Fraunhofer IGCV wins (R)Evolution Award for groundbreaking 3D printing technology

27.11.2024

The Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV has won the prestigious (R)Evolution Award at Formnext 2024. The institute was honored for its innovative three-material processing technology using powder bed fusion, which makes it possible to produce battery cell housings made of aluminum, copper and ceramics in a single production step.

This patent-pending technology allows the production of complex housing geometries and offers unprecedented flexibility in design and production. By combining several materials in one process, the production chain is considerably simplified, making traditional processes such as casting and stamping superfluous. This not only streamlines production, but also reduces assembly requirements.

The process is particularly suited to small batch production, allowing cell developers to quickly adapt their designs in early development stages without having to invest in new tooling. This flexibility is crucial given the rapid pace of next-generation battery cell development. The technology supports rapid prototyping and design customization, accelerating the path from development to market and helping new battery technologies to break through.

A unique aspect of this technology is the ability to process ceramics as an electrical insulator alongside conductive metals. This is achieved by multi-material powder bed fusion, whereby a high ceramic density is achieved without high preheating, ensuring the structural integrity of the final product.

Although the process currently still requires a relatively long build time and post-processing by milling, its flexible design and delivery makes it a strong alternative to traditional methods. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize the production of battery cell housings and pave the way for customized, efficient energy storage solutions.

The process marks an important step in the evolution of battery cell production and opens up new geometric possibilities for the development of energy storage systems. The multi-material process is suitable for applications that require customized electrical, thermal and mechanical properties, such as energy storage, electronics, aerospace and biomedicine. Jury member Dr. Maximilian Binder from the BMW Group was impressed: "The manufacturing concept has the potential to open up completely new fields of application in additive manufacturing and puts other known multi-material processes in the shade thanks to its highly targeted and efficient use of materials."