Honeywell's new automation software promises to optimize large-scale battery manufacturing

Industrial automation giant, Honeywell recently launched an AI-powered automation software for optimizing operations of large-scale battery manufacturing.

The Battery Manufacturing Excellence Platform (Battery MXP) designed by Honeywell claims to optimize the operation of gigafactories by reducing cell manufacturing costs, compressing production ramp-up cycles, and cutting battery material waste.

"The electrification of everyday life continues to increase global demand for quality lithium-ion batteries to power electric vehicles, consumer electronics and battery energy storage systems," said Pramesh Maheshwari, President of Honeywell Process Solutions.

"With the construction of more than 400 gigafactories planned worldwide by 2030, Honeywell's Battery MXP is a crucial technology that enables manufacturers to maximize cell yields and reach peak production much quicker than traditional methods."

The battery manufacturer's material scrap rates can be as high as 30 percent at a steady rate and higher during the facility's startup process. Battery MXP, Honeywell notes cuts material waste by 60 percent at startup -- saving millions of dollars in wasted energy and material as the gigafactory slowly scales to a more efficient and profitable production stage over the years.

Battery MXP combines AI techniques in the manufacturing process that enable the detection and remediation of quality issues before they result in scrapped material. The software then utilizes machine learning to identify conditions that cause the quality issues and turns this data into action-oriented insights that manufacturers can use this to improve quality. The software therefore ensures overall quality control and increases delivery rates to meet the growing demand for lithium-ion batteries.

"With Honeywell's Battery MXP and its automation capabilities, we will be able to quickly and effectively establish a foundation for our network of gigafactories," said John Kem, President of American Battery Factory.

"This solution is vital in our manufacturing operation because it allows us to reduce scrap and scale up quickly, while also ensuring we meet the U.S. and international demand for high-quality lithium iron phosphate batteries as we prepare for the unprecedented surge expected over the next decade."