As demand for lithium batteries continues to surge worldwide, traditional formation and grading processes have become a bottleneck—plagued by high energy usage, limited precision, and costly maintenance. LEAD’s new system offers a comprehensive answer to these challenges, helping manufacturers increase efficiency and competitiveness through smart, sustainable innovation.

Three Key Innovations in Water-Integrated Thermal System Design

LEAD’s latest-generation solution delivers three major advancements in formation and grading performance:

• Precision Temperature Control for Energy Savings: As the first solution to use hot water as an energy source alongside a high-precision temperature control system, LEAD’s technology maintains the battery cavity at a stable 25±1.5°C. This increases temperature control accuracy by 50%, reduces high-temperature zone volume by 60%, and significantly lowers total plant energy consumption.
• Integrated Design for Greater Efficiency: By replacing traditional split system layouts with a unified structure, the new system reduces charging energy consumption by 6% and plant footprint by 20%. Pre-assembled delivery further increases installation and commissioning efficiency by 30%, enabling faster production ramp-up.
• Maintenance-Friendly Engineering: A no-high-temperature-room configuration reduces power wiring by 30%, allowing personnel to conduct maintenance work in normal ambient conditions, enhancing both safety and comfort.

Innovation in Cleanroom Operations: Negative Pressure Workstation

The solution also introduces an advanced negative pressure workstation that dramatically improves cleanliness, automation, and operating costs:

• Cleanroom Space Optimization: Negative pressure components combined with tray-following technology maintain electrolyte injection port cleanliness throughout the process. This reduces the required cleanroom area by 90%, saving millions in annual facility costs.
• Smart Maintenance Features: The industry’s first ground-level maintenance design, along with automated disassembly, leak detection, and blockage diagnostics, improves replacement efficiency by 80% and advances automation across the production line.
• Improved Product Quality: Seamless sealing and real-time electrolyte exhaust handling support better SEI film formation, leading to improved charge-discharge cycle life and battery reliability.

LEAD’s intelligent formation and grading solution delivers measurable results, achieving charging efficiencies above 88% and discharge efficiencies exceeding 85%. A single production line can generate tens of millions in plant construction savings and significantly reduce annual operating expenses, supporting faster return on investment and long-term cost control.

These outcomes reflect LEAD’s commitment to full-chain optimization through the deep integration of equipment design, process engineering, and plant layout. By establishing a unified “space–energy–labor” cost-control system, LEAD enables manufacturers to fully realize the value of intelligent manufacturing—enhancing both operational performance and strategic competitiveness.

As global battery demand skyrockets and environmental regulations tighten, coating remains a core process in intelligent battery production—one that plays a critical role in overall battery performance. While traditional wet coating methods are widely used, the drying stage alone accounts for over 35% of total energy consumption in cell manufacturing. Additionally, solvent use presents ongoing challenges in terms of toxicity, environmental impact, and high recovery costs.

Amid tightening global regulations, rising carbon tariffs, and the industry’s rapid capacity expansion driven by the upcoming 2035 combustion engine ban, dry coating technology is emerging as a key enabler for greener, more economical production. LEAD’s new system is designed to meet this shift head-on.

Designed for Industrial-Scale Throughput and Flexibility

LEAD’s dry coating system supports product widths up to 1000mm, with anode production speeds of 80 meters per minute and cathode speeds of 60 meters per minute. It enables multi-format dry electrode production, aligning with the growing needs of both liquid and solid-state battery manufacturing.

Built on LEAD’s extensive expertise in intelligent equipment for battery production, the system delivers end-to-end process integration, spanning powder unpacking, metering, fiberization, film formation, current collector lamination, waste recovery, and product quality inspection. It represents a complete dry coating solution, optimized for mass production.

