Ohio State, Coatema Partner on New Battery Center

A leading international equipment manufacturer has partnered with The Ohio State University’s new Battery Cell Research and Demonstration Center, paving the way for new advancements in battery cell manufacturing needed in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, as well as expanding access to cutting-edge equipment, education and workforce training in the United States.

Germany-based partner Coatema Coating Machinery GmbH and their U.S. distributor next Machinery Group, Inc. will sponsor the acquisition of a cutting-edge equipment line for battery cell coating, which will enable users to experiment with different materials, processes and configurations at varying scales of production.

Ohio State is set to open the new $22 million, 22,000-square-foot battery center in June 2025. Managed by the Institute for Materials and Manufacturing Research (IMR), the center will accelerate domestic production of battery cell materials and manufacturing technologies, while also serving as a hands-on training hub for workforce development in advanced battery technology.

“This partnership with Coatema and next Machinery Group will substantially boost the Battery Center’s capability to provide access to state-of-the-art technology, expertise and support for battery manufacturing research,” said battery center acting director Jay Sayre, who also serves as IMR director of innovation.

“This collaboration will enable the center to conduct larger-scale experiments, optimize production processes, and accelerate the development of advanced battery technologies,” added Sayre. “It will bring academia and industry closer together, which strengthens Ohio State’s leadership in battery research and development and boosts U.S. production capacity for EV batteries.”

With the center’s goal to bridge the gap between fundamental research and battery cell manufacturing, Coatema’s Click&CoatTM machine line will serve as an integral set of tools in the development of high-quality, consistent battery cells for the market.

The coating process is a critical step in battery manufacturing, particularly for lithium-ion and solid-state batteries. In coating, thin layers of active materials are applied onto current collectors to form electrodes. This layer of material allows the battery to store and release energy. With the careful application of this coating, manufacturers ensure the battery will function properly and efficiently, providing the power needed for devices ranging from smartphones to electric vehicles.

University researchers, students and industry users will be able to customize the coating configurations of the new machine line to scale to the scope of their specific project, from the lab to pilot production line.

“We are excited to collaborate with The Ohio State University on this groundbreaking project. Our Click&Coat machine line will empower researchers and industry professionals with the tools needed to advance battery cell manufacturing, ultimately driving innovation in the EV sector,” said Thomas Kolbusch, VP of Coatema Coating Machinery GmbH.