Acknowledgements:

I'd like to express my gratitude to Mr. Rehan Iqbal, Production Manager of FTMM Battery Division, for his advice and
inspiration, as well as for allowing me to experiment with battery manufacturing methods in the plant without any limits
or restraints. I was able to comprehend the Lead Acid Battery manufacturing process thanks to his continual source of
helpful input. I am certain that this practical experience will enable me to better grasp what to expect and, at the same
time, what is required of a new graduate in the area. I'd also want to express my gratitude to all of the Process
Executives at the plant who went out of their way to make me feel at ease and to answer all of my questions. I'd also
want to express my thanks to all of the hardworking employees at the factory who patiently answered all of my
questions and provided me with valuable insights into the lead acid battery production process. Special appreciation to
Mr. Sheraz Awan, Assistant Manager HR, and the whole HR staff. This event tested my talents and inspired me to keep
moving forward with the correct mentality in line with industry standards.

Introduction:
Pakistan, the world's seventh most populated country, has experienced an increase in demand for lead acid batteries in
recent years. The government has been dealing with a variety of challenges in many sectors, and the energy sector is
one of the most important areas where the country is currently dealing with critical issues. There were existing Lead
Acid battery production factories in the nation, but they were insufficient owing to the increasing demand. Treet
Daewoo batteries are available to fill the need and meet customer demand in Pakistan. This cutting-edge facility is
bridging the gap that existed in the battery business. The manufacturing process includes a series of methods for battery
production, and this is Pakistan's sole factory that houses all of the manufacturing operations in one location. This
factory offers Pakistan with one-of-a-kind Maintenance Free Batteries (MF), which are already changing the country's
battery sector. FIEDMC M3 Industrial City is located in tehsil Chak Jhumra, district Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. In the
Chak Jhumra area of Faisalabad, the M3 Industrial City is located between the M3 Motorway and Chiniot Road. This
facility was constructed using Green Field Engineering principles by Pakistani and Korean engineers. It's an important
location to consider since Greenfield construction refers to undeveloped ground with little to no pollution and no
existing constructions. The most significant benefit is that there are no costs associated with environmental remediation,
and it is ready to begin construction right immediately. During my Internship period I explored all the processes which
are incorporated for battery production.

Oxide process
And Plate Grid casting Raw Material
making
Injection molding

Steaming and
curing Assembling
Grid casting process:
This process is used for casting of grid which serves as a core material for battery making process. Here in this plant area
grids for two types of batteries are made i.e. electrolyte batteries and PT batteries and the processes that they include
are given in the process flow dig. Detailed spec evaluation will be discussed later on.
Process flow diagram (grid casting)

Lead storage area

(raw)

Lead furnace
(485-535 C)

Lead pump
(centrifugal pump)

Molten lead feed lines

Dispense valve

Casting

Cooling
(water lines)
Conveyer belt

Cutter
(removes unnecessary parts
If rejected
 Product flow diagram (grid casting):

Lead storage area

Positive lead storage

area
Negative lead
Sb 4.5%
storage area
Sb 2.5%

Positive lead
furnace
If Cutting
rejected
Negative
Grid(melted)
stacking
casting
process
lead Grid casting
Pasting area Cutting process Grid stacking
(cooled (solid)
to solid state)
furnace (cooled to solid state) (solid)
(melted)

Lead furnace:
Lead is heated by blast furnace that operates at 485-520 C. The furnaces involved here has the capacity of 3 ton.

Lead pump:

The pump used for transporting molten lead from the furnace to the grid caster is bush type centrifugal motor and it
uses needle valve.

Lead casting:

After transporting lead to the grid caster, molten lead is poured into the mold by dispense valve, where the lead mold is
first initially sprayed by a mixture of cork powder, 10 liter water, sodium silicate and Sulphuric acid for better casting.

Cutting:

After the molten lead grid is cooled down it is sent to cutting for removal of extra parts, which is then stacked to go the
pasting area.

Time and Motion study:

Lap 1. 59.96 sec: stopped the machine and started cleaning the mold.

Lap 2. 56.60 sec: started spraying paint mixture on the mold and then cleaning.

Lap 3. 9.45 sec: engaged the mold.

Lap 4. 48.63 sec: started cleaning nozzles.

Lap 5. 1.30 min: started machine while the operator is still standing.

Lap 6. 33.96 sec: started gathering plates.

Lap 7. 49.10 sec: standing still.

Lap 8. 2.12 mins: Inspecting plates and removing the odd ones.

Lap 9. 1.10 mins: standing still.

