High‑Versatility Stacking Line or stand-alone Stacker

The pouch format, based on a stacking process, is the simplest to implement for producing 1 Ah to 10 Ah cells, making it a popular choice among R&D laboratories. This format is also gaining attention in demanding applications thanks to its potential weight reduction and its ability to accommodate slight swelling effects.

The stacking process can also be applied to assemble prismatic cells (rigid casing or cans) for higher capacities. The stacked configuration includes two main techniques:

• Sheet-by-sheet stacker, preferred for non-foldable separators or solid electrolytes
• Z-fold stacker, more common and offering high cathode/anode isolation reliability

The initial assembly steps are common to both Pouch and Prismatic formats:

• Notching / creation of flags on bare metal
• Electrode separation
• Electrode surface cleaning
• Stacking (our stackers can perform either sheet-by-sheet or Z-fold modes)

Pouch-specific process steps:

• Stack’s current collector trimming
• Tab welding
• Cavity forming
• Pouch sealing after stack insertion
• Electrolyte filling (for standard Li-ion cells)
• Formation (out of HBP scope of supply)
• Degassing

Prismatic-specific process steps:

• Current collector trimming
• Stack and cell-cover welding
• Insulator sleeve fitting
• Insertion into casing
• Top-cover and casing welding
• Electrolyte filling #1 (for standard Li-ion cells)
• Formation (out of HBP scope of supply)
• Electrolyte filling #2 (for standard Li-ion cells)
• Final cell closing

Throughout the assembly chain, intermediate steps and quality checks are performed — such as visual inspection, drying, compression, insulation testing, weighing, leak detection, and dimensional measurements. CAPEX requirements are typically higher for prismatic-cell assembly lines than for pouch-cell production. However, the mechanical robustness of a rigid casing makes the prismatic format the preferred choice for many industrial applications. The introduction of new materials brings additional challenges to the stacking process — including low mechanical strength, dust generation, crystal-like behavior, and sensitivity to dew points over –60 °C. Beyond these challenges for which the Huguet Battery Processes engineering team already offers viable solutions our developments focus on introducing new concepts to significantly reduce OPEX, through:

• High automation levels
• Low energy consumption
• Limited tooling cost for new cell sizes
• Short production change-over times
• Reduced footprint

For stacked-cell assembly, Huguet Battery Processes provides equipment tailored to R&D teams operating advanced laboratories, as well as for small-batch production (typically 100 to 1 000 cells per week). To meet diverse user requirements such as available dry-room area or very low dew-point conditions, we offer:

• A modular platform that can evolve with additional functionalities
• Micro-environment units, which can be interconnected in some configurations

Our high-versatility platforms enable the assembly of standard Li-ion cells as well as solid-state batteries (SSB) and alternative chemistries.