Location: 89081 Ulm, Germany · Industry: Battery, energy, hydrogen, electronics, automotive, research · Products: Battery cells, fuel cells, electrolysers, solar technology, hydrogen and energy storage technologies · ERP: AP P2Plus · Website: https://www.zsw-bw.de · S4P modules: 4AVO, 4BDE, 4MDE, 4PRO
Context
ZSW needed consistent and transparent control of its research and manufacturing processes for battery cells. The aim was reliable planning and seamless recording of operating data in addition to the existing ERP system AP P2Plus.
Challenges
- Complex research and manufacturing processes for battery cells
- Lack of transparency about current order and machine data
- Manual and time-consuming data collection in production
- Need for end-to-end production control
Solutions
To optimize battery cell production, ZSW relies on the solutions of Software Factory for machine data acquisition and data evaluation as well as the following solutions from software4production:
- 4AVO for managing projects, production orders, routings and bills of materials with a battery cell-specific product configurator and job paper printing with QRs. In contrast to classic fixed parts lists and recipes, the research challenge here is that all reactants can be changed at will in their quantities and characteristics before and during the production process.
- 4BDE for manual production data acquisition in real time on stationary IPCs with mobile laser barcode scanners and report on order documents with QR
- 4MDE for real-time machine data processing for recording all SIEMENS-controlled systems via PTC THINQWORX using REST web services
- 4PRO for warehouse management with complete serial/batch number management from goods receipt, picking and transport to delivery and thus complete traceability.
- 4CON to generate and provide a JSON-based, digital product passport for battery cells with all products and reactants at all levels from slurry to electrodes/anodes to the finished cell. The digital battery passport is a binding EU requirement that makes the entire life cycle of a battery transparent. From 18 February 2027 , it will be mandatory for all EV batteries (electric vehicles), industrial batteries over 2 kWh and batteries for light transport (LMT).
Results and Benefits
- Transparent and consistent planning, execution and control of battery cell production from batch-based goods receipt and the production of slurries to the serial number-guided production of electrodes, cathodes and the complete cell
- Acquisition, real-time overview and evaluation of all machine and order data
- Reduced manual entry effort
- Improved planning of research and production processes
- Digital battery passport is a great added value for many of ZSW's automotive customers, among others