Lap 10. 55.02 sec: started cleaning plates.

Pasting (on electrolyte batteries):
In this area, pasting is done on electrolyte batteries as the procedure for paste making is discussed above. The
production sequence of Positive and Negative plates is the same and the only difference they face is the size of the plate
and the recipe of the paste that is pasted on them. Below is the production sequence for the Electrolyte batteries as well
as PT batteries.

Production sequence (Pasting in electrolyte batteries):

Stacked plates

Suction machine
(pneumatic)

Paste

Pasting
(hopper)

Acid pouring
(dil. Sulphuric Acid)

Flash drying oven

(300 C +/- 30 C)
Scrubber

Air suction Cleaning

Suction machine:

Suction machine picks up the plates from the catch plate individually so that it puts the plates onto the conveyer belt for
pasting process.

Acid pouring:

After pasting dil. Sulphuric acid is poured onto the plates and then they are sent to FDO.

Flash drying oven:

In flash drying oven, plates are heated at 300 C +/- 30 C and also the humidity is controlled during this process.

Cleaning:

The plates are cleaned so that there are no issues of poor conduction and also to remove extra powder away from them.

Time and motion study (initial plate stacking onto stacking grid for pasting):
Total time: 3 mins. Total No. of workers: 2

Lap 1. 55.03 sec: worker stacking plates.

Lap 2. 54.96 sec: standing still.

Lap 3. 10.16 sec: worker stacking plates.

Lap 4. 56.17 sec: standing still.

Lap 5. 41.50 sec: worker stacking plates.

Time and motion study (paste pouring):

Total time: 5 min 29 sec.

Lap 1. 23.58 sec: paste pouring.

Lap 2. 83.07 sec: standing still.

Lap 3. 11.34 sec: paste pouring.

Lap 4 3 min 31.14 sec: cleaning and powder pouring.

Grid making for Maintenance-free battery:

Grid making for MF batteries requires some small processes like lead roll making from Continuous rolling strip machine.
These processes are explained one by one later below.

Lead strip for MF batteries (Continuous rolling strip machine):

For the manufacture of lead grid for Maintenance free battery first we have to make its lead strip which is done by
continuous stripe machine. The procedure sequence for C.R.S is given below followed by detailed explanation of its
parts.
 Production sequence:

Raw lead:

The raw lead pieces which we use are calcium ions.

Positive lead: Ca-715.

Negative lead: Ca-901.

Melting furnace:
The melting furnace temperature for both the positive and negative lead ingots is 500C having a capacity of 15 ton. It
runs by LPG.

Holding pot:

The holding pot temperature is also 500C but its capacity 4 ton. Temperature is maintained here electrically.

Caster wheel:

Caster wheel is used to continuously caste lead strip and the lead strip released from caster wheel has dimensions as
100 mm x 12 mm. Water is run continuously through the caster wheel for controlling temperature. It also features a
spring loaded deflection system so that the strip is continuously fed into the system.

Rolling mills:

Now this is the part of continuous rolling strip machine it contains 7 rolling mills - 6 for expanding and 1 for cleaning. The
machine also feature an initial guide roll which is pneumatic based and it is used for initial compress of the strip onto
C.R.S machine. By combining all the rolling mills they have to produce a thickness of 0.7 -1.2 mm. Cutting oil is used for
expansion and also cooling of the lead strip.

Paste making for battery grids (Electrolyte and Maintenance free battery):
Paste making process for battery grids is highly comprehensive process and it requires detailed orientation of each
component. The two major components it requires is making of lead oxide and components mixing process. We will dive
into its detail step by step.

Ball mill machine:

Ball mill machine is used for making lead oxide which is the crucial ingredient in making paste for battery grids. It is a
very controlled process having a lot of complexities. For this purpose the production sequence is written below
Production sequence for ball mill machine:

Raw materials:

 Pure lead.
 L.P.G
 Air.
Paste making:
Paste making is the only process on which the whole industry stands. Although it contains different ingredients for both
Electrolyte battery and Maintenance free battery.

Work specification for paste making:

(EB +VE) (EB –VE) (MF –VE) (MF +VE)

Production sequence for paste making:

Grid making and pasting from lead strip for MF batteries:
The process of grid making for MF positive and negative batteries is different whether it is due to the use of machinery
of different companies or it is due to the difference in their method although their initial and final products are the same
i.e. lead strip and battery grids. One thing to note here is that the gird making and pasting process for MF batteries is
done on the same assembly line. The production sequence for MF positive and MF negative batteries is given below:
Production sequence for MF negative battery:
Production sequence for MF positive battery:
Decoiler:

Decoiler is often used to unwind the lead strip. It is automatically operated by a sensor. Its speed can be adjusted. It is
often called as strip pay off.

