Dosing pumps for applications in trickle systems

Metering pumps for applications in trickle systems

E-mobility comes with a variety of innovative manufacturing processes and places increasingly higher demands on manufacturing quality, capacity and speed. New materials are being used that pose particular challenges for plant manufacturers. Pump manufacturers are repeatedly faced with unprecedented tasks in order to be able to offer suitable and reliable pumps for every application in the field of e-mobility.

Well-known automotive manufacturers worldwide are increasingly developing and producing models with electric drives. This requires the creation of new production lines that enable reliable, repeatable and high-quality series production. This applies particularly to the production of battery modules and the manufacture of electric motors, especially stators, a central component of electric motors. During the production of these components, challenges can arise with heat dissipation. Insufficient heat dissipation can cause overheating, which can damage the material and negatively affect both the performance and the lifespan of the product. To prevent these problems and ensure reliable secondary insulation, an impregnation process is often used. This is particularly important for the windings in the stators of electric motors, where thermal stability and electrical insulation are crucial. The process displaces air bubbles in the windings and fixes them with insulation material. This prevents movement between the wires, which in turn prevents damage to the winding. Thus, the impregnation process offers not only mechanical but also electrical advantages.

The trickle process in e-mobility

The impregnation process is one of the central processes in electromobility, as are the trickle and hot dip processes. In the trickle process, a resin is applied directly to the winding and into the spaces in the groove, creating a protective layer. This layer serves as electrical insulation and mechanical fixation, and also improves engine performance. It also optimises heat dissipation. A key advantage of trickle coating is that the resin is applied directly to the wire winding. This keeps the stator housing clean and eliminates the need for subsequent cleaning. Before trickle coating, the components are heated either electrically or in ovens to improve the flowability of the resin and allow better penetration between the windings. When the stators are heated, the resin hardens and forms a thermally resistant protective layer. Drip coating systems usually consist of individual, flexible production cells with a rotating stator holder. Pumps are primarily used to apply the resin and are therefore the centrepiece of these systems.

Innovations and technological developments

Innovations and technological developments: To meet complex requirements, Beinlich Pumpen relies on continuous innovation and technological development. With many years of experience in the development and manufacture of pumps for dosing technology, the company can draw on extensive knowledge and expertise to select suitable products. The pump technology is used in the automotive industry, particularly in bonding technology and in reaction casting machines for the production of PU foam parts. By continuously developing new products, Beinlich Pumpen has prepared itself for the technological changes in alternative drive types and can thus meet the requirements of the automotive industry and its suppliers. In view of the increasing importance of electric mobility, especially for the assembly of battery systems and the production of battery cells, metering pumps have gained in relevance. To support this development, Beinlich Pumpen has invested in the expansion of its application laboratory and its development department. These measures enable the company to simulate new applications and to test the pumps exactly according to the specific requirements of the customers.

Precise and reliable pumps

The investments in research and development are reflected in the highly specialised products. The pumps in the Visco.Series product range are ideal for the precise application of resin masses. They are used for speed-proportional and continuous dosing applications where maximum accuracy is essential. The technology of the pumps is based on the volumetric concept of an endless piston emptying, with the core components – rotor and stator – forming an optimally sealing dosing chamber. The eccentric motion of the rotor enables low-shear transport of the medium without squeezing it. This makes the Visco.Series pumps particularly suitable for media with fillers. The pumps can be used to create highly precise dots and dosing beads. The pulsation-free pump technology delivers optimal results for demanding applications in dosing technology.

Optimisation and long-term testing for trickle resin systems

Thanks to precise and bubble-free dispensing, the material input can be dosed in a targeted and exact manner, allowing material consumption to be controlled and determined. This ensures optimised impregnation, which enables reliable processes. This ensures an even distribution of the resin and creates a reliable electrical insulation as well as an improved thermal conductivity. In order to meet the requirements of trickle resin systems and to convey and meter media such as Voltatex 42 These special pumps were adapted for the application in question and differ from the standard Visco.Pump. Various optimisations have been carried out on the shaft seal and the associated components to ensure a longer service life. A wide range of material pairings and coating solutions are available for this type of pump. In addition, optional versions with magnetic couplings and integrated flow meter systems are being developed that will enable the exact recording, logging and measurement of the amount dispensed. In the company's own application laboratory, a wide range of versions have been tested and both service life and long-term tests have been carried out with a wide range of resins. Based on the metered quantities and their deviations, no wear could be detected, especially since the metered quantity was checked and measured at random.

Process control using VSE flow meters

The flow meters from our sister company VSE Volumentechnik help to detect and correct deviations in the impregnation process at an early stage. Only by using a flow meter can each individual dosage be recorded and documented. This is particularly important for quality assurance. Monitoring the pump speed is a theoretical value, as no wear on the pump is detected. A volume sensor thus leads to increased product quality and efficiency in production. The sensors not only provide precise measurement, but also the ability to dynamically adjust the process to meet different requirements.