In this tech talk, Steven had the pleasure of discussing Fuel Cell Bipolar Plates Production Lines with Fabian Kapp, Managing Director at Graebener Maschinentechnik.
Learn about Fuel Cell Bipolar Plates Production Lines
Steven Oji and Fabian Kapp discuss the detailed process of manufacturing bipolar plates, starting from the decoiling system to the final welded and leak tested product. There are several steps in the bipolar plate production line such as forming, cleaning, separation, cutting, welding, straightening, cleaning again, leak testing and sealing. The complex processes are emphasized like the criticality of the welding process and the importance of quality control through leak testing.
The production line for bipolar plate starts with a decoiling system, where the metal sheet is uncoiled. The sheet then goes through a forming process using water pressure to shape it into a plate. After forming, the plate goes through a cleaning station and then gets separated into individual pieces. Then, Laser technology is used for the precise cutting of the plates, ensuring high accuracy and edge quality.
The next step is welding, where the anode and cathode plates are joined together using a special clamping and fixing technology. The welding process is critical and requires expertise to ensure a strong and leak-tight connection.
After welding, the plates go through a straightening process to correct any curvature resp. warping and make them flat. This is important for stacking the plates to form a stable structure. The exact details of the straightening process are proprietary to Graebener®, but it has been developed through years of experience and aims to provide a flat final product. The plates then undergo another cleaning process to remove any residues from the welding process. A leak test is performed to ensure the plates are tightly sealed.
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