Powering the Future: How Smart Sensors Are Making Battery Manufacturing Safer and Smarter

Battery systems are the backbone of our electrified future—from EVs to grid storage. But building them safely? That’s a high-stakes challenge.

Short circuits. High voltages. Thermal runaway. These aren’t just buzzwords — they’re real hazards that keep battery manufacturers up at night. And with no universal (C-type) safety standard for battery system production lines, how do manufacturers ensure their facilities are both safe and future-ready?

The High-Stakes World of Battery Production

Automated battery production lines must meet all the usual safety requirements, but the stakes are much higher when you’re dealing with partially charged cells.

As Ulrich Hochrein, Head of Safety Engineering at EDAG Production Solutions, explained, “Errors in the production technology can be far more critical because the battery cells or battery elements pose additional fire and explosion hazards.” Even a minor slip by a robot can trigger a dangerous chain reaction known as thermal runaway.

It’s not just about fire. Damaged cells can release toxic or carcinogenic substances, putting workers and entire facilities at risk. When things go wrong, the fallout can shut down entire production halls and require costly decontamination.

Building Safety from the Ground Up

So how do you keep a battery plant safe? The answer starts with advanced sensors and automation.

“The aim is to continuously monitor the production processes and avoid potential hazards or detect them early,” said Andreas Centner, Sales Manager at SICK. This proactive approach creates a fundamentally safer and more efficient production environment.

Risk assessment is key. Manufacturers need to understand not just the batteries themselves, but how they’re handled, transported, and assembled.

“It is crucial to already obtain the pertinent information at the system planning stage,” Hochrein said. That means investing in smarter logistics, better automation, and—most importantly—real-time monitoring.

This isn’t just about adding more tech. It’s about designing systems that prevent errors, detect abnormal conditions instantly, and have emergency protocols ready to go. That includes everything from reject stations to emergency containers, and even specialized roles like high-voltage safety representatives.

Real-Time Sensing: The Game Changer

For battery makers, safety is a 24/7 job. That’s why SICK’s real-time sensors—like camera and thermography solutions—are so critical.

“These sensors continuously monitor the battery systems and their environments, report potential hazards within milliseconds, and enable immediate measures to be taken to prevent emergency events and their consequences,” said Meik Kettinger, Key Account Manager at SICK.

Contactless temperature monitoring, like SICK’s Static Hotspot Detection System (SHD), is a must-have.

“The heating up of a battery system is always the first sign of danger,” Hochrein said. Whether it’s an internal short or an external impact, exothermic heating is the red flag. SHD can spot this before it escalates, giving teams precious time to act.

The strategy is simple but powerful:

Design automation to avoid damaging cells.
Detect abnormal conditions fast.
Prevent thermal runaway—or minimize damage if it happens.

The Next Frontier: Battery Recycling

Recycling is more than a green initiative—it’s an economic and strategic necessity. Up to 70% of a battery’s cost is in materials, many of which are sourced overseas. Efficient recycling isn’t just good for the planet; it’s vital for supply chain security.

But recycling brings its own challenges. Today’s batteries weren’t designed with recycling in mind. Disassembly, material separation, and even figuring out what’s inside each battery can be a headache. Regulations are evolving—like the EU’s new battery rules and digital battery passports—but the US is catching up fast.

The good news? New recycling methods are pushing recovery rates above 90%, closing the gap with what’s theoretically possible.

What’s Next for Battery Manufacturing?

Battery storage is getting cheaper—down from $1,200 per kWh in 2010 to around $130 today and is dropping. That means more factories, more recycling, and new battery chemistries on the horizon.

“It is also to be expected that new battery concepts and new cell chemistries will emerge. This will have a big impact on the performance and safety of plants and systems,” Hochrein said.

To stay ahead, manufacturers need to double down on automation, traceability, and smart supply chains.

“With intelligent sensors and controllers, SICK enables efficient manufacturing using Industry 4.0 technologies, while our identification technologies can also be used for the traceability of battery systems,” Centner said.

Why SICK and EDAG Make a Winning Team

After decades in the field, Hochrein is clear: “My colleagues and I at EDAG have experienced good support, fast assistance with technical difficulties, direct service, and honest communication from SICK. The products, in particular, are properly documented, which is an enormous help when planning complex systems.”

Kettinger added, “Our collaboration has been a partnership of equals for many years now. Each benefit from the specialist knowledge of the other. Our joint customers are also aware of this, of course, when we implement projects with them.”