Plasma Meets Dosing Technology
The increasing quality requirements of electromobility present new challenges for adhesive bonding processes. For series production capability, reproducible adhesive strength, precise dosing quantities, and stable pretreatment parameters are crucial. Nagel Technologies GmbH and Plasmatreat GmbH have developed an integrated automation solution combining plasma treatment and dosing technology within a flexible robot cell. Nagel Technologies GmbH is a leader in technological excellence and implements highly sophisticated solutions for the automotive industry and other demanding, high-tech sectors. Plasmatreat GmbH is a leading global manufacturer of atmospheric plasma systems and equipment.
Automation in Response to Increasing Process Requirements The project began with a manual bonding process for oil-cooled electric motors. The required tolerances and quality parameters could not be reliably reproduced in the long term. The goal was to automate the existing process while maintaining the proven parameters. Nagel was responsible for system integration and developed a solution with Plasmatreat that integrates the dosing process, plasma treatment, and robotics. The focus was on creating a flexible architecture suitable for development environments and later series production.
Plasma Treatment as a Stable Process Component
In this case, plasma pretreatment is used for in-line fine cleaning and activation of component surfaces. A rotary plasma nozzle is used, which is ideal for thermally sensitive and geometrically complex components. Increasing the surface energy improves wettability and significantly enhances adhesive strength. "Automated plasma treatment ensures consistent, reproducible surface conditions and replaces wet chemical pretreatments. This allows for stable bonding processes while reducing environmental impact," explains Sonja Reuster, technical sales representative at Plasmatreat. Measurements of surface energy before and after treatment confirm the effectiveness of the process and enable qualified process approval.
Integrating Plasma and Dosing Tools in a Robot Cell
One technical challenge was integrating a plasma nozzle and a dosing tool in a shared robot application. A tool-change system allows for switching between the two processes without restricting the robot's workspace or freedom of movement. A customized cable routing system with a balancer secures the plasma system's supply. "The goal was to create a modular platform that can perform different process steps within a cell while remaining flexible and expandable," says Philipp Schuh of Advanced Robotic Solutions at Nagel Technologies.
Sensors and Digital Path Planning Increase Process Stability
To ensure dosing accuracy, the robot cell is equipped with TCP calibration sensors and a precision scale. Depending on the application, the robot cell can dispense adhesive quantities ranging from 0.003 to 1 ml per minute reproducibly. A simulation and path planning tool is also used. This tool allows plasma and dispensing paths to be modeled digitally in advance, collisions to be identified, and motion sequences to be optimized. Virtual commissioning reduces engineering times and minimizes risks for complex component geometries.
Relevance for Electromobility and Multi-Material Applications
This solution meets the typical needs of modern electric motor manufacturing, including multi-material connections, high tightness requirements, and thermal resilience. Combining surface cleaning and activation, precise dosing, and automated path guidance enables stable, reproducible processes for challenging bonding tasks. At the same time, the chemical-free plasma technology enables resource-efficient pretreatment that can easily be integrated into existing production lines.
Partnership as the Basis for Scalable Automation
This project underscores the importance of integrated system partnerships in manufacturing technology. Plasmatreat contributes its surface expertise, and Nagel is responsible for system integration, robotics, and process control. Users benefit from a comprehensive solution that can be scaled from trial operation to series production.
