eMobility: Measuring Technology from ZEISS Provides the Key for Series Production

The VW ID.3 is the first ever vehicle to be designed purely as an electric car. This compact model goes into production this year, with up to 500,000 units expected to roll off the factory floor in Germany. And plans are already in place to set up more production plants in other countries. The essential components of the electric drive are produced at the Volkswagen components plant in Salzgitter. For the stator, VW has opted for an innovative design using hairpin technology.

”This approach enables high-volume series production, and it also means the engine has more power, while being significantly lighter,“ explains Philip Kurz, who is responsible for engine planning and testing at VW. However, there remains the challenge of quality assurance – because the physical properties of the hairpins push the boundaries of the measuring methods traditionally used in engine construction. This is why over the past year ZEISS has been working with VW to develop a measuring solution which enables the automaker to manufacture electric cars in large-scale series production.

The hairpins in the stator of the new electric drive, made from coated copper, replace the traditional copper wire coil. Pascal Schmidt, who is part of the quality assurance team, explains why this is too much for traditional measuring technology to cope with: ”Copper is easily deformed, which is why we can‘t use tactile methods. Also, it is shiny and semi-transparent, which makes it difficult for optical sensors to detect.“ On top of that, the form of the finished hairpins does not match the form of the installation position. And, with over 100 integrated hairpins, the winding head needs to be fully scanned by the sensors in order to ensure that the hairpins aren’t touching the engine housing. VW also needed to develop an efficient measuring strategy which meets all of the safety and quality requirements for the electric drive.