individual stamped and bended parts. This is because it can be used for high-precision, fast and economical production, for example, of shielding sleeves and smaller busbars.

Faster to market

“Standardized components and tools with a high percentage of standard parts are used in both the BIMERIC and the GRM-NC. While keeping engineering and tool costs down, these also guarantee very short setup times and correspondingly rapid times-to-market.” This means that OEMs and suppliers are optimally prepared to manufacture the parts that will be needed for the development of e-mobility in the future. Lehmann makes things perfectly clear: “Those companies that have the right production equipment ready to hand as quickly as possible and can manufacture sample parts swiftly will enjoy a significant advantage. And we naturally provide comprehensive support and service from the first inquiry concerning the system right through to production.”