A consortium of 19 Fraunhofer Institutes across Germany is working to advance fuel cell production through the H2GO research project, with a particular focus on reducing costs in the mass production of bipolar plates, a key fuel cell component.
“In order to achieve widespread use of fuel cells, mature production technologies for series production are required,” researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute said in a statement. While fundamental research into fuel cell technology is well-established, “the components are still not available in the required quantities and at reasonable costs,” they added.
H2GO aims to address this by developing efficient manufacturing processes, advanced production systems, and optimized mechanical and plant engineering. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) are exploring two methods for shaping bipolar half-shells—discrete production using a progressive die and continuous production via a roll-to-roll process.
Despite the feasibility of high-quality laboratory-scale production, no industrial forming process has yet achieved a cycle rate above 60 strokes per minute while maintaining consistent forming quality, according to the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. The H2GO team is investigating improved forming and punching tools and refining press systems to enhance productivity and precision.
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One approach involves integrating a heating module into the existing punching and forming units to facilitate the shaping of thin sheet materials. Additionally, researchers are developing inline quality control methods and optimizing both machine design and bipolar plate structures. Labelling and scanner modules are also being implemented to track production processes in real time.
The H2GO project is funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs (BMVD) and will be showcased at the Hannover Messe from March 31 to April 4. The Fraunhofer IPT will present its findings at Stand C47 in Hall 13.