The Battery Show Europe: Plasma Solves Key Surface Challenges in Battery Manufacturing
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How can scrap rates be reduced, sensitive battery areas be cleaned reliably, and stable bonding and coating processes be ensured simultaneously? These questions, with a focus on surface quality, are at the heart of Plasmatreat’s booth D10 in hall 3 at The Battery Show Europe 2026. Plasmatreat, a Steinhagen, Germany-based company that specializes in developing and manufacturing atmospheric and low-pressure plasma systems, will showcase practical applications for battery production. These applications range from ultra-fine cleaning and activation to removing stubborn residues and applying functional coatings for durable bonds and corrosion protection. The focus is on in-line capable technologies that can efficiently integrate into modern production lines and solve challenges in the battery industry.
Process Reliability Throughout the Battery Value Chain
The demands placed on modern battery systems continue to grow. Higher energy densities, more compact designs, and greater demand for service life and safety simultaneously put pressure on production processes. Throughout the entire battery value chain, reproducible, environmentally friendly processes, reliable adhesion and stable corrosion protection are becoming increasingly important. Surface pretreatment is emerging as a critical quality factor.
Invisible contaminants or residues on surfaces can be particularly problematic. Even the slightest particulate contamination, oil, release agent, electrolyte residue, or organic contaminant can negatively affect bonding, sealing, or coating processes, potentially leading to delamination, corrosion, or scrap. In highly automated production lines especially, the reproducibility of such processes becomes a decisive factor. Defects often only become apparent in later manufacturing steps or during operation, resulting in high costs. Therefore, many OEMs and battery manufacturers are looking for technologies that can be integrated into production lines, provide process control and reporting, deliver consistent results, and eliminate the need for additional chemicals or energy-intensive process steps.
Atmospheric Plasma as an Inline-Capable Process Solution
At Battery Show Europe 2026, Plasmatreat will present solutions designed to address the challenges of battery production. In hall 3, booth D10, the company will demonstrate current applications of atmospheric plasma technology for battery production, including cleaning, activation, and functional surface coating.
Openair-Plasma technology operates at atmospheric pressure and can be integrated directly into existing production lines. Surfaces are treated selectively and contact-free at high process speeds. Unlike traditional wet chemical or primer processes, this method only requires compressed air and electrical power. This reduces the number of process steps and eliminates the need for VOC-containing chemicals. Controlled surface treatment is particularly important in modern battery designs featuring a variety of material combinations. Plastics, metals, and hybrid materials can be prepared specifically for subsequent processes. This treatment improves surface wettability and creates stable conditions for bonding, sealing, and coating processes.
Specific Applications of Plasma
Applications range from cell treatments and pre-cleaning of battery cells before electrical insulation via foiling to activation during cell-to-cell bonding and reliable cleaning of contact and connection surfaces. Furthermore, plasma technology opens up new possibilities for alternative insulation concepts. For instance, coatings for cell insulation can be applied directly to replace traditional foil wrapping, making processes more efficient. At booth D10 in hall 3, Plasmatreat will demonstrate automated, selective plasma processes on prismatic and cylindrical battery cells.
In addition to traditional surface activation, Plasmatreat will showcase HydroPlasma applications at the trade show. This process was specifically developed for challenging cleaning tasks and is ideal for removing electrolyte residues or particulate contaminants from sensitive components. The advantage lies in its ability to clean effectively while gently treating materials. Even sensitive surfaces can be cleaned in line without the use of additional chemical cleaning agents. For battery manufacturers, this means less rework, lower scrap rates, and more stable downstream processes.
Corrosion Protection and Durable Bonds
Another highlight of the booth is the PlasmaPlus AntiCorr coating, which provides selective corrosion protection for metal components and battery housings. This dry, inline-compatible process is an alternative to traditional methods, such as waxing or electroplating, and it requires no chemical baths or additional drying steps. The ultra-thin coating reliably protects against crevice corrosion and is ideal for battery housings and structural bonding applications. The process has been extensively tested and passed standard environmental and salt spray tests such as PV1209 and MeKo-S.
Focus on Industrial Feasibility
The primary focus is on industrial application, in addition to the technology itself. Plasmatreat accomplishes this by combining a wide range of control, regulation, and monitoring functions to ensure consistently high quality and reproducibility in plasma treatment. The systems are designed for automated production environments and can be flexibly integrated into existing lines. Plasmatreat's portfolio is complemented by global service and application expertise. With international locations and application-specific process development, Plasmatreat supports battery manufacturers worldwide, from feasibility analysis to series integration.
"The demands of battery production are constantly rising. At the same time, manufacturers expect cost-effective, sustainable solutions that can be reliably integrated into existing processes," explains Lukas Buske, Plasmatreat's managing director. “This is precisely where modern plasma processes create real added value—from cleaning and activation to functional coating.”
At booth D10 in hall 3, visitors to The Battery Show Europe 2026 will gain practical insights into current plasma applications along the entire battery value chain—with a focus on stable processes, reduced scrap rates, and more sustainable production concepts.