Battery Cell Subassembly Automation

Summary

This team is collaborating with Wisk Aero, an aerospace manufacturer in Mountain View, CA, to develop an automated assembly line for battery packs powering their Generation 6 eVTOL aircraft. The team focuses on automating the stacking and installation of battery cells, a process that currently requires manual loading. The solution involves a SCARA robot with vacuum suction cups to pick and place cells and foam pads. A separate flipper station is used to alternate the battery leads in the stack as required. The cells and pads are stacked in a custom magazine, ready for the next stage in the assembly process.