No one takes it like Feintool.

Interested experts from Feintool Technologie AG’s network of universities and colleges met in Lyss, Switzerland, for a “Hydrogen Day” focusing on series production of bipolar plates for fuel cells. 

Representatives from ETH Zurich, TU Dortmund, RWTH Aachen, UTG Munich and IWU Chemnitz contributed their scientific expertise and perspective during their visit, but also benefited from Feintool’s technical know-how for further research.

FEINforming, the formula for innovation  
As a technology leader in fineblanking and forming, Feintool has developed FEINforming, a process that ranks among the most innovative manufacturing technologies in terms of precision, tolerance minimization, component optimization and cost-effectiveness. Only the perfect interplay of development, simulation, prototyping, toolmaking and advanced equipment produces the optimum high-precision components for fuel cells.

The experts from Feintool presented the latest developments from their fields: on the one hand, there was a detailed insight into the innovative tool concept (high balancing of the process forces) and its qualities for the production of the half-plates; on the other hand, Feintool presented the FB one H2 press with its unique advantages. In the FEINforming process, these high-performance presses produce the metallic bipolar half-plates in combination with the specific tool concept. The production is characterized by a high production rate, precision, energy efficiency and environmental friendliness.

Markus Schaltegger, host and head of Feintool Technologie AG, summarizes: “The production system with FEINforming is ideal for large-scale production. Productivity and precision combined with high flexibility and quality are the big advantages compared to other processes.”

In his remarks, Prof. em. Dr. Pavel Hora of ETH Zurich emphasized the importance of simulation in connection with the forming process of metallic bipolar plates: “True to the principle of “no hardware without simulation!”, it is particularly crucial in this complex process that the forming and stamping processes are simulated accurately in advance and in the shortest possible time. No company performs this work as accurately as Feintool.”

The Fraunhofer IWU is also focusing on the future of the fuel cell; in the planned refe-rence factory in Chemnitz, it offers opportunities to contribute as a competence provider or to benefit as a customer from customized processes and services for the economic produc-tion of essential hydrogen components. Accordingly, the Fraunhofer IWU presentation by Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Polster from the Sheet Metal Processing and Basic Layers Department listed the most diverse manufacturing processes for bipolar plates with their advantages and disadvantages.

Following the theoretical explanations, the guests were given a demonstration of the FEINforming series process. The press and tool concept and the achieved accuracy and compactness of the production system impressed the visitors. Verena Kräusel, Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. and head of the Forming Technology business unit at Fraunhofer IWU Chemnitz, was also impressed:” Despite the very tight product tolerances that have to be taken into account in the manufacture of bipolar plates, Feintool always offers a solution, both in terms of tools and machines!”

Markus Schaltegger: “The aim of the Hydrogen Days was to show the FEINforming series process for the production of metallic bipolar plates in practice to interested groups of guests. Other manufacturing processes are sufficient for the production of small series, our method allows large-scale production with the highest precision, our guests could convince themselves of this.”

Would you like to know more about the advantages of this process? Feintool Technologie AG will be happy to advise you at fineblanking@feintool.com.

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