Syvairo, a spin-off from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation (Fraunhofer FFB), has secured funding through the EXIST Research Transfer programme of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The start-up’s patented intralogistics solution—a mobile mini-environment—encloses individual production steps in battery cell manufacturing, reducing energy consumption by more than 50 percent compared to traditional cleanroom and dry-room setups.
Battery cell production requires extremely low humidity levels, often achieved in large, energy-intensive cleanrooms and dry rooms with dew points as low as –60 °C. Air-conditioning these spaces can account for up to one-third of total production costs. Syvairo’s approach confines controlled atmosphere conditions to the precise areas where coated electrode foils and other sensitive materials are handled.
At the core of the system is a gas-tight, micro-climate-controlled transport box equipped with integrated sensors and adsorbers. This mobile drying room docks directly onto process equipment via compact, hermetically sealed “door-on-door” airlock modules, allowing materials to pass between process steps without exposing them to ambient humidity or contaminants. The modular design integrates transport, airlock, and enclosure components, enabling rapid retrofitting in pilot plants and large-scale factories alike.
Syvairo plans to extend its modular mini-environment technology to industries such as pharmaceuticals, photovoltaics and aerospace, where controlled atmospheres are critical. Future developments include climate-stable cross-site transport of sensitive materials and a self-powered measuring cube for wireless monitoring of dry and cleanroom conditions via Industrial IoT.
The core technology emerged from Fraunhofer research projects “FoFeBat” and “QueEn,” followed by further development under the Fraunhofer AHEAD programme. EXIST funding will support the transition from validated prototype to market-ready system within the Fraunhofer FFB PreFab innovation modules, with demonstration under real production conditions planned. Fraunhofer FFB leadership cited Syvairo’s grant approval as an example of effective research transfer and looks forward to bringing the solution to industry scale.
Source: Fraunhofer FFB Press News
