How 8inks Is Transforming Battery Manufacturing with Multi-Layer Curtain Coating Technology

Founded in 2022 as a spin-off from ETH Zurich, 8inks leverages techniques from the paper and photography industries to create advanced electrode architectures with increased production speeds and enhanced design flexibility. The technology offers significant benefits, including faster coating speeds, cost reductions, and material versatility, making it suitable for applications in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and energy storage.

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8inks, founded in 2022 as a spin-off from ETH Zurich by Paul Baade, Leon Baade, Christina Sauter, and Karl-Philipp Schlichting, is reinventing lithium-ion battery manufacturing with its innovative multi-layer curtain coating technology. Drawing inspiration from techniques used in the paper and photography industries, this technology enables the production of advanced electrode architectures with exceptional speed and efficiency. The companies goal is to address critical bottlenecks in battery manufacturing while enhancing performance, scalability, and sustainability.

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8inks founders team

The central innovation of 8inks is its multi-layer curtain coating process, which is an alternative to the traditional slot-die technique that has been used in battery manufacturing for decades. Unlike conventional methods, which apply one layer at a time, 8inks’ technology allows for the simultaneous deposition of multiple layers. This approach increases production speeds and enhances design flexibility and energy density.

This manufacturing technology has several notable features, such as:

  • Faster Coating Speeds: The capability to coat up to 10 times faster than traditional methods significantly enhances throughput.
  • Tailored Performance: Specific battery requirements can be met with customizable electrode layers.
  • Cost Savings: Capital and operating expenses are reduced by approximately 30% while factory floor space and post-processing steps are minimized.
  • Material Flexibility: It is compatible with a diverse range of materials, including silicon anodes, LFP cathodes, and solid electrolytes.

Applications and Impact on Battery Manufacturing

8inks technology will benefit multiple industries, particularly those demanding high-performance and scalable battery solutions. Applications that will be likely impacted include:

  • Electric Vehicles (EVs): By enabling higher energy and power density at lower costs, the technology supports the growing demand for efficient and affordable EV batteries.
  • Consumer Electronics: Enhances battery performance for devices like smartphones and laptops.
  • Energy Storage: Provides scalable solutions for grid storage and renewable energy integration.
  • Specialized Uses: Applicable to IoT sensors, space operations, and other niche applications.

Looking further into the future, solid-state batteries in combination with Li-metal can be the game changer, enabling 400Wh/kg or more. Here, our technology allows us to really manage and tune the tricky solid-solid and Li-metal interfaces. – Paul Baade

The company’s approach also emphasizes sustainability, focusing on reducing material waste, optimizing resource efficiency, and enabling recyclability.

Multi-Layer Curtain Coating Technology
Multi-Layer Curtain Coating Technology

Overcoming Various Industry Challenges

The development and scaling of this technology has presented several challenges. Moving from lab-scale production to industrial levels while keeping precision and performance has been a big challenge. However, 8inks has made substantial progress, with plans to launch a customer demonstration pilot line by the second quarter of 2025.

In an interview with Thermo Fisher Scientific, Dr. Paul Baade highlighted the company’s approach: “Our multi-layer curtain coating technology drastically increases production output and reduces costs, enabling manufacturers to meet the growing demand for high-performance batteries more efficiently.”

8inks’ unique ability to combine high-speed production with multi-layer capabilities offers significant flexibility and scalability. The technology is already proven at large scales in other industries, such as paper and photography, and 8inks has adapted it for battery materials with minimal barriers to adoption.

Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. They have noted significant improvements in battery design flexibility. In particular, the ability to integrate thin layers into an electrode lay-up has stood out. This opens new possibilities in the solution space and allows our customers to solve different types of challenges for multiple use cases. – Paul Baade

Strategies for the Growing Battery Market

8inks aims to scale up its pilot production facility to demonstrate the industrial potential of the technology. The company’s goal is to establish its multi-layer curtain coating process as the new standard in battery manufacturing, and pave the way for mass production of next-generation batteries, including solid-state solutions.

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Electrode coating with 8inks technology

8inks offers various ways for companies to collaborate, from pilot projects and coating platform services to full integration of its technology into existing facilities. This flexibility allows partners to explore and validate the benefits of 8inks’ approach for their specific needs.

To support its ambitious goals, 8inks has secured significant funding, including a pre-seed round of nearly three million euros. Major investors include Founderful, Übermorgen Ventures, Angel Invest, and the ETH Foundation. Additional support has been provided by organizations like Innosuisse and the Swiss Climate Foundation, further validating the technology’s potential.

Addressing critical challenges in scalability, performance and cost efficiency, 8inks is contributing to a transformation in battery manufacturing. Its multi-layer curtain coating technology represents a significant advancement with the potential to impact the industry and accelerate the adoption of next-generation batteries across a wide range of applications.


In collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific, I recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. Paul Baade, CEO and Co-founder of 8inks, who shared insights into the company’s mission, technology, and vision for the future.

For more details, please visit the original interview published by Thermo Fisher Scientific: Interview articleDownloadable PDF version

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