ASP2 has as its goal:

• To develop of innovative high‐speed testbed and test procedures for e‐drive components
• To develop innovative products and test methodologies for e‐drive (bearing system in the loop)
• To create success stories supported by data analytics
• To develop innovative fuel cell designs enabling production cost decrease /performance increase
• To identify cost‐efficient bipolar plate materials and corresponding manufacturing processes
• To adapt production lines from conventional ICE assembly line to FC stack and BOP assembly line (Production Engineering for AVL customers)
• To adapt production line for high‐voltage battery assembly and fuel cell stack assembly (AVL BIC)
• To gain experience of production‐based bearing systems behavior of high‐speed bearing system
• To investigate the influence of manufacturing and assembly tolerances on the bearing system behavior, e.g. noise, vibration, harshness, load‐based bearing system temperature and the testbed behavior in general
• To investigate the general conditions and new opportunities to use the classification algorithms based on image data in the field of testbed monitoring combined with mechanical measurands.

The project starts with a literature in the topic of fuel‐cell component assembly line and for high‐speed bearing systems for electric powertrains systems. The literature results will be summarized in a state‐of‐the‐art report. The requirements definition for a new assembly line and the high‐speed bearing systems will be set based on literature outcome and further developed with workshops along the company partners and Pro²Future on‐site visits of the existing production system in mobility. Defining the requirements will embrace machine, process, human and quality aspects.

Based on the requirements definition, the workflow, instrumentation and testing design will be initiated. After an ideation phase, possible concepts for assembly workflows for fuel‐cell component and testing of high‐speed bearing systems will be derived. These concepts will be evaluated based on the defined requirements. A simulation model proves the derived best‐performing concept and is used for further optimization. This optimization is done via specific simulation tools, e.g. Siemens PlantSimulation for assembly and e.g. MKS for testbed. It helps to identify and focus on critical issues in highly flexible assembly lines and high‐speed systems. The identification of the critical issues will be supported by the classification algorithms based on image data which are recorded on the testbed and illustrate the testbed behavior.

The implementation phase transfers the optimized best‐performing concept for both use‐cases onto shopfloor and laboratory. Connecting and testing hard‐ and software systems (e.g. cobot with manufacturing execution system, high‐speed bearing testbed) will be the focus in this workpackage. First, a prototype of the assembly line/workstation/ high‐speed bearing systems is built‐up at Institute of Production Engineering and Institute of Machine Component and Development Methods at TU Graz. Further from the prototype, two adaptions will be derived for the fuel cell component assembly and high‐speed bearing systems, which are transferred to the company partner AVL. Verification and validation are followed post the implementation and installation of the two adaptions at company partners. The focus lies on acceptability of new technologies by the workers/testbed engineers, safety for workers, personalized workspace adaption as well as performance of high‐speed bearing systems. The outcomes are two best‐practice use‐cases for design, implementation and evaluation of a high‐performance fuel‐cell assembly lines and Design‐for‐Production recommendations resulted by the high‐speed bearing systems.

The results of the project can be stated in general as a new approach for future assembly and production line adaptation, considering the human as a critical success factor. Implementation, verification and validation of a new production concept generates a unique selling proposition:

Considering the use‐case fuel‐cell component assembly, innovative fuel‐cell designs (based on design for efficient assembly), which enables a decrease in production costs will be developed. Furthermore, a strategy for production line adaptation for high‐voltage battery assembly, fuel cell assembly, e‐motor and fuel‐cell can be derived.

Considering the use‐case testbed and test procedures for high‐speed bearing systems for electric powertrains systems, a beyond state‐of‐the‐art testbed will be developed to investigate the influence of manufacturing and assembly tolerances on the bearing system behavior. The generated data assists to optimize the assembly line towards increasing quality and flexibility. On the top of that, we will acquire knowledge about the conditions under which classification algorithms based on image data can be used combined with mechanical measurands.