General Motors’ joint venture with LG Energy Solution, Ultium Cells LLC, will employ a Quality Control System (QCS) developed by Honeywell International Inc. as it looks to avoid a repeat of the battery issues plaguing the Chevrolet Bolt.
In a statement, Honeywell said its Quality Control System will deploy compact, high-precision scanners and basis weight sensors to serve as the quality control platform for four of the production lines at Ultium’s plant in Lordstown, Ohio. This system will measure electrode coat weight, a key parameter in the production of battery cells.
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“We chose Honeywell because of the company’s deep understanding of the lithium-ion battery sector and the fact its measurement and control technology is already being used in critical areas of manufacturing,” Ultium Cells planning director Germanus Woo said. “Given the depth of their knowledge, Honeywell is well-positioned to offer us insights, helping us to increase productivity and profitability as we grow.”
In a statement issued to The Detroit News, GM spokesman Dan Flores said “the awarding of the Ultium contract to Honeywell has nothing to do with the Bolt recall.”
Ultium’s Lordstown site will be completed in 2022 and produce lithium-ion cells for General Motors electric vehicles, starting with the Cadillac Lyriq and GMC Hummer EV.
This announcement comes shortly after GM announced it had found the root of the defect of Chevrolet Bolt batteries and has resumed production of the cells. The issue that has caused over a dozen Bolt models to catch fire was a torn anode tab and a folded separator.
