Full-Stack Solution for Copper Busbar Screw Tightening of Energy Storage Cabinets

Overview

For the copper busbar fastening process on main assembly lines of large energy storage factories, ForwardX Intelligent launches a fully automatic tightening system based on composite robots. It replaces traditional semi-manual assembly modes and addresses pain points such as high-intensity operations, insufficient positioning accuracy, production bottlenecks and substandard safety ratings.

2. Core Challenges

• High-intensity operation: A single cabinet contains 288 bolts (including M8×216 and M6×72 specifications). Manual labor is intensive and prone to fatigue-induced errors.

• High-precision positioning: Cabinet positioning deviations require adaptive automation equipment; traditional tooling fails to meet flexible operation requirements.

• Prominent production bottleneck: Original cycle time reaches 52 minutes per cabinet, severely restricting production takt improvement.

• High safety requirement: Operation safety performance must reach PLd, while traditional solutions carry potential safety hazards.

3. Full-Stack Solution

(1) Hardware & Software Configuration

• Hardware: ForwardX composite robot ICR400-SV + Atlas tightening gun + dual-channel safety circuit, integrating autonomous movement, positioning and screw tightening in one workflow.

• Software: ForwardFlow visual orchestration platform + bolt tightening software package + self-developed vision algorithm, supporting no-code drag-and-drop programming for rapid adaptation to production line requirements.

(2) Core Features of the Solution

• Autonomous Navigation: The robot automatically moves to the cabinet according to MES instructions, enabling flexible mobility within the production line.

• Vision Guidance: Self-developed vision system identifies and automatically compensates cabinet position deviations (±40mm / 0.5°). It can adjust assembly sequence according to on-site environment and adapt to batches of different products.

• Mixed Force & Position Control: End-effector equipped with electric torque control, adaptively adjusting cabinet posture to achieve constant-torque precise tightening and eliminate missed tightening or screw sliding risks.

• Real-time Data Collection: Synchronously upload torque curve data of every screw, realizing full-process traceability and meeting quality control requirements of energy storage industry.

4. Project Benefits

• Efficiency Upgrade: Production deployment completed within 10 days. One shift can replace 3 workers. Single cabinet cycle optimized to 48 minutes, production capacity increased by over 8%, greatly cutting labor costs.

• Quality Upgrade: Torque precision stably controlled within ±2.5%, 100% tightening success rate, 100% data upload retention. Tightening status of each bolt is fully controllable and traceable.

• Standardized Management Upgrade: On-site automation deployment integrated with factory digitalization, visualizing production data and helping enterprises build smart factory management systems.

5. Technology Generalization Capability

Built on ForwardX’s intelligent embodied technology base, the solution features five core generalization capabilities and can be rapidly replicated across multiple industry scenarios:

• Semantic Geometry Generalization: No reprogramming required for layout changes; vision self-adapts coordinates. One universal layout adapts to cabinets of multiple specifications.

• Process Knowledge Generalization: Built-in knowledge graph modeling process logic. Parameters are automatically invoked upon product changeover, realizing process migration with few samples.

• Anomaly Memory Generalization: Self-reflection and strategy revision to achieve capacity generalization, greatly reducing root-cause troubleshooting time.

• Force Control Compliance Generalization: Fusion of force sensing and compliance control to dynamically adjust trajectory and force for high-precision delicate assembly.

• Edge Control Generalization: Lightweight VLA model deployed at edge terminals. Cross-robot model rapid replication, suitable for precision assembly links in automotive, home appliance, 3C and other industries.

6. Extended Industry Applications

The solution can be extended to the entire new energy industrial chain, covering core upstream, midstream and downstream scenarios:

• Upstream Manufacturing: Cell handling, PACK assembly and other processes to improve material transfer efficiency and safety.

• Midstream Integration: Copper busbar handling, battery cell bundling and fastening, realizing flexible automation for multi-process operations.

• Downstream O&M: Thermal imaging temperature measurement, battery pack disassembly & recycling, supporting intelligent management throughout the full lifecycle.