Dispensing of Gap Filler and Thermal Glue

In battery module projects, effective heat dissipation is a critical requirement directly affecting performance, safety, and service life.
In this implementation, the customer required a stable and repeatable dispensing process for thermal interface materials, including gap filler and thermal glue, applied to cooling surfaces of battery modules.

The project involved several demanding technical challenges:

• Highly abrasive dispensing material, significantly affecting the lifetime of dispensing system components
• Tendency of the material to separate into liquid and filler fractions, requiring continuous pressure control and stable material handling
• Very short time window between material dispensing and pressing the component onto the surface
• Strict requirements for materials path geometry, including shape, continuity, and material volume
• Need for full process control, including presence, path continuity, and quantity verification

We developed a dispensing concept tailored to both the material properties and thermal performance requirements of the application.

Key elements of the solution included:

• Close cooperation with leading dispensing system suppliers, enabling selection of a system optimized for abrasive and shear-sensitive materials
• Deployment of 4-axis and 6-axis industrial robots, as well as Cartesian dispensing systems, ensuring accurate and repeatable material paths
• Optimization of dispensing trajectories, enabling uniform coverage of heat dissipation surfaces
• Integration of 2D and 3D vision inspection systems for in-line quality control

Comprehensive validation confirmed the robustness and repeatability of the dispensing process:

• Stable material flow, even for highly abrasive and separation-prone materials
• Controlled pressure and material handling, preventing fraction separation
• Repeatable material’s path geometry with verified shape, continuity, and volume
• Reliable detection of dispensing deviations through 2D and 3D inspection

The process met all quality and thermal performance requirements.

The implemented solution enabled:

• Uniform distribution of thermal interface material across cooling surfaces
• Reliable synchronization Keep narrow time window between dispensing and component pressing
• Stable, repeatable operation suitable for automated battery module assembly

• Effective heat dissipation, supporting long-term battery performance and reliability
• Stable dispensing process for challenging thermal materials
• Full control of process quality and repeatability
• Reduced risk of rework and field failures through in-line inspection
• Scalable solution, adaptable to different module designs and materials

This case study demonstrates how precise dispensing technology, combined with robotics and in-line inspection, enables to meet the highest requirements in assembly of cooling systems in modern battery systems.

By mastering challenging material properties and tight process windows, we deliver production-ready solutions for demanding battery applications.