Advanced Thermal Control for Lower Energy Consumption

Energy efficiency is a standout feature of the system, thanks to a series of key innovations:

• The industry-first variable-diameter uniform-temperature electric heating system minimizes deformation under load and reduces energy consumption by up to 60% compared to oil-heated systems.
• A three-stage temperature control system for powder fiberization requires only factory cooling water, eliminating the need for external temperature control units and cutting energy use by approximately 50%.
• Independent roller temperature zones help maintain coating precision and roller rigidity, while improving workshop cleanliness and simplifying maintenance.

End-to-End Process Upgrades for High-Quality Output

To ensure stable, consistent production quality, the system includes:

• Multi-dimensional powder mixing, anti-agglomeration screening, and dynamic pre-mixing to improve coating uniformity.
• Edge-cutting recycling, reducing high-value material waste while minimizing airborne pollutants through negative-pressure dust control.
• Real-time gap monitoring with ±1μm precision, allowing for automatic online roller adjustment and consistent wide-format balance.

Operator-Friendly, Production-Ready Design

LEAD has also prioritized user experience and operational efficiency. The system features:

• Adaptive cutting blades and automated width adjustment, which protect rollers during trimming and accommodate a variety of production formats.
• A visual framework design, allowing operators to observe film formation and perform maintenance without the need for climbing or working in tight spaces, enhancing both safety and efficiency.

Significant Gains in Efficiency and Cost Reduction 

By eliminating solvents and optimizing both thermal and mechanical performance, LEAD’s dry coating system delivers measurable, production-level advantages. It reduces overall energy consumption by more than 35%, while also lowering materials and manufacturing costs by over 20%. These combined efficiencies not only make the system significantly cleaner but also position it as a highly competitive solution in today’s market—one that aligns perfectly with the demands of global battery manufacturers pursuing low-carbon, cost-effective production strategies.

With battery markets expanding and sustainability goals accelerating, LEAD’s equipment solutions are helping manufacturers meet growing global demand through efficiency, scalability, and environmental responsibility.

Integrated Solutions Across the Battery Lifecycle

At Booth 10-B20, LEAD presented a comprehensive lineup of advanced technologies supporting every stage of battery production. Key solutions included:

• Full solid-state battery production lines
• All-tab cylindrical cell assembly systems
• CTP (cell-to-pack) cylindrical battery solutions
• Large-scale energy storage system (ESS) assembly lines
• High-performance end-of-line testing, formation, and aging platforms
• Smart factory automation and AI-driven quality systems
• Intelligent logistics and flexible material handling systems

These solutions help manufacturers streamline operations, enhance product consistency, and increase throughput across mainstream and emerging battery formats.

Expert Keynote on Dry Coating Technology

A featured highlight was LEAD’s keynote session, “Advanced Dry Coating Method for Next-Gen Battery Manufacturing: From Lab Scale to Mass Production,” presented by Dr. Rosa Pujales-Paradela and Dr.-Ing. Hannes Weinmann.

The presentation spotlighted LEAD’s dry electrode coating technology, which offers:

• Up to 60% energy savings compared to traditional methods
• Elimination of solvents and drying stages
• Real-time closed-loop thickness control
• Compatibility with roll-to-roll infrastructure
• Simplified operation and format flexibility

This approach supports lower environmental impact and faster scale-up—especially for solid-state battery manufacturing, which demands high uniformity and reduced energy use..

High-Speed Stacking and Advanced Storage Efficiency

LEAD also introduced two new high-efficiency stacking machines:

• Z-Type Slitting & Stacking All-in-One Machine — industry-leading speed of 0.075s per unit
• StackMaster Pro — a multi-format high-speed system reaching 0.1125s per unit

In the energy storage space, LEAD’s large-scale ESS assembly line attracted strong attention with:

• 15% higher output than industry averages
• 98.5% yield rate
• 85% continuous production efficiency

These technologies help battery manufacturers reduce cost per kilowatt-hour and improve reliability in high-capacity deployments.

