Robotic Automation Speeds Up Lion Electric’s EV Battery Production
MJC Engineering beat supply delays with FANUC America, delivering a precision CNC spinning machine on time for hydrogen storage and clean energy applications.
Challenges
- Lion needed to produce their own battery to have better control of their supply chain.
- Minimal time to create a product prototype and scale up the production process.
- Needed a cost-effective solution.
Results
Lion Electric and JR Automation developed a cohesive team that tackled the project as one unit working towards the same goals.
In a matter of months, the team scaled up the system to deliver a fully automated solution.
The system is a prime example of JR Automation's ability to design complex, large-scale systems for its customers.
Story
According to Lion Electric, in the EV space, there’s a big advantage to producing your own battery, which is the most expensive component in an electric vehicle.
In a traditional product launch, companies create and perfect a product prototype before implementing or revising the manufacturing system. However, with minimal time to get up and running, Lion Electric needed the product design and battery production process to be on point as quickly as possible to meet customer demands.
The collaborative relationship with JR Automation, a Hitachi Group Company, allowed both teams to work closely together to achieve their goals quickly. While the Lion team worked on the development of battery components, the JR team was able to flag and identify any potential obstacles that could happen in production. This process allowed JR’s engineers to gain a better understanding of the types of materials required for the application, along with dispensing and other techniques related to battery production. The result was a highly effective and safe automated battery production process.
The system includes a variety of FANUC robots and other automation equipment that will be an integral part of Lion Electric's new production facility. The automated system enables Lion to scale production and keep operating costs at a manageable level.
We had to get the product right, the process right, and the suppliers right on the first try, it was fantastic working with the JR team.
Diego Castro Battery Plant General Manager – Lion ElectricFANUC Products Used
M-10iD/12
The FANUC M‑10iD/12 is a compact 6 axis robot that reaches the highest axis speed and precision in its class.
- Max Payload:
- 12 kg
- Reach:
- 1441 mm
M-900iB/400L
The FANUC M‑900iB/400L is a long arm 6 axis heavy payload robot with 400 kg payload for processes requiring heavy-weight handling within a wider work envelope.
- Max Payload:
- 400 kg
- Reach:
- 3704 mm
R-2000iC/125L
Equipped with 6 axes for ultimate flexibility, the FANUC R‑2000iC/125L robot is capable of handling heavy loads precisely within a generous work envelope
- Max Payload:
- 125 kg
- Reach:
- 3100 mm
M-20iB/25
The FANUC M‑20iB/25 is a compact 6 axis robot that has been designed to achieve faster cycles and increased throughput on a range of applications.
- Max Payload:
- 25 kg
- Reach:
- 1853 mm
About Lion Electric Co.
The Lion Electric Co. is an innovative manufacturer of zero-emission vehicles. Lion designs and manufactures all-electric school buses, midi/minibuses for special needs or urban transit as well as urban trucks. Lion is a leading OEM in transportation electrification in North America. Lion’s capabilities include the design, manufacture, and assembly of many of their vehicles’ components, including chassis, battery packs, cabin and powertrain.
