On November 15.11.2021, the German Patent and Trademark Office registered the batterieinspektor by ProNES as a trademark. The batterieinspektor is the quintessence of many years of targeted cooperation between ProNES and major manufacturing companies, scientific partners, and one of the market leaders in the automated manufacturing of batteries for e-mobility.

The heart of the batterieinspektor is the software, which was developed using the NI LabVIEW programming software. Why does ProNES rely on LabVIEW for the batterieinspektor? Four key characteristics of the software summarise the reasons for this:

  • Solidity
  • Modularity
  • Flexibility
  • Complexity

Solidity

The decision to program the batterieinspektor software with LabVIEW was based on our years of expertise in automated quality assurance in the manufacturing industry. From the beginning, our skilled programmers have been using LabVIEW to optimize the control of processes for measuring, qualifying, and networking the acquired data. For more than 20 years, we have been able to convince ourselves of the reliability of NI software, which has established itself as a standard in the manufacturing industry. Our LabVIEW architects also engage in LabVIEW training for programmers from other companies. Thus, customers can rely on in-depth expertise and excellent support capabilities.

Modularity

In addition to the reliability of the software, LabVIEW provides the modularity that has proved to be an indispensable basis for the batterieinspektor. The modular building block system is ideal for combining the prefabricated elements to create optimized customised solutions. All required tests are covered: Insulation (optional climate control technology), general measurement technology as well as measurement data acquisition and evaluation of the measurement data. The figure below illustrates the overall concept.

As a further plus, the object-oriented programming allows simple adaptations and extensions based on the respective customer or battery requirements and quality parameters. And if a complete module is missing for a customer, the developers can easily add it. Last but not least, in view of the dynamic development of the battery market, the batterieinspektor software offers ProNES the opportunity to work with undiminished commitment on constantly new innovative modules and to further optimise consolidation.

At the same time, the high degree of reusability of numerous standardised modules means ProNES customers can achieve faster time to market for their battery products. In addition, the batterieinspektor software offers interfaces for customer-specific extensions. Here, the programmers will appreciate the object-oriented programming environment as well as the competent support by the ProNES experts.

Flexibility

The modularity is based on the fact that there are hardly any manufacturers of measuring instruments that do not offer interfaces to LabVIEW. Furthermore, LabVIEW allows the connection to various programmable logic controllers, e.g., from Beckhoff and Siemens. To complete the flexibility, a connection to a wide range of SQL databases is possible.

With the batterieinspektor software, the acquired data can also be transferred to Big Data applications. Thus, they form the basis for a wide range of applications to use data for cross-departmental applications – from measurement data acquisition, to process control, to analysis, and processing by MES systems, as well as other business-organisation applications.

Complexity

The good news just at the beginning: The complexity of LabVIEW, which provides the necessary solidity, modularity, and flexibility in the background, remains hidden from the batterieinspektor user. He can access a unified, consolidated user interface to perform the desired control functions, measurements, and analysis.

TestStand from NI integrates with LabVIEW as a test sequencer. In this way, the batterieinspektor combines the strengths of both software products and is ideally suited as a sequencer as well as for logging and validating the test results.

Another important component – equally important for batch 1 and series production – is the traceability of measurement data, so that battery manufacturers can precisely trace and prove the quality of individual products. This also enables battery manufacturers to address battery production problems in a targeted manner and to better control and further optimise manufacturing processes and other operational procedures.

The Bottom Line

Thanks not least to LabVIEW, customers receive a branded product from a single source in the form of the batterieinspektor, which not only fully automates testing processes, but also enables the trouble-free integration of quality assurance into a wide range of business processes and tasks.

In this way, the batterieinspektor, which is networked across departments, allows battery manufacturers to ensure the quality of their products from the cell to the finished battery and to provide clear evidence battery by battery.

You can find more information about the batterieinspektor at the following trademark link: www.batterieinspektor.de