High efficiency, low emissions and no mechanical wear – fuel cells offer many advantages as sustainable suppliers of energy. They are suitable for the propulsion of vehicles, for supplying power to mobile devices, as efficient performers in stationary power plants and much more. Among their key components are bipolar plates. The electrode plates are made from metal, plastic or carbon nanotubes and are coated with a catalyst such as platinum or palladium. They separate reactant gases and cooling media from one another and distribute them to the respective reaction zones of the fuel cells. To ensure good electrical and thermal conductivity as well as resistance to chemicals and high mechanical contact pressure, bipolar plates must be of a very high quality. A new testing facility from P+K Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH checks the surface finish of bipolar plates and measures their thickness. Electric cylinders EPCO with stepper motor EMMS-ST and motor controller CMMO-ST from Festo ensure the vibration-free transport of bipolar plates in the testing facility. The system was developed as part of a ZIM collaboration project by The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Centre ZBT GmbH in Duisburg, The Society for the Advancement of Applied Computer Science in Berlin, and divis intelligent solutions GmbH in Dortmund, Germany.
Schlagbaumer Straße 92a
42653 Solingen
Germany
Area of business: Design, development and production of mechanical and electrical systems, special purpose machinery, manufacturing equipment, fixture construction, assembly systems, testing stations and leak testers