Overcoming the Challenges for a Mass Manufacturing Machine for the Assembly of PEMFC Stacks

One of the major obstacles standing in the way of a break-through in fuel cell technology is its relatively high costs compared to well established fossil-based technologies. The reasons for these high costs predominantly lie in the use of non-standardized components, complex system components, and...

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Main Authors: Sebastian Porstmann, Thomas Wannemacher, Thilo Richter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-10-01
Series:Machines
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/7/4/66
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spelling doaj-f53f5c0b121341118666a996824334df2020-11-25T01:14:08ZengMDPI AGMachines2075-17022019-10-01746610.3390/machines7040066machines7040066Overcoming the Challenges for a Mass Manufacturing Machine for the Assembly of PEMFC StacksSebastian Porstmann0Thomas Wannemacher1Thilo Richter2Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU, Reichenhainer Strasse 88, 09126 Chemnitz, GermanyProton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH, Benzstrasse 7, 82178 Puchheim, GermanyAumann Limbach-Oberfrohna GmbH, An der Hopfendarre 11, 09212 Limbach-Oberfrohna, GermanyOne of the major obstacles standing in the way of a break-through in fuel cell technology is its relatively high costs compared to well established fossil-based technologies. The reasons for these high costs predominantly lie in the use of non-standardized components, complex system components, and non-automated production of fuel cells. This problem can be identified at multiple levels, for example, the electrochemically active components of the fuel cell stack, peripheral components of the fuel cell system, and eventually on the level of stack and system assembly. This article focused on the industrialization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack components and assembly. To achieve this, the first step is the formulation of the requirement specifications for the automated PEMFC stack production. The developed mass manufacturing machine (MMM) enables a reduction of the assembly time of a cell fuel cell stack to 15 minutes. Furthermore the targeted automation level is theoretically capable of producing up to 10,000 fuel cell stacks per year. This will result in a ~50% stack cost reduction through economies of scale and increased automation. The modular concept is scalable to meet increasing future demand which is essential for the market ramp-up and success of this technology.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/7/4/66mass manufacturing machineautomationmass productionpemfc stacks (polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell)fuel cell
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Sebastian Porstmann
Thomas Wannemacher
Thilo Richter
spellingShingle Sebastian Porstmann
Thomas Wannemacher
Thilo Richter
Overcoming the Challenges for a Mass Manufacturing Machine for the Assembly of PEMFC Stacks
Machines
mass manufacturing machine
automation
mass production
pemfc stacks (polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell)
fuel cell
author_facet Sebastian Porstmann
Thomas Wannemacher
Thilo Richter
author_sort Sebastian Porstmann
title Overcoming the Challenges for a Mass Manufacturing Machine for the Assembly of PEMFC Stacks
title_short Overcoming the Challenges for a Mass Manufacturing Machine for the Assembly of PEMFC Stacks
title_full Overcoming the Challenges for a Mass Manufacturing Machine for the Assembly of PEMFC Stacks
title_fullStr Overcoming the Challenges for a Mass Manufacturing Machine for the Assembly of PEMFC Stacks
title_full_unstemmed Overcoming the Challenges for a Mass Manufacturing Machine for the Assembly of PEMFC Stacks
title_sort overcoming the challenges for a mass manufacturing machine for the assembly of pemfc stacks
publisher MDPI AG
series Machines
issn 2075-1702
publishDate 2019-10-01
description One of the major obstacles standing in the way of a break-through in fuel cell technology is its relatively high costs compared to well established fossil-based technologies. The reasons for these high costs predominantly lie in the use of non-standardized components, complex system components, and non-automated production of fuel cells. This problem can be identified at multiple levels, for example, the electrochemically active components of the fuel cell stack, peripheral components of the fuel cell system, and eventually on the level of stack and system assembly. This article focused on the industrialization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack components and assembly. To achieve this, the first step is the formulation of the requirement specifications for the automated PEMFC stack production. The developed mass manufacturing machine (MMM) enables a reduction of the assembly time of a cell fuel cell stack to 15 minutes. Furthermore the targeted automation level is theoretically capable of producing up to 10,000 fuel cell stacks per year. This will result in a ~50% stack cost reduction through economies of scale and increased automation. The modular concept is scalable to meet increasing future demand which is essential for the market ramp-up and success of this technology.
topic mass manufacturing machine
automation
mass production
pemfc stacks (polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell)
fuel cell
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/7/4/66
work_keys_str_mv AT sebastianporstmann overcomingthechallengesforamassmanufacturingmachinefortheassemblyofpemfcstacks
AT thomaswannemacher overcomingthechallengesforamassmanufacturingmachinefortheassemblyofpemfcstacks
AT thilorichter overcomingthechallengesforamassmanufacturingmachinefortheassemblyofpemfcstacks
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