Fast, precise, and fully automated

In the production of electric vehicle drive motors, hairpin technology plays a central role. Curved copper profiles that resemble a hairpin are crucial components of the motor. They generate the magnetic field of the electric drive. Their entire production process is automated. As part of this process, the copper profiles are cut to length and prepared for further processing. In the subsequent shaping stage, they take on their characteristic appearance. Finally, the hairpins are inserted into the stator and electrically connected using laser welding. The result is a high-performance motor that is characterized by maximum energy density and minimal vibrations.

The production of these motors must also keep pace with the increasing demand for electric vehicles. As an automation expert, BBS Automation offers customized systems for this purpose. These enable the efficient production of electric motors in large quantities in order to meet the increasing demands of the market.

With these four subsidiaries, the Group is moving to the forefront of the global automation industry and tapping into a rapidly growing business segment. “This opens up promising prospects for growth in sales and earnings, as we all benefit equally from better customer access and efficient engineering and production capacities,” says Josef Wildgruber, CEO of BBS Automation and head of the new business unit. In this way it becomes possible to map increasingly complex processes, for example using artificial intelligence and large amounts of data.

Automated production can solve many of the challenges the industry is facing worldwide. These include the shortage of skilled labor, which is now also being felt in Asia and Latin America and can be addressed with autonomous technology. Automated production also ensures the consistently high product quality that customers demand, even with large production volumes. 

The world’s growing population is also driving the trend toward automation. At the same time, as prosperity increases in key regions and purchasing power rises, so does the demand for everyday necessities. These include a wide range of products — from hearing aids to insulin pens. The result: The industry is ramping up production in order to manufacture higher quantities. To do so, it relies on automated machines and systems.   
 

The Group has created the Production Automation Systems business unit, to which the four acquired companies will contribute their expertise. “Our customers benefit from this because the market is very fragmented,” explains Bäurle. If, for example, a new automotive manufacturer in North America or China is planning a production facility that includes the entire electric power train, he can now get everything from a single source: from assembly to functional and quality testing at the end of production. And he doesn’t have to worry that the technologies aren’t compatible.

Since BBS Automation and Teamtechnik generate a large part of their sales in the automotive industry, there are further advantages. Dürr has maintained good relationships with the major manufacturers for decades. Contacts up to board level can open doors for smaller partners. 

The entire Group is broadening its base with automation technologies and opening up new business areas in addition to the automotive industry. Medical technology, for example, is a promising growth market for the Group that is less dependent on the economy than the automotive industry. “The last thing people usually cut back on is their health,” says Bäurle. 

The medical technology business is also driven by the growing number of people suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes. Nearly half a billion people worldwide are affected. Many of them have to inject themselves regularly with insulin. Injection pens or automatic pumps that are worn on the body enable patients to go about their daily lives without major restrictions. Bäurle explains that, due to the growing demand, ever larger quantities have to be produced. “Teamtechnik has been building the fully automated production systems for this for years.”