PNT supplies equipment for Samsung SDI’s Gen 5 battery

PNT has supplied its new battery assembly equipment to Samsung SDI’s factory in Goed, Hungary, TheElec has learned.

The equipment will be used to manufacture Samsung’s Gen 5 battery, which increased the energy density by over 20% to its predecessor.

PNT has supplied notching equipment used to notch that tabs at the either ends of the battery.

The equipment uses blade-shaped molds to press the tabs. PNT is expected to supply around 10 units in total. Some of the units has already been installed at the factory since December last year.

The precise terms of PNT’s contract with Samsung SDI is unknown. However, as each notching equipment costs around 2 billion won, the deal is expected to be worth tens of billions of wons.

PNT has so far been known more for its coaters than notching equipment. The company is also planning to push stacking equipment. Samsung SDI is currently using Philenergy as the vendor for stacking equipment to manufacture Gen 5 batteries.

Samsung SDI is planing to use press notching equipment in Gen 5 battery production, at least for the short term, they are manufactured using the stacking method instead of the previous jelly roll method. The company is also developing laser notching technology. PNT has also began research and development for laser notching equipment.

Before Gen 5, Samsung SDI used Philenergy’s laser notching equipment but is returning back to conventional press notching equipment for its latest battery, a person familiar with the matter said. As Samsung plans to expand its plant in Hungary several years down the road, it is highly likely that it will eventually use laser notching again in the next production line there, they said.

Samsung SDI is planning to invest in its factory at Hungary up to 2030. It is planning to eventually operate two factories there, each with a monthly production rate of 6 million cells and 12 million cells, totaling 18 million cells. It is preparing for mass production of Gen 5 batteries, which will use nickel, cobalt and aluminum (NCA) cathode and use the stacking method to produce.