Smart Factory Infrastructure and Digital Intelligence

LEAD further advanced its vision for intelligent manufacturing by introducing its Hy Intelligent Platform—a smart factory control and optimization system that integrates:

• Full-space 3D machine vision
• AI-driven defect detection for real-time quality assurance
• Precision fluidics for controlled material delivery
• Cross-platform data synchronization and adaptive feedback control

Designed for high-precision battery module and pack production, the Hy Platform enables significant gains in production yield, process transparency, and automated decision-making, marking a key milestone in the industry’s digital transformation.

Intelligent Logistics for Modern Battery Factories

LEAD’s upgraded smart logistics system was also introduced, tailored for the complexity of lithium battery manufacturing. Key features include:

• AI-powered scheduling algorithms
• Modular, flexible internal transport systems
• Seamless integration with MES and factory execution platforms

The system optimizes material flow, reduces handling times, and ensures synchronized operations—supporting higher throughput and plant-wide efficiency.

Recognized for Safety and Industry Collaboration

On the opening day of the event, LEAD received the TÜV SÜD Safety Compliance Excellence Award, recognizing its outstanding commitment to safety and regulatory best practices.

The company also welcomed a delegation from the Volta Foundation, reinforcing its role as a trusted partner in driving innovation and collaboration within the global energy ecosystem.

A Sustainable, Scalable Future

As battery manufacturers face mounting pressure to reduce carbon emissions, LEAD is providing critical tools to enable zero-carbon smart manufacturing. Its environmentally conscious equipment designs, efficient processes, and lifecycle-optimized platforms help customers reduce energy usage, cut emissions, and improve long-term cost performance.

A Convergence of Expertise and Vision

The delegation included representatives from Bayern Innovativ’s Automotive Cluster and other innovation areas. Through guided tours, thematic presentations, and interactive breakout sessions, we explored a range of forward-looking topics—e-mobility, connected vehicle systems, automation, digital manufacturing, and sustainable supply chains.

The event reflected not only LEAD’s innovation-driven mission but also the broader momentum behind Bavaria’s strategic transformation efforts.

A Broader Framework: The Cluster-Offensive Bayern

This visit took place within the framework of the Cluster-Offensive Bayern, a strategic initiative of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy. Since 2006, the Cluster-Offensive has supported innovation through 17 industry-specific clusters, spanning key sectors including:

• Automotive & Mobility
• Digitalization & AI
• Life Sciences & Health Tech
• Advanced Materials & Lightweight Construction
• Sustainability & Circular Economy.

Each cluster is managed by a professional network that connects businesses with research institutions, start-ups, and policymakers. The goal: to foster collaboration, accelerate technology transfer, and strengthen Bavaria’s competitiveness as a global innovation hub.

The Automotive Cluster, of which LEAD is a proud member, plays a central role in this ecosystem. It brings together manufacturers, suppliers, tech companies, and academic partners to work jointly on the future of mobility—whether through shared R&D projects, best-practice exchanges, or policy dialogue. Areas of focus include electric and hydrogen propulsion, vehicle digitalization, lightweight construction, and circular economy models for the automotive value chain.

A Day of Insight and Opportunity

Throughout the visit, participants gained valuable insights into LEAD’s contributions to the automotive and manufacturing industries. The company’s cutting-edge intelligent systems, scalable automation solutions, and sustainable production technologies are closely aligned with the goals of the Cluster-Offensive Bayern: enabling digital transformation, promoting innovation, and building cross-sector collaboration.

Interactive sessions facilitated the exchange of ideas and exploration of innovation priorities, laying the groundwork for future partnerships, joint development programs, and collaborative research initiatives across the cluster network.

Strengthening LEAD’s Role in Bavaria’s Innovation Landscape

By participating in the Cluster-Offensive Bayern, LEAD is positioned at the heart of one of Germany’s most dynamic innovation networks. This engagement allows the company to work closely with top experts across industries and contribute to the development of cutting-edge industry standards and transformative strategies.

