In a landmark advancement for battery manufacturing, HIRANO TECSEED—a leading Japanese machinery engineering firm—has leveraged Siemens’ Simcenter Amesim multiphysics simulation platform and SIMATIC Converting Toolbox to optimize critical coating processes. This digital-first approach has delivered measurable gains in product quality, reduced material waste, and accelerated operational performance while minimizing reliance on physical prototyping.

Tackling Complexity in Precision Coating

Battery electrode coating demands micrometer-level precision. Substrates must unwind, coat, dry, and rewind at velocities and tensions where even minor deviations risk defects. HIRANO TECSEED engineers now use Simcenter Amesim to simulate web tension dynamics across every machine segment and operational mode, enabling virtual identification of potential breaks or imperfections. This digital twin capability eliminates trial-and-error machine adjustments, slashing development cycles.

Digitalization Drives Competitive Edge

Specializing in coating and lamination systems for industries spanning adhesives to lithium-ion batteries, HIRANO TECSEED aims to dominate the global market. Partnering with Siemens, the company integrated Simcenter Amesim with its automation infrastructure—including SIMATIC S7-1500 PLCs and SINAMICS S120 drives—to create a unified simulation environment. This fusion of mechatronics, web handling, and automation modeling allows real-time optimization of machine throughput and material parameters.

Quantifiable Impact: Costs Cut, Speeds Surge

The Simcenter Amesim platform’s dedicated converting library proved transformative. By importing machine parameters and material properties, engineers visualize web tension via 3D animations colored by stress levels—even in sensor-free zones. This capability has:

• Reduced prototyping costs by eliminating physical machine testing for parameter adjustments
• Accelerated commissioning timelines by 80%, critical in the hyper-competitive battery sector
• Enabled fivefold faster evaluation of new materials or machine configurations (15-minute virtual setup vs. 1–2 hours physically)

“The simulation’s accuracy and visualization have democratized process understanding,” notes N. Vansh, HIRANO TECSEED R&D Engineer. “We now resolve issues before they impact production.”

Seamless Digital-Physical Integration

Beyond simulation, the firm deployed Siemens’ SIMATIC Converting Toolbox, which streamlines automation coding with 80% preconfigured function blocks. This standardization, combined with Siemens’ motion control precision, ensures virtual optimizations translate directly to physical machinery. Critical parameters like web speed and tension are maintained with sub-millisecond accuracy, directly improving end-product consistency.

Strategic Vision Realized

For Katsuhiro Omori, HIRANO TECSEED’s Director, the Siemens partnership represents a paradigm shift: “By uniting automation expertise with advanced simulation, we’ve elevated our systems’ performance and our own engineering capabilities.”

Key Outcomes

• Defect Reduction: Proactive identification of tension-related flaws via multiphysics analysis
• Waste Elimination: 30% less material scrap through virtual process tuning
• Time-to-Market: 50% faster equipment validation cycles
• Sustainability: Lower energy consumption from optimized machine operation

As battery demand skyrockets, HIRANO TECSEED’s digital-first strategy positions it as an innovation leader. The collaboration underscores how simulation-driven engineering is reshaping manufacturing—turning delicate processes into predictable, high-performance workflows.

Reference: HIRANOTEC