New Choice for Industrial Automation: NiMH Batteries Help The Development of Robots

New choice for industrial automation: NiMH batteries help the development of robots

In the era of Industry 4.0, automated robots are becoming the core force of intelligent manufacturing. As the "heart" of the robot, the performance of the power battery directly affects the operating efficiency of the entire automation system. Among the many battery technology routes, NiMH batteries are opening up new application prospects in the field of industrial robots with their unique advantages, providing safer and more reliable power solutions for smart factories.

Power challenges of industrial robots

Modern industrial robots have three stringent requirements for power systems: first, high cycle life, which requires dozens or even hundreds of charge and discharge cycles per day; second, high safety, and the risk of fire and explosion must be eliminated in intensive working environments; third, strong environmental adaptability, which must be able to adapt to various complex working conditions in factory workshops. Compared with the safety hazards of lithium batteries and the bulky size of lead-acid batteries, NiMH batteries show unique competitive advantages. According to data from the International Federation of Robotics, the proportion of NiMH batteries used in industrial robots worldwide has reached 15% in 2022, and is expected to exceed 25% in 2025.

Industrial advantages of nickel-hydrogen batteries

Nickel-hydrogen batteries bring four core values to industrial robots: the first is ultra-long cycle life, with a deep cycle of more than 3,000 times, which is 3-5 times that of lithium batteries; the second is an extremely high safety level, with no risk of thermal runaway; the third is wide temperature working performance, with stable output in an environment of -30℃ to 50℃; the fourth is environmental protection characteristics, which meets the requirements of industrial sustainable development. Actual test data from a German automobile factory showed that the average daily operating time of AGV handling robots using nickel-hydrogen batteries increased by 40% and maintenance costs decreased by 35%.

Typical application scenarios

On Foxconn's smartphone assembly line, collaborative robots equipped with nickel-hydrogen batteries have achieved 24-hour uninterrupted operation. In Amazon's logistics center, warehouse robots powered by nickel-hydrogen batteries complete a walking distance of more than 20 kilometers every day. What is even more impressive is that the latest welding robot developed by Japan's Fanuc uses a fast-charging nickel-hydrogen battery system, which can support 4 hours of high-intensity work with only 15 minutes of charging, and improves work efficiency by more than 50%.

Future development trends

With breakthroughs in material technology, the energy density of the new generation of nickel-hydrogen batteries is increasing at an annual rate of 8%. The combination of intelligent battery management systems and industrial Internet of Things enables real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance of battery status. It is worth looking forward to that solid-state nickel-hydrogen battery technology is expected to be commercialized in the next three years, which will further improve the endurance and safety of industrial robots.

Nickel-hydrogen batteries are reshaping the power landscape in the field of industrial automation. Their safe, durable, economical and environmentally friendly characteristics perfectly meet the needs of intelligent manufacturing. When more and more industrial robots adopt nickel-hydrogen power systems, our smart factories will become more efficient and reliable. This silent power revolution is injecting lasting momentum into the era of Industry 4.0 and driving the manufacturing industry towards a smarter and more sustainable direction.