Thank You

LEAD extends its sincere gratitude to Bayern Innovativ and all visiting network members for an inspiring and productive day. The visit stands as a powerful reminder of the progress that’s possible when collaboration fuels innovation.

We look forward to continued partnership, knowledge-sharing, and joint initiatives within the Automotive Cluster and the broader Cluster-Offensive Bayern.

The Teverola 2 plant will feature multiple high-efficiency lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery production lines and is expected to reach a total annual production capacity of 8 gigawatt-hours (GWh). The new facility will play a pivotal role in advancing Europe’s battery manufacturing capabilities and supporting the EU’s green energy transition and sustainability goals.

Scope of the Project

LEAD’s comprehensive EOL solution will cover key stages of the production process, including electrolyte filling, formation, and final inspection. The system is designed to meet the most stringent efficiency, safety, and quality standards, giving FAAM a strong competitive edge in the global battery market.

Key Features and Advantages

• High Efficiency & Low Energy Consumption: Integration of advanced charge-discharge technology with a DC system optimizes energy use and reduces the production footprint, significantly lowering operating costs.
• Ultimate Cost Reduction: LEAD’s innovative negative pressure tray formation technology reduces the cleanroom space required for formation by up to 90%, dramatically decreasing maintenance and operational expenses.
• Precision Temperature Control: The system is equipped with intelligent thermal management, providing accurate and stable temperature control for each battery cell throughout the formation process.
• Enhanced Plant Safety: A fully integrated fire protection system ensures robust safety during the formation and grading phases, aligning with industry best practices and standards.

This partnership with FAAM represents another milestone in LEAD’s ongoing commitment to accelerating clean energy innovation and delivering smart, integrated manufacturing solutions to the European market. Through this collaboration, LEAD is helping to build a world-class facility that embodies the future of sustainable energy storage.

About FAAM

Founded in 1974, FAAM – Energy Saving Battery is a leading Italian manufacturer of lithium and lead-acid batteries, specializing in energy storage solutions for sectors including electric mobility, renewable energy, and industrial applications. As a wholly owned subsidiary of SERI Industrial S.p.A., FAAM is committed to sustainable innovation, utilizing green materials and vertical integration in its production processes. The company plays a significant role in the European battery value chain and is actively involved in the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) on batteries. FAAM’s operations encompass the entire battery lifecycle, from material sourcing and cell production to battery management systems and end-of-life recycling, supporting the transition to a circular economy.

A central voice in LEAD’s presence at the event was Dr. Hannes Weinmann, Head of the International Technical Center at LEAD Germany, who delivered a compelling keynote presentation and participated in a high-level panel discussion—sharing firsthand knowledge from years of hands-on experience in scaling gigafactory production.

Leading Conversations Around Smart Manufacturing

In his keynote, titled “Accelerating Factory Ramp-Up and Enhancing Production Efficiency with Innovative Manufacturing Solutions,” Dr. Weinmann outlined practical strategies for increasing production output and reducing operational complexity through advanced automation and intelligent systems. Drawing from LEAD’s integrated approach, he emphasized the importance of precision engineering, system connectivity, and adaptable design in meeting the rapidly growing demand for battery cells.

Industry Insight: Scaling Smarter, Not Just Bigger

Later that day, during the panel “Global EV Trends Shaping Regional Strategies,” Dr. Weinmann joined a discussion with industry peers focused on the shifting dynamics of the battery and electric vehicle sectors. He addressed two timely topics:

• The potential for further cost optimization in battery production, particularly through process refinement and data-driven efficiencies.
• The ramp-up challenges faced by both emerging European gigafactories and Asian manufacturers expanding into the region, including supply chain localization, regulatory hurdles, and the need for skilled labor.

His perspective helped bridge technical and strategic thinking—offering valuable context for stakeholders navigating the complexities of regional expansion.

