ROKAE Robotics exhibited at the 2026 China International Battery Fair (CIBF) at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center, showcasing automation solutions for lithium battery manufacturing centered on force-controlled assembly and robot-integrated laser welding.
Solving the Battery Testing Insertion Problem
Lithium battery packs require multiple connector insertion steps before leaving the factory — covering leak testing, liquid cooling verification, high-voltage electrical inspection, and communication testing. The tight tolerances involved have historically made this a weak point for position-controlled robots, which struggle with insertion success rates and risk damaging connectors, while manual operation carries safety risks in high-voltage testing environments.
ROKAE's solution pairs the CR12-12/1.4C collaborative robot with full-joint force control and 3D vision guidance to replicate the compliant, adaptive motion of a human hand. Each joint incorporates a high-precision torque sensor, enabling real-time contact force monitoring and dynamic adjustment throughout the insertion process.
Key performance figures:
· Higher yield: insertion success rate increased, eliminating the product damage associated with rigid position control
· Full cycle time: 12 seconds, covering vision capture, gripper approach, and insertion
· Hole search time: under 2 seconds, enabled by high-dynamic compliant force control
· Multi-product compatibility: supports multiple connector types and accommodates rapid line changeover via an intuitive force-control process package and drag teaching programming
Robot-Integrated Laser Welding for Module and Pack Lines
ROKAE also presented two laser welding configurations targeting different production requirements in module and pack assembly:
NB220 Laser Scanning Welding System — Built on ROKAE's high-payload industrial robot platform with IP65 body and IP67 wrist protection, the NB220 is designed for sustained, high-speed welding of large workpieces including cell terminals, module side panels, and module busbars. The system runs on ROKAE's proprietary xCore control platform for precise positioning and fast cycle times, and can be extended to cell and module handling and battery housing machine tending within the same line.
CR7 Collaborative Laser Welding System — A flexible welding cell built around ROKAE's full-joint force-controlled collaborative robot. Drag teaching programming allows rapid welding point setup without specialist programming knowledge. Absolute positioning accuracy better than 0.3 mm and path accuracy better than 0.4 mm ensure consistent weld quality across runs. Built on the ROKAE+ open ecosystem platform, the system supports custom welding parameter libraries, modular plugin management, and scene-specific application development.
Broad Coverage Across the New Energy Value Chain
Beyond battery testing and welding, ROKAE's solutions for the new energy sector span cell handling, flexible stacking, inspection and unloading, housing dispensing, steel band sleeving, and palletizing on the lithium battery side, alongside solar cell handling, wafer insertion, and random module pick on the photovoltaic side.
As the new energy sector continues to advance toward more efficient and intelligent manufacturing, ROKAE will continue developing robotics technologies and application solutions to support the evolution of lithium battery production.
