In Bienne, the Swiss Advanced Manufacturing Center (SAMC) collaborates with Battery Consult AG and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) to revolutionize the assembly of salt batteries. To achieve this, SAMC's blue laser comes into play.
Salt vs. Lithium
Originally explored in the 1970s, salt battery technology (or sodium batteries) is now considered a viable and sustainable alternative to lithium batteries for energy storage. Smaller in size, salt batteries have a long lifespan, thereby reducing final costs. At the end of their lifecycle, they can be recycled and reused in the stainless steel industry. Furthermore, unlike their lithium counterparts, salt batteries are safer because they cannot burn or explode.
LISA and Its Blue Laser
The assembly of next-generation salt batteries currently relies on a ceramic and metal assembly technique using a special furnace. This energy-intensive process leads to long manufacturing times. The entire challenge of the LISA project lies in the ability to directly assemble the ceramic part to the metal part using a so-called “blue” laser, named for its wavelength, a technology available at SAMC's laboratory within the Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne. Compared to infrared lasers, the blue spectrum variant “is more effective for fusing ceramic and metal because its absorption factor is higher for these materials,” explains Andreas Burn, director of SAMC. Specifically, the energy of the laser is converted more efficiently into heat, enabling rapid and effective heating while increasing the precision of welds. “LISA is one of those projects where you can immediately see the potential for revolutionary change,” emphasizes Andreas Burn.
Three Questions for Andreas Burn, Head of Swiss Advanced Manufacturing Center
- What role does SAMC play in the LISA project?
SAMC specializes in developing and implementing innovative laser processes for industrial production. In the LISA project, we optimize the assembly of batteries using the blue laser. - What other applications does this technology allow for?
Applications in power electronics, packaging for high-precision electro-optical systems, and battery connections are promising uses for the blue laser. - What are the concrete market prospects for the LISA project?
Salt batteries are an excellent local alternative to lithium batteries for energy storage from solar panels. More efficient and cheaper, our process for assembling ceramic and metal presents a disruptive advantage in this market.