In context
As electric vehicle adoption accelerates, battery manufacturing has become a critical focus for automation suppliers. In mid-2024, demand for robust, leak-proof battery trays drove investments in specialized welding technologies, making Kuka's large-scale order a notable marker of this trend.
What was reported
Kuka announced it received an order in the double-digit million euro range to supply 23 friction stir welding (FSW) cells for an automotive customer's EV production lines. The cells integrate Kuka KR Fortec robots and are used to weld battery trays and join cooling plates to the trays in a second step.
Kuka is responsible for the entire FSW process, including complex clamping technology, a tool changer, and a cleaning station for fully automatic operation. The robots handle 3D welding, a challenge well-suited to robot-based FSW. The company's engineering expertise and experience were cited as key factors in winning the order.
FSW uses a rotating pin tool to plasticize materials without melting, enabling joining of dissimilar materials like aluminum to magnesium, copper, or steel. It consumes less energy and material and requires no shielding gas or flux, making it attractive for battery containers, high-speed train side walls, and rocket tank structures.
Why it mattered
This order underscored FSW's growing role in EV battery production and Kuka's push into specialized process automation. It also highlighted the technology's broader industrial relevance and ongoing development, including AI-based process monitoring to reduce inspection costs.
“A particular challenge in production is 3D welding, for which robot-based FSW technology is particularly suitable.”
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2024-07-31 · “Kuka receives order for robotic work cells ‘in the double-digit million range’”