As the mobility and electric vehicle industries converge around a seemingly limited range of battery sizes and only three form factors, California-based Sakuu is proposing a very different set of possibilities, it seems. endless—such as future cells in sizes and shapes for products.
The manufacturing hook behind this proposal is 3D printing. While there have been a few attempts with 3D batteries in the past, Sakuu claims that as of December 2022, it is “the first company on record to 3D print fully functional batteries in all shapes and sizes Customizable with patterned holes for heat management in a completely dry process. “
The company says it’s on track to mass-produce printed batteries for mobility, aerospace, electric vehicles, and energy storage, among other uses—and immediate benefits. from first sight cell design can follow product design and not vice versa.
It doesn’t say what the energy density of these early cells is, but it promises impressive numbers by volume. It states “expectations are to achieve high energy densities at 800–1000 Wh/L.” This is actually higher than the current generation of lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles—and even what used to be. Panasonic’s goalfor example, in 2030.
Flexibility to stay away from skateboards
In the not-too-distant future, such custom-shaped cells could present an opportunity for electric vehicle engineers and designers, who today have converged on “skateboard” battery layouts. —the body on top of a thin battery—as a package with the fewest compromises.
Such batteries could allow certain parts of the body structure in electric vehicles to be filled with uniquely shaped battery cells instead of being empty, consisting entirely of a massless battery types, and at the same time freeing up passenger cars and coupes to be lower, leaner and sleeker.
In the field of electric cars, that means designers and engineers can limit the inherent compromises of skateboards.
Sakuu . 3D printed battery cell
With this announcement, Sakuu demonstrated a single-layer demonstration cell, which it could then stack with multiple other tiles, connecting them in series or in parallel as needed, to form a package. The two holes show where the coolant lines will run in a pack.
Process is different from all battery factories
Sakuu uses a dry cathode process and a single background printer, and emphasizes that this is not a wet screen printing process, uses excess energy to remove solvents and can be unreliable.
It is also unlike the roll-to-roll process used to manufacture most batteries. The company, also known as additive manufacturing, builds ultra-thin layers at once, applying multiple materials as part of the same layer.
Sakuu, founded in 2016 as KeraCel and rebranded in 2021, opened a 79,000 square foot development facility for its manufacturing platform in San Jose. It promises “world-class power and energy density at production speeds comparable to the best coil manufacturing equipment” and it claims it has the only known manufacturing solution for battery production. solids on a commercial scale.
The company aims to license battery chemistries as well as sell its manufacturing platform, which it wants to use to generate 200 gigawatt-hours of cells by 2030 through “partner giant factories Global”.
Porsche Consulting says it will design the battery manufacturer’s 3D printing plant to mass produce the technology. Sakuu has confirmed to Green Car Reports that the renderings here are of the test production equipment used.
Sakuu . 3D printed battery cell
Solid state acceleration?
The company’s technique could help drive the production of solid-state cells earlier, and it could potentially enable higher energy densities, by allowing thinner layers of battery cells, to accommodate than with a certain format and space.
There are many other theoretical advantages of solid-state batteries, including faster charging and higher efficiency, as well as, depending on their progress toward mass production, greater durability and less degradation.
In the solid state field, there is no shortage of competitors. In addition to the battery establishment, a wide range of companies including element, ShopDotAnd Quantum claims to have an edge in this battery revolution. Nissan is also one of several automakers working on its own solid state cells. It is also geared towards a dry process, but with a traditional multi-layered approach to the cells, although there are some material tricks such as a lattice bond between the active material and the solid electrolyte.
Sakuu currently has two lines of chemical batteries in development, a lithium metal and an all-solid-state lithium metal. While it won’t reveal other details regarding those chemicals, it does say that both use the company’s 3D printing-based manufacturing method.
Sakuu . 3D printed battery cell
3D printing technology has a multitude of applications in the automotive sector, from reprint parts that are not available for older Tesla Roadsters, to create electric motor made of 3D printed partsfor the whole Top Cadillac Celestiq EV is possible with 3D printing.
From an environmental perspective, there can be some additional advantages. 3D printing tends to use less material than traditional manufacturing methods, due to the nature of the additive process it uses. It also generally requires less energy. With 3D printing, cost, supply chain and carbon footprint goals can be met sooner.
