Manufacturing plants for electric vehicles and batteries are modern, large-scale production facilities with seamlessly integrated factory and process automation. The high level of industrial automation ensures the precision, uniformity and stability needed to meet stringent safety and performance requirements.
The introduction of innovative technologies and methods has a direct impact on training requirements and leads to skills shortages among employees. These shortages can quickly lead to critical situations in production.
Promote relevant skills for advanced manufacturing.
For workers to be successful in an Industry 4.0 environment, they need a broader range of skills and a comprehensive understanding of systems in order to ensure high flexibility and productivity. Strong digital literacy and troubleshooting skills are essential. And a wide range of soft skills, such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity, enable competent decision-making and problem-solving in interdisciplinary teams. Furthermore, adapting to a rapidly changing environment requires the capacity for lifelong learning.
This means teachers in schools and companies have to invest considerable resources to adapt or create training programs that meet industry requirements. Thanks to our privileged collaboration with leading battery and automotive manufacturers, we are gaining valuable insights into their needs for retraining and upskilling current employees and training new ones.
Critical areas for production workers
Skilled production workers, such as operators and maintenance technicians, make up a significant part of the demand for labour. Depending on the position, they are responsible for installing, operating, monitoring, maintaining, troubleshooting and replacing production equipment.
To increase their productivity, they should have the relevant knowledge and skills in the following areas and topics:
Battery production
Cell, module and pack. Components and raw materials. Production of electrodes. Cell assembly. Formation and ageing. Logistics and material handling. Process quality and data management. Process environment. Waste treatment. Process and product safety. Future trends. Challenges in production. And many more.
Fluid engineering systems
Actuators. Air preparation. Vacuum technology. Grippers. Tubing and fittings. Force control. Pneumatic-hydraulic analogy. Pressure switches. Electromagnetically operated valves. Symbols and reading circuits. Physical principles. Structure and mode of operation. Pressure and flow measurement. Valves and actuating components. Basics of proportional hydraulics. Critical phases and implicit risks. And many more.
Sensors and data
Industrial controllers. Fundamentals of electrical engineering. Diagrams. Basic logic functions. Direct and indirect control. Control loops. Recording of signals. Self-holding circuits. Buttons, switches and detectors. Relays and contactors. Timers. PLCs. Intelligent sensors. Robot technology. And many more.
Instrumentation and process control
Understanding control systems. HMIs. SCADA. MES. Sensors and transducers. Temperature sensors. Pressure sensors. Filling level sensors. Flow sensors. Shut-off valves and process valves. Instrumentation diagrams. And many more.
Electrical and mechanical drives
Motors (direct current, synchronous, asynchronous). Motors (servo, stepper motor). Bearings and couplings. Belt drives and pulleys. Chain drives and wheels. Gear wheels. Lubrication. And many more.
Industrial maintenance
Basic use of measuring instruments. Basic and advanced troubleshooting. Preventive and predictive maintenance. Data analysis. Electrical and mechanical troubleshooting. System insulation. Optimising equipment. Dimensional measurement technology. Pumps. Lashing. Piping. Wiring. And many more.
Operational excellence
Complete productive maintenance. Energy efficiency. Developing troubleshooting methods. Continuous improvements. Introduction to Industry 4.0. Streamlined production. 5S workplace organisation. Materials science. Poka-yoke. And many more.
Quality, safety
Shape and position tolerances. Statistical process control (SPC). Electrical standards and regulations. Personal protective equipment. Machine safety (SIL, PL, etc.) and lock. Safety control elements and categories. Functional principles of safety modules. Stop buttons. Protective barriers. Lock-out/tag-out methodology. Energy discharge. And many more.
Additional areas for engineers
Many types of engineers, such as electrical, electronic, software and chemical engineers, are also in demand in the field of electric vehicles and battery production. They are involved at all levels: research and development, design and planning, as well as production.
In addition to the skills and knowledge that production workers need to have, engineers must also demonstrate skills and competencies in the following key areas:
Electric drivetrain
Control and features of the drivetrain. Engine, gearbox and drive shaft. Electric motors. Sensors and actuation. Power generation. Energy consumption. Braking systems. Regenerative braking. Automotive mechatronics. And many more.
Power electronics
DC power electronics: diodes, switching transistors, high-speed circuits, residual ripple, battery chargers, choppers and more. Single-phase and three-phase AC power electronics: rectifiers, diode rectifiers, PWM inverters and more. Thyristor power electronics: solid state relays, AC power control, rectifier/inverter. And many more.
Battery technology
Basic properties. Series and parallel connections. Different battery types. Battery banks and packs. Recharging. Discharging. Energy density. Battery management system and balancing batteries. And many more.
Charging infrastructure
Charging stations and charging methods. Energy conversion and storage. Smart grid. Distribution networks. Renewable energy generation. And many more.
Energy management
Energy efficiency. Consumption monitoring. Energy supply. Optimisation. And many more.
Networking, cyber security
Networks and IT security. Device safety. Analysis of threats and risks. Systems to protect against attacks. And many more.