A fixture unit for holding a prismatic battery cell during a coating step and during a curing step, including: at least one skirt element, which is movable between a coating position and a curing position and wherein the skirt element is configured to shield an area of the battery cell in the coating position and to un-shield the area of the battery cell in the curing position; and at least one grip element configured to hold the battery cell during the coating step and the curing step, wherein the grip element is configured to hold the battery cell in the area that is shielded by the skirt element in its coating position.

A fixture unit for holding a prismatic battery cell during a coating step and during a curing step, including: at least one skirt element, which is movable between a coating position and a curing position and wherein the skirt element is configured to shield an area of the battery cell in the coating position and to un-shield the area of the battery cell in the curing position; and at least one grip element configured to hold the battery cell during the coating step and the curing step, wherein the grip element is configured to hold the battery cell in the area that is shielded by the skirt element in its coating position.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prepreg includes a mechanism for continuously moving a fabric or mat and a resin application component that applies a methyl methacrylate (MMA) resin to the fabric or mat. The system also includes a press mechanism that presses the fabric or mat during the continuous movement subsequent to the application of the MMA resin to ensure that the MMA resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the fabric or mat is continuously moved. The curing oven is maintained at a temperature of between 40° C. and 100° C. to polymerize the MMA resin and thereby form PMMA so that upon exiting the curing oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with PMMA.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prepreg includes a mechanism for continuously moving a fabric or mat and a resin application component that applies a methyl methacrylate (MMA) resin to the fabric or mat. The system also includes a press mechanism that presses the fabric or mat during the continuous movement subsequent to the application of the MMA resin to ensure that the MMA resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the fabric or mat is continuously moved. The curing oven is maintained at a temperature of between 40° C. and 100° C. to polymerize the MMA resin and thereby form PMMA so that upon exiting the curing oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with PMMA.

An infrared heating device that appropriately sets positions of infrared lamps and a radiation thermometer relative to an object to be heated and is easily positioned includes: an infrared irradiator that irradiates infrared rays to an object to be heated to heat the object to be heated; a holding member that holds the infrared irradiator; a radiation thermometer that measures a temperature of a surface of the object; and a pair of laser pointers that irradiate laser beams to the surface of the object from different positions. The pair of laser pointers are disposed to cause the respective laser beams to be coincident in position with each other at one point on the surface of the object when a distance between the surface of the object and the infrared irradiator is a predetermined distance.

A coating system includes a plurality of liquid immersion workstations positioned along an arcuate path, the plurality of liquid immersion workstations defining a single complete coating process for a sequence of objects. A plurality of curing workstations are configured to independently receive objects of the sequence of objects exiting the plurality of liquid immersion workstations. An articulated robotic arm has a base positioned inside the arcuate path in top plan view such that the robotic arm is operable to carry each object of the sequence of objects through each of the plurality of liquid immersion workstations and to exactly one of the plurality of curing workstations. An articulated robotic hand is provided at a distal end of the robotic arm and configured to grasp and hold each of the objects and to oscillate the object while submerged in each of the plurality of liquid immersion workstations.

A coating system includes a plurality of liquid immersion workstations positioned along an arcuate path, the plurality of liquid immersion workstations defining a single complete coating process for a sequence of objects. A plurality of curing workstations are configured to independently receive objects of the sequence of objects exiting the plurality of liquid immersion workstations. An articulated robotic arm has a base positioned inside the arcuate path in top plan view such that the robotic arm is operable to carry each object of the sequence of objects through each of the plurality of liquid immersion workstations and to exactly one of the plurality of curing workstations. An articulated robotic hand is provided at a distal end of the robotic arm and configured to grasp and hold each of the objects and to oscillate the object while submerged in each of the plurality of liquid immersion workstations.

In a laser-assisted deposition system, a uniform layer of material is coated onto a donor substrate at a coating system, and portions of the material are jetted from the donor substrate to a receiving substrate at a printing unit, leaving residual portions of the material on the donor substrate. In order to not waste the residual portions of the material, the donor substrate with the residual portions of the material is returned to the coating system where the residual portions of the material are aggregated into a blob and subsequently recoated onto the donor substrate. The blob may be formed by translating the residual portions of the material towards an interface formed by two coating rollers, a squeegee and the donor substrate, or a film and the donor substrate.

In a laser-assisted deposition system, a uniform layer of material is coated onto a donor substrate at a coating system, and portions of the material are jetted from the donor substrate to a receiving substrate at a printing unit, leaving residual portions of the material on the donor substrate. In order to not waste the residual portions of the material, the donor substrate with the residual portions of the material is returned to the coating system where the residual portions of the material are aggregated into a blob and subsequently recoated onto the donor substrate. The blob may be formed by translating the residual portions of the material towards an interface formed by two coating rollers, a squeegee and the donor substrate, or a film and the donor substrate.

A thermoplastic prepreg includes a mat, web, or fabric of fibers and hollow glass microspheres that are positioned atop the mat, web, or fabric of fibers or dispersed therein. The thermoplastic prepreg also includes a thermoplastic polymer that is fully impregnated through the mat, web, or fabric of fibers and the hollow glass microspheres so that the thermoplastic prepreg has a void content of less than 3% by volume of the thermoplastic prepreg. The thermoplastic material is polymerized monomers and oligomers in which greater than 90% by weight of the monomers or oligomers react to form the thermoplastic material.