Expander machine:

The expander machine used in production of MF negative is uses 4 rotatory motors for punching, cutting, expanding and
mesh making.

Paste pouring:

Paste pouring is done on the grids came from expander machine by hopper with the help of roller. Paste is poured into
hopper from cone feeder.

Plate divider:

The duty of plate divider is to cut discrete plates that are done with pasting and have a production speed of about 800
SLI plates/min.

Forced draft oven:

The plates are then sent to forced draft oven which bakes the plates at 160 C +/- 30 C so that the paste is perfectly
applied on the plates and the plates attain their perfect moisture.

Pre-punching machine:

It is used to produce initial holes which aids the flywheels to rotate and also which forms the basis for grid separating.

Mesh maker:

Here in Daewoo battery plant we use Roche mesh maker which considered to be one of the most advanced mesh maker
giving extremely negligible waste product and its node cutting technology and also its diamond mesh making structure
ensures that there is no chance of battery short circuit and the failure of plate housing. Thus, ensuring that the battery
will last longer than before.

Tab-blanker:

It creates a tap hole in between the plates. It uses the indexing sprocket wheel of same size as the pilot hole.

In other words it’s just expands the hole.

Time and motion study (paste pouring operator):

Total time: 8 mins.

Lap 1. 36.85 sec: standing still.

Lap 2. 11.81 sec: cleaning.

Lap 3. 22.10 sec: paste pouring.

Lap 4. 74.66 sec: cleaning.

Lap 5. 30 sec: changing roll.

Lap 6. 43.31 sec: Again cleaning.

Lap 7. 16.74 sec: paste pouring.

Lap 8. 61.69 sec: inspection and cleaning.

Lap 9. 35.71 sec: standing still.

Lap 10. 64.62 sec: machine stopped.

Steaming and Curing:

Steaming Chamber:

After pasting is done positive plates of either battery are sent to steaming Chamber where they are steamed to different
durations. The reason why steaming is done on the positive plates is because of crystal formation.

Curing chamber:

After pasting is done on the negative plates and steaming is done on the positive plates. They are sent to curing
chamber. Where they are first cured and then they are dried.

After steaming and curing battery plates Of Electrolyte battery are sent to cutting where they are halved where as those
of Maintenance free battery are sent to First assembly.
Injection molding:
This area is used for injecting molds for different battery covers and shells, caps and final covers. Here a specific
exception is used which is that the outer surface for the casing is made on matt finish so that it becomes resistant
scratches. There are total 12 injection molding machines each of different capacity i.e. 150, 250,350,650.

The work specifications and production diagram is given below. The

major things in injection molding machine to notice is solenoid(s),
pump working, heat exchanger and valves. Which plays vital role in
the working of any mechanical object. Here in the diagram it
completely depicts the working parts of a mold.

Production Sequence:
Injection:
The major work of injection is to melt down the plastic small balls
and then inject into mold of specific type. Injection molding uses
hydraulic compression system accompanied by a screw shaft, screw
shaft is used to carry the plastic fluid up to the nozzle. It consists of
two different parts i.e. barrel and metering section.

Mold:
Next major component in injection molding is mold. It ranges from small caps to large containers. It majorly consists of
mold cavity, ejector box and mold core. Water lines are crossing the mold in order to cool it after casting. Molten plastic
is flowed through sprue. After molding, ejector rod pushes the ejector plate so that further moldings can be done.

Raw Materials:
 Water lines.
 Poly propylene.
 Compressed Air lines.

First Assembly:
This is technically the most the happening and the most difficult process in the whole plant. Various processes are done
here and so are the problems. Their staff had to encounter various problems. For Maintenance free battery there are
two types i.e. L- type and R-type and for Electrolyte battery there are no types but their model differs for various
purposes. The production sequence and raw materials for First assembly are described below. The overall production
capacity of the assembly line depends upon different things i.e. no. of shifts, type of battery they are producing. For
example, production capacity of B20 Battery is 3300 in three shifts and production capacity of B24 battery is 3000. They
both are the types of Electrolyte Batteries.

Raw materials:
 Compressed air.
 Water lines.
 Pure lead.
 L.P.G
Layout of first assembly:
Production sequence:
Cast on strap machine:

Cast on strap machine is the machine in the first assembly where individual cells are attached to form a whole big
component that can generate more voltage. It consists of turntable, lead furnace and mold. In COS machine, molten
lead is applied on a group of individual cells that combines them.

