DRYtraec replaces conventional wet coating of electrodes. Developed at Fraunhofer IWS, this dry-coating process eliminates solvents and energy-intensive drying steps, cutting costs and environmental impact. DRYtraec forms the core of DRYplatform. The platform integrates the process into a complete system: a flexible dry-air multi chamber design with precise humidity control, high-intensity and extrusion mixers for powder preparation, connected analytics, and complementary units for cell testing, post-compaction, and electrode finishing. Inline and offline data converge in a shared digital infrastructure, enabling rapid scaling of material-process-property relationships. “DRYplatform accelerates the transfer from science to industry,” said Prof. Christoph Leyens, Director of Fraunhofer IWS. “It highlights Germany’s commitment to advanced battery research and provides our partners with a research environment unmatched anywhere in the world.”

Overcoming Obstacles through Teamwork

Building the platform demanded more than 40 individual procurements and installations amid supply chain disruptions, pandemic aftereffects, and rising energy costs. Fraunhofer IWS revised its original plan of single dry-air cabinets into a multi chamber concept that now combines low operating costs with the ability to process highly sensitive materials.

Chemists, process engineers, mechanical engineers, designers, and service units collaborated closely. “We systematically linked material development, plant engineering, and process analytics,” said Dr. Benjamin Schumm, Head of Particle Technology. “That lets us deliver fast, reliable answers to complex questions – a capability only possible through the breadth of expertise at Fraunhofer IWS.”

Value across the Supply Chain

DRYplatform supports stakeholders from material development to industrial deployment. Powder suppliers can validate recipes, equipment manufacturers can integrate and optimize systems, and cell producers can assess electrochemical performance. Automotive and aerospace industries gain robust foundations for future products. Companies can access the research infrastructure as part of joint research and development projects.

Strategic Relevance for Germany

E-mobility is reshaping global value chains. Dry coating offers Germany the opportunity to safeguard its industrial competitiveness. DRYplatform enhances research as well as machine and plant engineering while enabling early adoption by cell manufacturers. The result: expertise stays in the country, reducing dependence on costly imports. Public funding translates directly into industrial application, delivering societal benefit.

Outlook

DRYplatform bridges scientific concepts and industry-scale demonstration. Fraunhofer IWS works closely with partners, such as Fraunhofer Research Fabrication Battery Cell FFB, which will commission a DRYtraec-based production line at the end of the year 2025. This creates a seamless progression from fundamentals to pilot manufacturing.

The Fraunhofer IWS research and technology platform enables the efficient and scalable evaluation of dry-coating processes for current and next-generation batteries, including solid-state, sodium-ion, and lithium-sulfur systems. This allows researchers to validate new electrochemical concepts at an early stage and systematically advance their technology readiness. Companies gain a sound basis for deciding whether to complement established wet-coating processes with dry methods. This choice will powerfully shape which cell technologies dominate the market in the next five to ten years.

Forum as Showcase and Catalyst

The DRY Coating Forum in Dresden provided the ideal stage for the inauguration of DRYplatform. Around 200 experts discussed industrial adoption of dry coating. Attendees included leading automakers, key cell producers, and globally relevant equipment manufacturers. The strong industry presence underscored the technology’s importance. For Fraunhofer IWS, it was also an opportunity to position DRYplatform as the centerpiece of a network linking research, industry, and plant engineering – a catalyst for faster exchange and stronger cooperation.

The project upon which this report is based was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research under the number 03XP0437.

Responsibility for the content of this publication remains with the author.