Sakuu Promises to Make Batteries in Almost Any Shape Imaginable — By 3D Printing Them
By 3D printing batteries with a custom lithium metal chemistry, Sakuu aims to unlock new form factors and boost energy capacities.
A battery manufacturing startup may be on the brink of unlocking entirely new form factors for portable and wearable devices — through the creation of a solid-state battery that can be 3D-printed into any shape required.
"Our development shows that the Kavian platform can enable commercial-scale, sustainable production of a wide range of battery technologies from lithium-ion to lithium metal to even solid-state batteries — whereas traditional methods of advanced cell manufacturing continually run into core impediments that prevent mass-scale production," claims Sakuu's chief technology officer Karl Littau.
"Further," Littau continues, "our printing process can allow for substantial gains in energy density for a completed battery. Finally, our platform can customize the form factor of the battery — whereby the battery itself can become part of product design via customized shapes and sizes. This is a profound moment with enormous implications for advanced battery manufacturing."
That latter claim holds the promise for some interesting new design patterns in battery-powered electronics. Using a proprietary lithium metal battery chemistry, Sakuu's 3D printing system churns out patterned batteries in any shape required — either reducing the footprint of the device to be powered or allowing more of its volume to be used to store charge, boosting its run time.
"We believe we have the only known solution for manufacturing solid-state batteries at scale with our novel Kavian platform," claims company founder and chief executive officer Robert Bagheri. "Collectively, our additive manufacturing and battery teams have accomplished what most thought impossible. Printing custom patterned batteries using a dry process that starts with raw material and concludes with a fully functional high-performance battery is a breakthrough that has the potential to transform how batteries of the future are manufactured for all industries."
The company has confirmed it plans to sell the Kavian battery-printing platform to other battery makers, while also promoting adoption of the technology by companies in the automotive, aerospace, and e-mobility markets. It has not, however, confirmed when the 3D-printed batteries will leave the pilot production line and enter general availability.
More information is available on the Sakuu website.