Laser welding advances drive safer battery production

A battery's performance in a vehicle depends on more than the cell itself. The design of the module and pack matters just as much, and manufacturing these systems demands countless electrical and mechanical connections. Each one must combine low electrical resistance, high mechanical strength and minimal thermal impact over the long term. Any variation in weld quality can generate heat, accelerate ageing and ultimately compromise the safety of the entire system.

That is why laser micro welding has become such a critical manufacturing technology. It is the process that transforms a collection of individual cells into a robust, high performance battery system, and it sits at the centre of LSE 26, the "Laser Symposium Electromobility" taking place on September 15 and 16, 2026 at Fraunhofer ILT in Aachen.

"LSE'26 focuses on exactly these challenges," says Dr. Alexander Olowinsky, Head of the Joining and Cutting Department at Fraunhofer ILT, who will chair the symposium. "Under the heading Process stability and scalability of laser-based joining processes in battery manufacturing, the symposium will show how industry and research are advancing laser-based micro- and macro-joining technologies."

The programme reflects this ambition, covering process windows, thermal process control, reproducible contact quality, system integration, inline metrology and quality assurance across cell manufacturing, module assembly and battery pack production.

"In battery manufacturing, a laser process has to do more than perform well in the laboratory," adds Dr. André Häusler, Head of the Metal Joining Group at Fraunhofer ILT. "The real challenge is integrating these processes into industrial production chains in a stable, monitored, and economically viable way."

Series production demands measurable quality

Nowhere is that challenge clearer than in the symposium's industrial line up. Mercedes-Benz will present laser applications for electric drivetrains, while BMW and weldmetrix will demonstrate how sensor fusion can strengthen process reliability in e-mobility manufacturing. Bosch Manufacturing Solutions will address the particular difficulties of applying laser technology to battery packs, eDrive components and control units.

Together these contributions span the full manufacturing chain, from a single weld to a complete production line. In high volume production, precision and speed alone are not enough. Processes must stay stable at high output levels, minimise scrap and allow for reliable monitoring throughout. Only then can manufacturers protect the quality of battery modules and packs while keeping cost, energy consumption and cycle times under control.

Read the article

Inside Landshut: BMW bets on in-house battery brains

At BMW Group's Plant Landshut in Lower Bavaria, a traditional foundry is quietly becoming one of the automotive industry's most ambitious proving grounds for in-house electronics manufacturing, workforce reinvention, and the possibilties of what a component plant can become.

Suppliers and equipment manufacturers occupy an equally prominent place on the agenda. TRUMPF will discuss electrical architectures in electric vehicles alongside laser welding with integrated quality assurance, and MAHLE will present data driven approaches to process optimisation. BBS Automation will show how laser automation helps move new manufacturing concepts from development into industrial practice, while IPG Laser will showcase fibre laser solutions for battery production.

Clean-Lasersysteme will focus on efficient laser based surface preparation for joining processes, and Blackbird Robotersysteme will demonstrate how different OCT systems can measure weld penetration depth inline during remote laser welding.

Sharing know how across equipment, processes and metrology systems

LSE'26 extends well beyond the lecture hall. The symposium opens with guided tours of the laboratories at Fraunhofer ILT and RWTH Aachen University, ISEA, and on the evening of the first day the Battery LAB will host a marketplace combining live demonstrations, expert discussions and networking alongside the technologies themselves.

It is a hands on format designed to bring research results, industrial experience and practical manufacturing expertise into a single environment.

The programme also looks beyond battery contact joining to a wider set of laser based manufacturing technologies for e-mobility. These include laser based drying of functional electrodes for PEM fuel cells, dynamic beam shaping, lithium-ion battery systems for mobile and stationary applications and ultrashort pulse laser processes for battery production, alongside emerging approaches such as hybrid cell production and flexible, scalable production systems.

Laser technology combines speed, quality and safety

LSE'26 builds directly on the foundations laid by its predecessor. LSE 2025 made clear that laser precision in battery production is not a technical luxury but a genuine competitive factor, and this year's edition pushes further, asking how that precision can be transferred into industrial manufacturing in a way that is robust, measurable and cost effective.

"Modern batteries must combine long range, short charging times, long service life, and outstanding safety," says Dr. Olowinsky. "Achieving that goal requires more than high-performance cells alone. The design and manufacturing quality of the module and pack are just as important."