An Ongoing Commitment to Industry Collaboration

“Our mission at LEAD is to go beyond building machines — we build the intelligent systems that power the energy transition. As demand for batteries accelerates globally, we believe that efficiency, adaptability, and cross-border collaboration are the keys to sustainable growth.” said Dr. Weinmann. “Events like The Battery Show are essential for exchanging ideas and shaping a shared understanding of where our industry is heading.”

LEAD’s participation at The Battery Show Middle East underscores its role as a trusted partner to battery manufacturers looking to scale smarter and operate more efficiently in today’s fast-moving energy landscape.

About the Customer

The customer is a leading enterprise in new energy, recognized for its robust technical capabilities, large-scale production facilities, extensive customer network, and significant industry influence. Specializing in the R&D, manufacturing, and sales of polymer battery cells for consumer electronics (3C), the customer holds a dominant position domestically and maintains extensive partnerships with internationally recognized brands.

Challenges in Battery Welding Inspection

Ultrasonic welding is a critical technology in battery manufacturing. With increasing demands for diverse battery specifications, manufacturers must quickly adapt welding parameters to meet customer requirements. However, existing inspection methods, primarily relying on In-Process Quality Control (IPQC) spot checks combined with 3σ algorithms, present notable limitations:

• Low Reliability: IPQC inherently carries missed detection risks, leading to unseen traceability and inspection costs.
• High False Alarm Rate: Current 3σ algorithm models are rigid, lack adaptability, and are prone to errors, causing discrepancies in welding quality across different equipment.

LEAD’s AI Welding Inspection Solution and Value

LEAD introduced an AI-driven welding inspection and early warning solution explicitly designed to enhance accuracy, significantly reducing false alarms and missed detections. After extensive trials—five rounds of customer-side pilot verifications covering approximately 150,000 data points—the solution consistently demonstrated superior detection capabilities.

Recognizing the technology’s transformative potential, the customer integrated LEAD’s AI system as an essential component of their production lines, aiming to reduce missed detections completely and lower false alarms to less than 1 ppm.

• Minimal Production Impact: LEAD implemented a customized data acquisition strategy, gathering extensive samples onsite and rigorously analyzing data. Algorithms and models were tailored based on existing customer infrastructure, validated offline, refined through live trials, and seamlessly deployed across the production line.
• Cost Reduction: Following AI deployment, the customer reported 138 fewer false alarms for cathode products on a single line within just 11 days, saving approximately 7.93€ per day. Factoring in a manual inspection time of 10 minutes per product, this equates to a notable 26% reduction in labor costs per line.
• Long-term Capacity Enhancement: The integration of LEAD’s AI welding inspection significantly improved overall production efficiency, reduced manual quality checks, and eased production capacity constraints. The solution demonstrated sustained economic benefits and productivity gains.

The deployment exceeded expectations, achieving a 90% reduction in false alarms and completely eliminating missed detections. The customer praised LEAD’s solution, stating, "The deployment significantly enhanced our production line’s welding inspection quality and efficiency, greatly reducing maintenance downtimes, easing internal pressures, and significantly improving team collaboration and morale."

AI’s effectiveness relies not only on powerful algorithms but also on deep insights into manufacturing processes. LEAD combines extensive industry experience with cutting-edge technologies—including IoT, big data, AI, and edge computing—to deliver precise, efficient, and flexible manufacturing solutions. With over 50 industry-specific applications developed, LEAD continues to empower customers to achieve excellence in lithium battery production through its comprehensive LEADACE Intelligent Platform.

Proprietary Technology Enhancing Equipment Performance

The newly developed 100MW perovskite photovoltaic pilot line is among the first of its kind in China, integrating LEAD’s proprietary large-width perovskite planar coating system. Designed for slot-die coating of perovskite layers, modification layers, and other functional components in perovskite production and pilot lines, this system incorporates several groundbreaking technologies, including:

• Dual-drive gantry motion system ensuring precision and stability.
• Air isolation vibration system enhancing coating uniformity and process stability.
• High-precision feeding system delivering consistent material application.

