Industrial Battery Manufacturing Centre – Internal Fit-Out

Background:

Coventry’s UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) is a new state-of-the-art facility to support the research, development and evolution of high-volume manufacturing of advanced battery technology. For use initially within electric vehicle production before scaling more widely, this Government-funded space will help support the UK’s move to become a low carbon economy.

Due to CREST’s technical expertise and innovative approach, we were engaged by a principal contractor  in the early stages to develop and assist the design.

Process:

Due to CREST rich history of over 75 years of temperature-controlled environments and understanding of passive fire construction, we were able to work tirelessly and collaboratively with suppliers and the client’s projects team to ensure a robust ‘right-first-time’ solution to meet the onerous specification:

• ISO 8 cleanroom condition
• -73°C dew point supply & -60°C dew point return
• Temperature 21 +/-2°C
• Ambient air humidity as low as 0.5%
• 60-minute fire-rating
• Static dissipative

Project Delivery:

CREST’s exclusive cleanroom installation team completed the construction of 31 assembly rooms including:

• Anode and cathode mixing facilities
• Anode and cathode calendaring areas
• Material airlocks, personnel airlocks and changing rooms
• Pouch assembly and filling
• Linking corridors

This accommodated two main production lines running parallel throughout the building, complete with ageing ovens for the final stage.

A mix of insulated and fire-rated products were used, along with specialist detailing to ensure that the installation passed the rigorous commissioning and testing procedures, vital for such a sensitive manufacturing process. ‘Free-spanning’ panels in excess of 9m were integrated into the design by CREST, thus eliminating the need for tonnes of secondary steel, whilst still ensuring the fire rating was achieved.

All panel systems and ancillaries were meticulously colour-matched and complete with a 120-micron PVC laminate finish for a seamless integration and maintenance of cleanliness throughout. Openings were carefully created to allow machinery to pass through each area and neighbouring link corridor.

With a build time of 10 months, our team worked tirelessly from project conception to the final handover to develop, supply and install an envelope that would meet the complex specification required for this new generation of high-end and high-volume manufacturing.