New Laser Processes for Battery Recycling

Trumpf has developed efficient laser processes for recycling electric car batteries. This should make it possible to recycle batteries on an industrial scale.

Laser specialist Trumpf has introduced new laser systems that can safely cut open used batteries and remove the valuable raw materials from the battery foil. Used or faulty batteries from electric cars can now be recycled on an industrial scale. "Trumpf can draw on extensive expertise in laser welding and cutting for the production of e-car batteries. We have been working with all leading car and battery manufacturers for years. We have incorporated this experience into the development of the new processes," says Hagen Zimer, CEO Laser Technology at Trumpf.
The foil strips in batteries are coated with materials such as cobalt and nickel. In a future recycling plant, laser processes can remove the wafer-thin layer from the foil. The dust can be collected and processed for new coatings. The laser processes also enable automated dismantling of battery packs, for example to remove covers from batteries or to cut off cables. The raw materials can then be sorted and battery cells that are still usable can be directly separated and recycled. Until now, dismantling has often been done by hand. The new laser processes were presented at the Battery Show Europe 2024 in Stuttgart.

This is a partly automated translation of this german article.