These technological innovations enable high-speed coating at rates exceeding 50mm/s while maintaining exceptional uniformity across large surfaces, ensuring a stable and efficient production process.

Efficient Project Execution Earning Customer Recognition

LEAD’s customer-centric approach and operational excellence were instrumental in the swift deployment of the new coating system. The machine reached full production status within just one week of installation, enabling the launch of qualified products within the following month.

The customer expressed their appreciation for LEAD’s outstanding support, stating:
“As we embark on a new year, we sincerely appreciate the outstanding support and professional, efficient service provided by the LEAD project team. The precise technical insights from mechanical engineers, the rapid commissioning and guidance from on-site engineers, and the quick response and program optimization from electrical engineers all reflect the team’s exceptional expertise and dedication. This collaboration has been a great success, and we look forward to working with LEAD in the future to achieve even greater milestones together.”

Strong Industry Expertise Driving Competitive Advantage

With extensive experience and technological innovations in photovoltaics, lithium-ion batteries, and hydrogen energy sectors, LEAD continues to drive advancements in perovskite technology, accelerating the commercialization of perovskite solar cells. The company now possesses the capability to supply near-gigawatt-scale mass production coating equipment, spanning perovskite production lines, pilot lines, and laboratory-scale solutions.

With over two decades of expertise in customized non-standard equipment design, LEAD provides comprehensive structural optimization and software customization services, ensuring its customers maintain a competitive edge.

Commitment to Clean Energy Innovation

As global demand for clean energy surges, perovskite solar cells are rapidly transitioning from laboratory research to large-scale industrialization, positioning themselves as a game-changer in the renewable energy sector. Moving forward, LEAD remains committed to pioneering technological advancements, driving perovskite adoption into broader markets, and contributing to the sustainable growth of the clean energy industry.

The South Korean client is a globally renowned battery manufacturer with a substantial market share in both the electric vehicle (EV) and digital battery sectors. It is a key supplier to several world-class automotive and digital product brands.

Enhanced Manufacturing and Design

With the collaboration, LEAD has introduced a suite of innovative technologies to comprehensively upgrade manufacturing processes. The integrated cutting and stacking equipment have demonstrated remarkable technical advantages, setting new industry benchmarks:

• Exceptional Manufacturing Precision

LEAD’s equipment has achieved cutting accuracy of ±0.05mm and a Process Capability Index (CPK) value exceeding 1.33 during production trials, representing the highest standards in the industry. Stacking precision also surpassed previous benchmarks, reaching exceptional performance.

• Improved Overall Efficiency

With optimized equipment structures, LEAD has enhanced efficiency by 25%, increasing standard smartphone battery production to 5PPM, which is a significant milestone for digital battery manufacturing.

• Streamlined Commissioning

Leveraging digital tools such as intelligent commissioning, automation, and data-driven technologies, LEAD has improved process consistency, reduced ramp-up times, and significantly shortened overall project delivery cycles. 

Strategic Partnership Positive Outcome

During production validation, LEAD’s integrated cutting and stacking machine has demonstrated outstanding productivity and operational stability. The LEAD team’s optimization capabilities, pragmatic approach, and commitment to technical excellence have earned high praise from the South Korean client, underscoring the value of this strategic partnership.

Batteries play a crucial role in portable, high-performance, and long-lasting digital products. Precision in digital battery manufacturing and equipment efficiency is crucial for improving battery performance, ensuring consumer safety, and reducing production costs.

“Through our strategic partnership with the South Korean client, long-standing challenges in high-precision and technical process control have been resolved, elevating battery performance to the next level,” explained LEAD Chairman Yanqing Wang. “We possess extensive experience in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries, allowing us to provide customized solutions for battery manufacturers across various sectors such as new energy vehicles, consumer electronics, and energy management. This expertise enables manufacturers to achieve transformative advancements in efficiency, quality, and technology.”