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Perfect tool to meet the ambitious goals of the Inflation Reduction Act

By combining their respective competencies, the three German companies VON ARDENNE (Dresden), Weil Technology (Müllheim) and ZELTWANGER (Tübingen), as partners in the GFC, offer manufacturers of fuel cell systems and electrolyzers fully comprehensive know-how for the efficient production of metallic bipolar plates.

The concept of a fully coordinated production line plays a pioneering role in the market. And, with an annual production capacity of several million bipolar plates, it serves the current needs of the industry. Thus, the production line perfectly meets the requirements for achieving the ambitious goals of ramping up the production of green hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles, motivated by the tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act.

The long-standing expertise of the three mechanical engineering companies covers all process steps. And the joint development and careful coordination of the line concept enables smooth transitions at the interfaces of the individual production steps. To this end, the line processes pre-stamped half-plates made of stainless steel or titanium. In a first step, these are welded into bipolar plates, which are then leaktested before they receive a PVD coating to functionalize their surface.

With their extensive shared knowledge of the complex value chain and high degree of specialization in the sub-processes, the three GFC companies can develop a customized production line together with their customers. These specification-compliant production lines optimally integrate the various customer-specific approaches.

VON ARDENNE contributes its expertise in the development and manufacturing of vacuum coating systems used to functionalize surfaces of metal strip (pre-coating) or bipolar plates (post-coating). Weil Technology is an experienced supplier of equipment in the field of laser cutting and laser welding of metallic bipolar plates. ZELTWANGER provides the equipment for automated assembly and testing processes as well as leak testing into the production chain.

GERMAN FUEL CELL COOPERATION – Booth
Date: June 28 – 29, 2023
Booth: 1270, NRG Center, Houston, Texas
Web: www.fuel-cell-cooperation.com | www.hydrogen-expo.com

About Weil Technology

As a machine builder and solution provider, Weil Technology helps to implement new production processes in sheet metal processing and to optimize, automate and make more sustainable existing sheet metal processing.

The company’s core expertise is machines for sheet metal processing via laser welding and laser cutting. Weil Technology can look back on over 30 years of experience here. At the company head office in Müllheim in Bavaria, approximately 220 employees develop and produce custom concepts and systems.

About ZELTWANGER

The companies of the ZELTWANGER group are among the technology and innovation leaders in the development and manufacture of modern systems for automation, leak testing, laser applications and thermal management.

In the e-mobility industry, ZELTWANGER offers various solutions along the entire value-added chain for the production and quality assurance of battery systems, fuel cells and electric motors.

The modular devices and systems for the sealing and functional testing can easily be expanded by using plug-and-play measurement modules, which is unique on the market in this form. Moreover, ZELTWANGER develops and realizes high-end automation systems, such as stacking systems for the fuel cell industry.