Combination Machine:

Combination machine performs series of operations on battery that all together plays an important in either rejection or
selection of Battery. It performs short check of individual block so that there is no fault in the individual cell. Then it
comes to the welding and holding machine where it passes high voltage current which melts the lead and forms.

Hot melt:

Hot melt is a material that is used to seal the cells so that they cannot misplaced from their space.

Heat sealing machine:

Heat sealing machine is used to seal the upper cover of the battery in the container. It makes the container of the
battery air tight.

Post welding machine:

In this machine the terminals of the upper cover and the terminals of the battery are welded together to ensure an
integrity in the frame. In this machine oxy acetylene flame is used which is the common type of flame for welding
various metals. A 1.2:1 oxygen to fuel ratio is used while welding the battery terminals and the terminals on the battery.

Leak test machine:

Leak test machine is used to check by applying high pressure into the battery and monitoring it for specific time. If the
battery is rejected then it is again sent to heat sealing machine.

Formation and final assembly:

Formation and the final assembly is the final and the last process in the factory after which the battery making process is
complete. Treet has a unique facility of having formation assembly battery plant and it is the exception in Pakistan. Two
type of batteries run in parallel. The overall production capacity of this assembly for Maintenance free battery is 1300
and for Electrolyte battery is 400.
Acid preparation module:

This module is only used for acid preparation of Maintenance free battery. Here a specific gravity is set for the acid
which is filled.

Charging:

After acid filling batteries are sent to charging unit where they are being charged for specified time intervals like for B-24
battery the charging time is 9.5 hours. While for B-20 the charging time is 8 hours.

Acid dumping:

After charging and first acid filling the acid already present in the battery is dumped.

Second acid filling machine:

In second acid filling, acid is again filled in the batteries. At this stage, acid of higher specific gravity is used.

Indicator assembly machine:

In indicator assembly machine, indicators are manually fed into the battery containers and then they are pushed into the
battery. In indicator assembly line, batteries are also washed but only from the lower side. Because at that time final
covers are not attached to the battery.

Heat sealing machine:

In heat sealing machine final cover is attached to the main cover.

High rate discharge machine:

High rate discharge machine is used for testing battery capacity. During this time period, high voltage is passed through
the battery for short time period. It helps testing battery capacity.

High voltage leak tester:

It is used to detect micro leaks in hermetically sealed packages by measuring electrical discharges between the product
and device electrodes. It is used for inspecting package defects and tampering.
Conclusion and recommendation:

My internship at Treet Daewoo Battery Plant was enlightening and provided me with many professional perspectives.
During my time at the plant, I was able to determine my strengths and weaknesses. This allowed me to identify which
abilities and knowledge I already possess, as well as which ones I need to improve in order to be industry-ready by the
time I graduate in 2022. This adventure was a success.

Some recommendations from my side are:

 Security checks should be done thoroughly and changes should be made where ever required.
 Accountability and supervision of the workers should be done and log sheets should be checked properly.
 There is a lot work to be done on maintenance side and inventory of the materials should be kept in order to
smoothly run the production.
 While loading and unloading of the grids for pasting only one worker is required instead of two.
 Reward the operators based on their work achievements to ensure that the workers remain motivated.

References:
1. https://www.slideshare.net/ImranShahnawaz1/lead-acid-battery-manufacturing-process-109658707

2. http://www.tbseng.co.uk/rotary-expander-line-equipment

3. https://www.ifsh.iit.edu/iir-inspection-method/high-voltage-leak-detection-hvld-method

4. https://www.bestmag.co.uk/content/ateliers-roche-shows-lead-confidence-two-new-machine-launches

5. Pavlov, D., “Lead Acid Battery – Science & Technology”, pp 149-219, 2011, First edition.
Crompton T. R., “Battery Reference Book”, pp 368-376, 2000, Third Edition.

6. Continuous lead-alloy-strip rolling— The future for lead-acid battery grid production? |
www.bestmag.co.uk. (2020). Bestmag.Co.Uk. https://www.bestmag.co.uk/content/continuous-lead-alloy-
strip-rolling%E2%80%94-future-lead-acid-battery-grid-production

7. Chapman, S. N., “The Fundamentals of Production Planning and Control”, pp 382-452 2010,
8. Fifth Edition
9. R.D. Prengaman, in Encyclopedia of Electrochemical Power Sources, 2009