Solidot's Simplified Wiring Distributed I/O XBF Application in Lithium Battery Module Pack Lines

The lithium battery module PACK line is a core step in the production of power batteries and energy storage systems, responsible for assembling individual battery cells into battery modules that meet specific requirements. Its production equipment involves a large amount of sensor signal acquisition and actuator control, placing extremely high demands on the bus I/O density, wiring efficiency, configuration flexibility and maintenance convenience of the control system.

Using Solidot's wire-saving discrete I/O series products can significantly simplify wiring and save cabling, improve line flexibility and maintainability, and lay the foundation for efficient and stable large-scale production.

Solidot products used in this case

[discrete I/O]

XBF4-EC04A, XBF2C-0808A-F, XBF4-1616A

[Slice I/O]

XB6S-EC2002

XB6S-3200, XB6S-0032A, XB6S-A40ID

XB6S-C01SP

Production process introduction

The lithium battery module PACK line mainly includes: cell loading and inspection → cell sorting and pairing → module stacking and fixing → welding → module inspection and formation into groups → offline testing and grading (formation).

[Cell loading and initial inspection]

The automatic loading mechanism precisely transfers cells from the magazine/buffer area to the first station.

[Cell sorting and pairing]

Cells are precisely classified based on test data such as internal resistance, voltage and capacity.

[module stacking and frame fixing]

Paired cells are stacked according to the preset module structure and loaded into the module frame.

[Welding]

Metal connector strips are precisely placed on the cell terminals, and electrical connections are made by laser welding or ultrasonic welding.

[module inspection and formation into groups]

After welding, the module is subjected to insulation withstand voltage testing and voltage detection; the adhesive dispensing process is performed, and the adhesive is cured by heating so that the cells, metal connecting strips, and end plates are firmly bonded into one unit.

[offline testing and grading (formation)]

The finished module/PACK is subjected to charge/discharge testing (grading, activating the cells and recording the capacity), leak testing, and final function verification.

II. I/O module application modes

XBF discrete core + XB6S remote expansion

The system uses the EtherCAT protocol, with a Keyence KV-X PLC as the main controller, and builds the control network through the Solidot XBF4-EC04A Coupler in the EtherCAT protocol. The coupler provides 4 expansion Ethernet ports, and each port can connect up to 16 I/O modules (32 I/O modules in total). Together with the highly reliable Slice I/O XB6S, it implements signal acquisition and control across the entire process, supporting line, star, and hybrid topologies for flexible production line layout.

>> signal acquisition (inputs)

Digital signal acquisition is performed by XBF2C-0808A, XBF4-1616A, and XB6S-3200, which uniformly acquire the status signals of the photoelectric sensors, cylinder magnetic switches, safety door locks, and emergency stop buttons at each station.

Analog acquisition is handled by XB6S-A40ID, which reads the sensor data of the current signals for the PLC to use in process monitoring or closed-loop control.

The instrument data is handled by XB6S-C01SP, which communicates with the battery test instrument through RS232/RS485 serial ports, directly reading or writing key parameters in its specific registers for data recording and judgment in the offline testing step.

>> Equipment control (outputs)

Executed by XB6S-0032A, XBF2C-0808A, and XBF4-1616A, the controlled objects include cylinder Solenoid valve, motor control signals, alarm Indicators, and other components.

III. Solution optimization results

Cost optimization: unified power supply over the network cable saves the field-side power supply cables, corresponding terminal blocks, and wiring, reducing wiring and labor costs by 30 %.

Flexible configuration: the 4-port expansion design of the XBF Coupler supports hybrid topology and a capacity of 16 stations per Ethernet port, making line layout and later expansion flexible and convenient.

High maintenance efficiency: the DIP switch provides an intuitive station number setting and supports online diagnostics, log recording, and firmware upgrades, shortening commissioning and maintenance time.

IV. Wiring-saving discrete I/O XBF series products

No special cables or tools are required; communication uses standard industrial network cables.

Three-wire supply powers the sensor, eliminating the terminal block and simplifying wiring.

Expansion modules do not occupy bus Node resources, providing high system stability.

Supports multiple topologies including ring, star, and hybrid types, allowing flexible layout

Product series with different form factors and protection ratings, adaptable to various scenarios

Quick customization of point count, structure, and special functions based on specific needs