Kurimoto and Kubota Start the Joint Development of a Continuous Production System for Secondary Battery Electrode Slurry
2024/02/20
Kurimoto, Ltd. (Head Office: Nishi-ku, Osaka, Japan; President and Representative Director: Kazutaka Kikumoto; hereinafter "Kurimoto") and Kubota Corporation (Head Office: Naniwa-ku, Osaka, Japan; President and Representative Director: Yuichi Kitao; hereinafter "Kubota") have started the joint development of a continuous production system for secondary battery electrode slurry that combines a feeder for feeding a constant flow*1 of raw materials and a twin-screw kneader for mixing raw materials evenly.
We will promote electrification and aim to realize a carbon-neutral society by developing continuous production systems with high efficiency and contributing to the stable supply of secondary batteries.
A conceptual image of a continuous production system for secondary battery electrode slurry that combines a feeder and a kneader
１．Background and Purposes
・ With efforts toward decarbonization being promoted in various countries, the demand for secondary batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs) and other equipment is expanding. With this, the method of production of secondary battery electrodes is shifting from batch production*2, which is currently prevailing, to continuous production*3, which is more efficient.
・ Secondary battery electrode slurry is made by mixing raw materials such as conductive aids and binders into active material. Mixing them evenly provides high battery performance. As such, how stable and continuous the measuring and kneading of raw materials can be is a key factor that determines the quality and production efficiency of secondary batteries.
・ Kurimoto holds the top share in Japan in the field of twin-screw continuous kneaders, which allow raw materials fed from a feeder to be kneaded evenly in a short time. Meanwhile, Kubota is strong in gravimetric feeders used to feed a constant flow of raw materials in various industrial fields. The two companies started to jointly develop a continuous production system optimized for secondary battery electrode slurry by combining their expertise.
・ We will together promote electrification and aim to realize a carbon-neutral society by contributing to the stable supply of secondary batteries.
*1 Continuing to feed materials at a predetermined flow rate per unit time.
*2 A method of production where processes, such as measuring raw materials and kneading, are separated and intermittent.
*3 A method of production where processes are connected and continuous.
２．Company Profile
| Company name | Kurimoto, Ltd. | Kubota Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Representative | President and Representative Director Kazutaka Kikumoto |
President and Representative Director Yuichi Kitao |
| Head office location | Nishi-ku, Osaka, Japan | Naniwa-ku, Osaka, Japan |
| Foundation | 1909 | 1890 |
| Consolidated sales | 124.8 billion yen (fiscal year ended March 31, 2023) |
3,020.7billion yen (fiscal year ended December 31, 2023) |
|
Consolidated headcount |
2,107 (as of the end of March 2023) |
52,608 (as of the end of December 2023) |
Contact for inquiries regarding this matter
Precision Equipment Sales Dept., KUBOTA Corporation, TEL: +81-72-993-1977
Powdering Process Engineering Sales Dept., Plant Engineering & Machinery Division, Kurimoto, Ltd., TEL: +81-6-6686-3224
Category:Corporate
