Atonm: Optimistic About Domestic Lithium Battery Stacking Machine Market Localization

Lithium batteries have wide applications in communications, 3C electronics, drones, unmanned vehicles, data centers and intelligent robots. Stacking technology offers advantages over winding in some areas (see Atonm's earlier article comparing stacking and winding). As a result, stacking use in prismatic cells is rising and is widely used in electric vehicles, energy storage, surveying, medical devices and more. With growing soft-pack and prismatic battery applications, demand for stacking machines has increased.

Stacking machines are a subcategory of lithium battery manufacturing equipment. Depending on process, battery manufacturing equipment includes front, middle and back sections. Stacking machines form small cell units by sequentially stacking positive electrode, separator and negative electrode, then assemble units into larger batteries.

Stacking machines include Z-type, bag-making, combined winding/stacking and hot-lamination types, with Z-type being the domestic mainstream. Battery forms (soft-pack, prismatic, cylindrical) require different production methods; soft-pack uses stacking, cylindrical uses winding, and prismatic can use either. Compared with winding, stacking can yield higher energy density, more stable internal structure, greater safety and longer cycle life.

Driven by rapid domestic industry growth, equipment localization rates have risen. In 2022 China's overall localization for lithium battery equipment exceeded 85% and stacking machine localization reached 88%. Domestic stacking machine makers include XianDao, Liyuanheng, Greenshine, Jiyang Intelligent and Winco Tech. Atonm collaborates with many stacking-machine companies to address repeated-feeding issues.

Atonm's double-sheet detectors have been used extensively in the lithium sector, covering a range of materials, sizes and thicknesses and even distinguishing mixed copper and aluminum foils in some scenarios.

Atonm's Metal Double-Sheet Detector uses electromagnetic principles for stable signals and long life, with resistance to oil, vibration, temperature changes and interference.