Further Improvements of an End-Effector for Robotic Assembly of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Vladimir Gurau and Terri Armstrong-Koch
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Vladimir Gurau: Department of Engineering Technology, Kent State University, 330 University Dr. N.E., New Philadelphia, OH 44663, USA
Terri Armstrong-Koch: Department of Engineering Technology, Kent State University, 330 University Dr. N.E., New Philadelphia, OH 44663, USA

Energies, 2015, vol. 8, issue 9, 1-12

Abstract: This paper presents a technology for robotic assembly of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs). We describe the most recent configuration of the end-effector used for robotic assembly of PEMFCs, the robot workcell, the fuel cell components and the method of automated assembling fuel cell stacks. In this second generation of end-effector and workcell designs, the productivity of the automated assembly process and the capability of the robot to assemble larger scale fuel cell stacks have been improved. The advantage of the technology presented here consists in its low cost, its simplicity, in its capability of rapidly assembling fuel cell stacks containing a large number of cells due to a passive compliance system of the end-effector and in its capability of accurately aligning the fuel cell components in the stack.

Keywords: polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells; end-effector; robot workcell; automated fuel cell assembly (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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