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A New Concept for Small Plate

Manufacturing Process

Marcello Fantoni
Sovema Group S.p.A. Sales Director
PRESENTATION OUTLINE 2

• Sovema Group S.p.A. Structure and Lead-Acid Product Offer

• Global Lead-Acid Consumption and Focus on Asian Markets:

• 2-Wheel Applications

• Sovema’s Strategy and Solutions for Small Plate Manufacturing:

1. Cast & Punch Grid Production Line CW 320/14
2. E-Bike: Small Plate-Pasting Line
MARKETS, BRANDS, AND PRODUCTS 3

Market by
Lead-Acid Energy Storage Lithium-Ion Energy Storage
Chemistry

Lead-Acid Battery Manufacturing: Li-Ion Cell & Battery Manufacturing:

Applications • SLI/AGM Batteries • Prismatic Cells
• Motive Power/Truck Batteries • Pouch Cells
• Stationary Power/Industrial Batteries • Modules & Packs

Brands

Production
Production Equipment
Formation
Products Equipment Testing for Cell, Formation Testing
Equipment
& Solutions for all MFG Equipment Module & Equipment Equipment
Phases Pack
Assembly
WORLD PRESENCE 4

• Headquarters: Villafranca di Verona, Italy

• Strong commercial worldwide presence
• Production facilities: Italy, United States, and China

BITRODE SOVEMA GLOBAL SOVEMA GROUP S.p.A. SOLITH WORKSHOP SOVEMA TIANJIN
CORPORATION SERVICES Inc. Villafranca di Verona Casalecchio di Reno BATTERY
Saint Louis Saint Louis (VR), (BO), ITALY EQUIPMENT Ltd.
Missouri - USA Missouri - USA ITALY Tianjin, CHINA
PRODUCTION PROCESS OVERVIEW 5

GRID MAKING CURING FORMATION

OXIDE MIXING & ASSEMBLY FINISHING

PRODUCTION PASTING
PRESENTATION OUTLINE 6

• Sovema Group S.p.A. Structure and Lead-Acid Product Offer

• Global Lead-Acid Consumption and Focus on Asian Markets:

• 2-Wheel Applications

• Sovema’s Strategy and Solutions for Small Plate Manufacturing:

1. Cast & Punch Grid Production Line CW 320/14
2. E-Bike: Small Plate-Pasting Line
GLOBAL LEAD ACID CONSUMPTION IN BATTERIES 7

Source: CHR Metals Ltd. – Presentation at ELBC 2016

2015 BREAKDOWN OF CHINA’S LEAD USE IN BATTERIES 8

Source: CHR Metals Ltd. – Presentation at ELBC 2016

PRESENTATION OUTLINE 9

• Sovema Group S.p.A. Group Structure and Lead-Acid Product Offer

• Global Lead-Acid Consumption and Focus on Asian Markets:

• 2-Wheel Applications

• Sovema’s Strategy and Solutions for Small Plate Manufacturing:

1. Cast & Punch Grid Production Line CW 320/14
2. E-Bike: Small Plate-Pasting Line
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SOVEMA’S STRATEGY

SOVEMA’S STRATEGY:

• Sovema considers the e-bike/tricycle LA battery market very strategic for its
growth and has been heavily investing in it.

• Sovema can now advance state-of-the-art solutions for the manufacturing

process of the very small plates used in this market.

KEY DRIVERS OF SOVEMA’S STRATEGY:

• Top technology for best quality products

• Strong Business Case for lead savings
• Full Process Automation
• Reduction of Environmental Pollution
SOVEMA’S PRODUCT SOLUTIONS 11

One solution for plate making specific for 2-wheel applications

SOVEMA’S PRODUCT SOLUTIONS 12

What normally the Market offers

to produce Punched Grid?

STRIP GRID
CASTING MAKING
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CAST & PUNCH GRID PRODUCTION LINE CW 320/14

CONTINUOUS PROCESS
from the lead ingots to the punched grids

Lead strip
flow

Scrap return
flow
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CAST & PUNCH GRID PRODUCTION LINE CW 320/14

SOVEMA’S SOLUTION:
• Combining two consolidated pieces of equipment into a single machine:
• Sovema’s Wide Strip Caster
• Sovema’s PunchPlus
• No lubricant needed in the punching process
• Continuous strip flow (no Stop&Go, no material stress)

IN-LINE GRID PUNCHING SYSTEM

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CAST & PUNCH GRID PRODUCTION LINE CW 320/14
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CAST & PUNCH GRID PRODUCTION LINE CW 320/14
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CAST & PUNCH GRID PRODUCTION LINE CW 320/14

An Example: 6 Punched Grids-Layout

1 2 3 4

98 mm
Indicative grid measure
Throughput: 1,500 Punched Grids/min • Height: ≈ 72 mm
• Length: ≈ 49 mm
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CAST & PUNCH GRID PRODUCTION LINE CW 320/14

An Example: 8 Punched Grids-Layout

1 2 3 4

114 mm
Indicative grid measure
• Height: ≈ 55 mm
Throughput: 2,000 Punched Grids/min • Length: ≈ 57 mm
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CAST & PUNCH GRID PRODUCTION LINE CW 320/14

PERFORMANCE:

Inlet Lead Strip Thickness Range: 0.7÷1.5 mm

Grid Thickness Range with deformation: 0.7÷2.6 mm

EXAMPLES:

6 Punched Grids-Layout Throughput: up to 24.5 m/min Punched Grids

8 Punched Grids-Layout Throughput: up to 28.5 m/min Punched Grids

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CAST & PUNCH GRID PRODUCTION LINE CW 320/14

KEY ADVANTAGES:

Compact footprint

Combined “CAST & PUNCH” WIP reduction

Clean scarp return (no oil) less dross production

Continuous flow of scrap returns from punching optimization of

new alloy batch preparation

Continuous process flow no stress on the grid

Production of rolled strips with a reduction ratio of 90% - 95% high

corrosion resistance

MORE EFFICIENCY and LEAD SAVINGS

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E-BIKE: SMALL PLATE-PASTING LINE

SOVEMA SOLUTION
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E-BIKE: SMALL PLATE-PASTING LINE

DRUM PASTER, DIVIDER and DRYER

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E-BIKE: SMALL PLATE-PASTING LINE

DRUM PASTER, DIVIDER and DRYER

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E-BIKE: SMALL PLATE-PASTING LINE

DIVIDER
DRYER
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E-BIKE: SMALL PLATE-PASTING LINE

PLATE CUTTER
AND STACKER
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E-BIKE: SMALL PLATE-PASTING LINE

PERFORMANCE:

Plate Thickness Range: 0.8÷2.8 mm

250 cut/minutes of grid strip

Process speed can be as high as 750 plates/min

(6 Punched Grids-Layout)

Process speed can be as high as 1,000 plates/min

(8 Punched Grids-Layout)
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E-BIKE: SMALL PLATE-PASTING LINE

KEY ADVANTAGES:

HIGH PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY

RELIABILITY AND CONSISTENCY OF THE PROCESS AND PRODUCT

REDUCTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION:

• Automation of all operations, from grid making to plate stacking
before curing
• Reduction of dust particle pollution thanks to plate cutting in
wet conditions

REDUCTION OF MANUAL LABOUR:

• Plates are handled in strings with dimensions large enough to
allow process automation in all production phases
SOVEMA’S STRATEGY 32

• Top technology for best quality products

• Strong Business Case for lead savings
• Full Process Automation
• Reduction of Environmental Pollution
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For additional information

visit us at our booths 68 & 69

info@sovemagroup.com
www.sovemagroup.com