Berlin, Germany – July 2024 – A major European EV battery manufacturer has reported a 28% drop in battery cell assembly scrap rates after deploying ABB’s PFTL101B 5.0KN 3BSE004191R1 force sensors across its Berlin production line. The upgrade, completed in Q2 2024, addressed the plant’s critical challenge of inconsistent cell compression during battery pack assembly—an issue that previously cost the facility €180,000 monthly in wasted materials.
The Problem: Inconsistent Force Spoiled Thousands of Battery Cells
Prior to adopting the PFTL101B, the Berlin plant relied on basic pressure gauges to monitor the force applied when compressing lithium-ion cells into battery packs. These gauges had a measurement error margin of ±5%, which led to two costly issues:
- Over-compression: Excessive force damaged cell casings, causing electrolyte leaks and rendering 3–4% of packs unusable.
- Under-compression: Insufficient force created gaps between cells, leading to poor thermal conductivity and failed quality tests.
“Our old gauges couldn’t keep up with the precision needed for modern EV batteries,” said Klaus Weber, the plant’s production engineering manager. “We’d have batches where 10% of cells were either crushed or loose—each defective pack cost us €240 to replace, and we were losing 500+ packs monthly.”
With the plant scaling production to 10,000 battery packs per month to meet EU EV demand, resolving the force control issue became urgent.
After testing four force measurement technologies, the plant selected the ABB PFTL101B 5.0KN 3BSE004191R1 for its unmatched accuracy and integration capabilities:
- ±0.1% Measurement Accuracy: The sensor’s strain-gauge technology delivers precise force readings between 0–5.0 kN, far exceeding the old gauges’ ±5% margin. This ensures each cell is compressed to the exact 2.3 kN target required for thermal efficiency.
- Real-Time Data Sync: The PFTL101B connects directly to the plant’s ABB AC 800M control system, transmitting force data every 10ms. If force deviates by more than 0.05 kN, the system pauses the assembly line instantly—preventing defective cells from moving to the next stage.
- Rugged Industrial Design: With an IP67 rating and resistance to coolant, dust, and vibration, the sensor withstands the harsh conditions of battery assembly lines. Unlike delicate laboratory-grade sensors, it requires no special enclosures or frequent calibration.
- Easy Retrofit: The PFTL101B’s compact 120x80x50mm form factor fit seamlessly into the plant’s existing compression stations, avoiding costly reengineering of assembly machinery.
“We installed 24 PFTL101B sensors across 12 assembly lines in just 3 days,” Weber said. “The ABB team helped us calibrate each sensor to our exact cell specifications, and we were fully operational by the end of the week.”
Results: Scrap Rates Plummet, Efficiency Rises
Three months after deployment, the plant’s metrics tell a clear success story:
- Scrap rate down 28%: Defective battery packs dropped from 500 to 360 monthly, saving €33,600 in material costs.
- Quality test pass rate up 15%: Packs now meet thermal conductivity standards 98% of the time, compared to 83% before the upgrade.
- Maintenance time cut by 40%: The PFTL101B’s self-diagnostic features (alerting to drift or wiring issues) reduced calibration checks from weekly to biweekly, freeing up 8 technician hours per week.
“The PFTL101B didn’t just fix our scrap problem—it gave us visibility into our process we never had before,” Weber added. “We can now track force trends per shift, identify underperforming stations, and make adjustments in real time.”
Maria Lopez, ABB’s global product manager for force sensors, emphasized the PFTL101B’s role in EV manufacturing growth. “As battery packs become more complex, precision force control isn’t optional—it’s essential,” she said. “This Berlin project shows how the PFTL101B 5.0KN 3BSE004191R1 helps automakers scale production without sacrificing quality.”
The plant plans to deploy 16 more PFTL101B sensors to its new Munich facility, set to open in Q1 2025.
