China3D printingOn August 20, Sakuú Corporation has made rapid progress in expanding its additive manufacturing (AM) technology to achieve the goal of mass production of solid-state batteries (SSB). After the Silicon Valley start-up company demonstrated its first lithium SSB at the end of July, it announced that it has begun building a test line and learning center for SSB.
Sakuú’s multi-material multi-method (4M) process relies on the injection of metal and ceramic binders to produce lithium batteries that are 50% smaller and 30% lighter than existing lithium batteries. In the future, other processes such as inkjet deposition may be combined with 4M to expand its capabilities and material combinations.
According to the company, the pilot production line will be able to produce 2.5 MWh of solid-state batteries per year. In the future, the facility will serve as a customer learning center for Sakuú 4M 3D printing technology. The pilot production line will demonstrate the startup’s ability to produce SSB and deliver samples to Early Access partners.
Sakuu’s first-generation solid-state battery. Image courtesy of Sakuu.
To design and develop the plant, Sakuú is collaborating with Relevant Industrial and Honeywell Process Solutions. The latter hardly needs to be introduced, because Honeywell is a US$32 billion multinational company known for its military and aerospace technologies. The process solutions department is dedicated to industrial automation and control. Relevant Industrial was established in 1996, starting from business IT solutions, and eventually developing to provide various industrial equipment and automation products and services.
Relevant and Honeywell will work to expand Sakuú’s laboratory process to a functioning pilot manufacturing plant. The next phase is expected to start in 2022 and will include a series of Sakuú AM technologies to mass-produce SSB with an annual production capacity of up to 1 GWh. Relevant and Honeywell will develop expertise in engineering, process design, system integration, and process production to build factories.
A rendering of the Sakuú solid-state battery factory. Image courtesy of Sakuú.
“Relevant is happy to be part of this pioneering project. Using Honeywell’s leading automation technology to combine Sakuú’s advanced technology with our experience in engineering, design, and system integration provides a unique way to shape the future of manufacturing. We thank Sakuú for his confidence in Relevant and look forward to establishing a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership,” said John Carte, CEO of Relevant Industrial.
“This is an important milestone for Sakuú. Our SSB technology development has reached the level where we decided to advance the construction and operation of the pilot facility plan. With the assistance of our main development partners Relevant Industrial and Honeywell Process Solutions, the The facility will be operational by the end of 2021. The facility will enable us to provide our strategic customers and early participating partners with solid-state batteries for their own development and testing,” said Robert Bagheri, CEO and founder.
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