As electrification of the auto industry continues to accelerate rapidly, demand for metals that enable the shift from traditional combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles is increasing.
REUTLINGEN, Germany—Manz AG has developed a new laser welding process for use in lithium-ion battery cell production applications. It claims that the technology has numerous advantages over traditional ultrasonic welding, such as fewer steps needed to attach tabs.
TAUNTON, MA—NASA’s “Ingenuity” autonomous helicopter that is flying above the surface of Mars is powered by six micromotors produced by Maxon Precision Motors Inc.
TOKYO—Engineers at Yamaha Motor Co. have developed a high-output motor for electric vehicle applications. The 350-kilowatt device features a compact package that treats the mechanical and electrical components as a single entity.
AACHEN, Germany—Engineers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology have developed a continuous assembly line that automatically makes fuel cell components and then assembles them into a stack.
TOKYO—Teijin Ltd. and Applied Electric Vehicles have developed a low-speed electric vehicle for autonomous driving systems and other mobility applications.