Higher investment is allocated for new equipment to bolster output volume and quality of lithium batteries.

Manufacturers of lithium battery equipment in China are making headway in improving the line further. They are now on a par with foreign counterparts when it comes to production processes such as coating, winding and assembly deformation control, and laser pole piece cutting.

Lithium battery manufacture involves three stages, namely, pole piece and cell making, and battery assembly. The first emphasizes the use of high- performance pulp, coating, slitting and molding machines and roller presses. For cell manufacture, suppliers employ winding, shell automatic welding and liquid injection equipment. Sorting and battery formation tools are utilized in assembly.

Enterprises have stepped up production of equipment needed in battery and cell making such as assembly and testing tools, and cell charging and discharging machines. This comes as demand for the line has reached an annual growth rate exceeding 100 percent in the past five years.

To this end, suppliers have raised investment to remain competitive. They typically allocate more than two-thirds of earnings for new equipment.

Companies, however, are still facing challenges in production techniques. They are trailing behind overseas counterparts in equipment automation, quality inspection and closed-loop control. The stability and efficiency of assembly operations are other areas for improvement.

The international competitiveness of local companies has been restricted by the lack of core technology. The majority of enterprises pattern R&D after designs developed by overseas players.

To strengthen the local industry, China makers are calling for the standardization of manufacturing processes and technology systems.

Note: This article "Lithium battery makers pursue expansion" was originally published by Global Sources, a leading business-to-business media company and a primary facilitator of trade with China manufacturers and India suppliers, providing essential sourcing information to volume buyers through our e-magazines, trade shows and industry research.

All price quotes in this report are in US dollars unless otherwise specified. FOB prices were provided by the companies interviewed only as reference prices at the time of interview and may have changed.

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