Enter SML, an Austria-based extrusion plant manufacturer specialising in the development of machinery and equipment for the separator film called LiBS film. SML, one of the world leaders has delivered many production lines for premium separator film, mainly to Asian battery manufacturers and associated companies, over the last decade.
“We generally develop our machinery in close cooperation with customers and our vast experience. We understand what matters the most in this highly specialised business,” states Alexander Buckmüller, Product Manager at SML.
Enabling High-End Extrusion Expertise Worldwide
Established in 1967, SML has been a privately owned engineering and machine manufacturing company since 1995. Today, it has 300 employees and an annual turnover of €150 million. The company operates worldwide, with branch offices in Malaysia, China, and the U.S., while more than 97 percent of the machinery manufactured at its headquarters in Austria is exported.
SML excels in high-end extrusion machinery, with production lines for separator films being an important segment. Its entire product range extends to machinery for plastic packaging films, logistics-driven stretch films, films for thermoforming applications, extrusion-coated and laminated multilayer structures and technical multifilament-yarns, showcasing its versatile expertise in the extrusion field.
Prioritizing Sustainable Production
Li-Ion battery separator films can be made of different materials and produced in various processes. Among these methods, the dry process stands out as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective choice as it does not require solvents and showcases markedly lower energy consumption.
The costs for raw materials are lower in the dry process, as it uses standard and moderate-priced polypropylene (PP) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resins. In contrast, the wet process requires relatively expensive, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UMWPE) application. Compared to the wet process, the dry process is less complex and it facilitates a more efficient and eco-friendly production.
Production Pre-requisites for Li-Ion Battery Separators
The main purpose of separators is to keep the two electrodes apart and prevent electrical short circuits. It simultaneously allows the transport of ionic charge carriers needed to close the circuit during the passage of current in an electrochemical cell. To fulfil these functions, separator film in lithium-ion batteries must meet specific quality requirements:
● Maximum quality - film free of surface defects
● Thin gauge and uniform film thickness
● Optimum porosity
● Good mechanical properties to withstand physical stress
● Chemical stability
●Dimensional stability - preserving shape at various temperatures
SML’s Leadership in the Electromobility Sector
Amid the rapidly growing electromobility market, rising demand for energy storage systems, and various governmental initiatives to set up new production facilities for batteries, SML anticipates a meteoric rise in the need for separator films and solutions that can reliably produce them. With its LiBS lines, SML has been successful in the market for its separator film machines for over a decade. Its success can be attributed to a global technology leadership that drives early market entry, constant R&D efforts, extensive experience in developing cast film lines, and its close interaction and trusting relationships with customers.
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