The requirements are increasing rapidly: Significantly more batteries are to be produced in ever better quality. German mechanical engineering company INOMETA is responding to this trend by commissioning several automatic production cells for the manufacture of web guide rollers with functional surfaces. Integrated measurement technology enables reproducible precision production under the highest cleanliness requirements and direct quality control during the procedure. This is particularly important when processing sensitive materials such as electrode and separator foils. The combination of lightweight materials and individually applied coatings minimizes mechanical stresses and material-related tolerances – resulting in increased web stability and a reduced material scrap rate.
Coating for the functionalization of roller surfaces
In addition to mechanical precision, the quality of the roller surface is a key parameter for ensuring smooth production processes. INOMETA therefore offers numerous functional PROTEK® coatings that combine corrosion and wear protection with non-stick properties and electrostatic discharge capacity. The required properties are specifically tailored for use with separator films and electrode webs and are said to make a significant contribution to process reliability and product quality.
Real-time process monitoring
In addition, the INOMETA system is able to continuously record the web tension forces during ongoing production. The high-precision measurement of mechanical tensions in the range of 0 to 2 N/m enables active monitoring of critical process variables – for example when processing sensitive films or coated substrates. Through integration into higher-level control systems, web stability can be optimized, waste reduced, and process quality sustainably increased. Web tension measurement technology thus forms the basis for data-driven process control and quality assurance in real time.
Electrically heated rollers for sensitive processes
With its rollers from the INOheat® series, INOMETA also offers a solution for temperature-critical applications such as drying coatings, tempering substrates, or preconditioning sensitive materials. The electrically heated rollers are characterized by uniform temperature distribution, fast response times, and precise temperature control, which the company claims ensures high energy efficiency and process reliability. Highly precise and fast temperature control is particularly important when processing sensitive materials and in processes with short reaction times. Compared to media-based heating rollers, which rely on heated water or oil, the INOheat® rollers do not need any external heating media, which reduces energy requirements and maintenance costs. In addition, there is no need to replace and dispose of heating fluids. Connections and pipe systems, which are highly susceptible to leaks, are replaced by electronics, resulting in a significant increase in reliability and ease of maintenance.
Special winding cores reduce material requirements
With the companyʼs proprietary WinCore® winding cores, INOMETA contributes to energy savings in the winding process thanks to their high mechanical rigidity and low weight. Compared to conventional cardboard cores, WinCore® technology offers significantly greater dimensional stability, which is particularly advantageous for precise winding processes. The use of high-performance materials results in a considerably longer service life, a high re-use rate of more than 1,000 as well as precise concentricity properties and moisture resistance. This qualifies the sleeves for use in dry rooms in battery production and for clean room applications. An integrated winding aid facilitates the start of the winding process and reduces set-up times. The cut-resistant surface protects the core when trimming the web materials and allows it to be re-used several times without any loss of quality. This helps to reduce the use of disposable materials as well as the amount of production waste and increase process efficiency in sensitive manufacturing environments such as battery production.
Calender roll refurbishment extends service life
In addition to manufacturing new precision rollers, INOMETA offers a specialized recoating and bearing service for chrome-coated calender rollers, which are typically used in the electrode production of lithium-ion batteries. During reconditioning, worn rolls are systematically disassembled, cleaned, inspected, and fitted with high-quality bearing units. Furthermore, the chrome layer is replaced with a durable PROTEK® carbide surface. The refurbishment significantly extends the service life of the rollers while maintaining the same high level of process reliability. In addition to conserving resources, this leads to an increase in cost-effectiveness for plant operators, as existing components can continue to be used and material cycles can be closed.
Digitalization and life cycle management
With its INOid® platform for managing and identifying production components, the company ensures that products are given a digital identity that can be retrieved via QR code or NFC to provide immediate access to relevant documents and data. The solution is manufacturer-independent and enables efficient asset management of web-guiding components. It can also be integrated into existing systems and retrofitted, which leads to increased transparency, efficiency, and process reliability. INOid® also provides access to a manufacturer-independent service network for maintenance, repair, and optimization. The platform thus enables end-to-end digitalization and optimization of the entire production cycle.
Sustainability and resource efficiency
According to INOMETA, all of its developments are geared towards high energy and material efficiency. By using durable materials, recyclable components, and digitally supported maintenance concepts, the product portfolio contributes to reducing the ecological footprint of battery production. The modular design of numerous system components also allows flexible adaptation to customer-specific requirements and new process generations.
Participants of the “Battery Show Europe”
INOMETA will be presenting its complete product and service portfolio for battery production at “The Battery Show Europe 2025” from June 3rd to 5th in hall 9, booth E36 at Messe Stuttgart. Trade visitors will find out about the latest developments in the field of precision rollers, functional surfaces, and digital offerings for the web-processing industry and exchange ideas with experts.
