Jagenberg Converting Solutions GmbH (JCS) has successfully delivered and transferred into series production two customised tandem coating lines for V4Smart GmbH & Co. KG in Nördlingen, Bavaria.
The lines are a central element of the company’s electrode manufacturing operations and enable the large-scale production of the Ultra-High-Power UHP 26 cell – a lithium-ion cylindrical cell with a power density of approximately 8,500 watts per litre, around 30 percent above the current market standard.
V4Smart, a joint venture between Porsche and Varta with approximately 400 employees, is the only company in Germany producing lithium-ion cylindrical cells in genuine series production. The cells are used in high-performance applications, including sports cars with turbo-hybrid drive systems, hydrogen and fuel cell applications, and the aerospace sector.
Technological pioneering achievement in electrode manufacturing
The systems supplied by JCS for the anode and cathode coat both sides of the electrode foil in a tandem process. This enables V4Smart, for the first time, to apply double-sided coating to the A-side and B-side in series production. Key components of the line include the coating unit, including the precisely metering paste delivery system, two high-precision JCS slot dies with cross web profile adjustment, and its highly accurate positioning system. Other notable features include the efficient convection drying system, precise web guiding for extremely thin metal foils and the AutoSplice function for uninterrupted operation. To ensure consistent product quality, various inline quality inspection systems (optical defect detection and geometric measurement, basis weight measurement, edge profile inspection) have been integrated and incorporated into a holistic traceability concept.
The line is also fully connected to V4Smart’s MES and ERP systems. “The electrode is the foundation of every cell – and the tandem coating lines are the heart of electrode manufacturing. It is absolutely essential, fundamental to the process,” says Tobias Hüppe, Head of Production, V4Smart GmbH & Co. KG.
A collaborative project based on partnership
From the outset, the project was a genuine joint effort. Several companies within the Jagenberg Group contributed their respective expertise – ranging from project execution and coating technology to automation and control engineering. The collaboration was close, pragmatic, and solution-oriented. It included daily coordination meetings directly at the line, weekend work during critical phases, digital coordination, and management-level discussions whenever necessary.
“Intense, solution-oriented, and challenging – that is how I would describe our collaboration with JCS. In the end, we created something together that has not existed in this form before anywhere else in Europe,” underlines Hüppe.
Strategic contribution to European independence
For V4Smart, choosing a German equipment supplier was also a strategic decision. “It is very important to us that we stand sustainably behind our production footprint here in Germany – for a highly capable, high-quality product, but also to realise the entire process as resiliently as possible,” says Alexander Abele, Head of Product Management, V4Smart. The reliability of the lines and the reliability of the partner were equally important considerations. JCS views the project as confirmation of its positioning in high-growth markets: “This project demonstrates what European mechanical engineering expertise can achieve – including for highly specialised, globally unique manufacturing processes. We are proud of what we have accomplished together with V4Smart and look forward to continuing this partnership,” summarises Professor Dr.-Ing. Daniel Schmidt, Managing Director, Jagenberg Converting Solutions GmbH.