Marposs – Excellence in quality control for fuel cells and electrolyzers

This advertorial by Marposs was first published in EVreporter March 2024 magazine.

In the fuel cell and electrolyzer industry landscape, precision and reliability play a fundamental role in ensuring the optimal performance and efficiency of these systems. Thanks to its constant innovation in the supply of advanced solutions for in-workshop control, Marposs allows manufacturers of these devices to achieve unprecedented levels of accuracy and quality in their production processes.

The company, founded in 1952, is a primary supplier to major automotive manufacturers that it is supporting in the transition to electric mobility, as well as to the aerospace, semiconductor, consumer electronics, refrigeration and biomedical sectors. Today, the Group has over 3,500 employees worldwide and is present with over 80 of its own offices in 34 different countries.

Marposs’ goal is to create quality control solutions for every stage of the production chain in both fuel cells and electrolyzers, from the single component (flow plate, bipolar plate, catalyst, membrane, gas diffusion layer) to the balance of plant, the stack and then the complete fuel cell or electrolyzer system.

Defects in any of the above products, both during production and assembly, can result in reduced reliability, efficiency and performance of the fuel cell or electrolyzer, as well as a hazard during their operation.

The analysis, identification and detection of these defects are addressed by the Marposs proposal, which is divided into solutions for gauging & inspection, leak, functional and electric test.

• Gauging & inspection applications are used to detect the geometric dimensions of individual components as well as to determine manufacturing defects due to pinholes, cracks and assembly inconsistencies. The techniques are based on touch systems with probes and contactless systems that use optical technologies such as laser scanners, cameras and confocal sensors.

• Leak applications detect manufacturing and assembly defects of individual components as well as stacks and complete devices. They are based on the use of tracer gases such as He and forming gas (5%H2 and 95%N2) for vacuum chamber or sniffer tests using a mass spectrometer, or on the use of gases such as air or N2 for pressure drop and flow measurement tests.

A further alternative is the use of deionized water, especially in the field of electrolysers, to carry out tests under operating conditions and without leaving contaminating residues in the product.

• Functional applications are at the margins of the production process and are preparatory for other types of tests. These include solutions for filling and emptying the stack with deionized water as well as solutions for determining the clogging of the bipolar plates channels with air as the process fluid.

• The range is completed by the electric solutions used to determine the characteristic curves and performance of the stack (mainly PEM or SOFC) or the fuel cell/electrolyzer system. In this area, we find applications for Interface Contact Resistance (ICR), Insulation Resistance (IR) and Dielectric Strength (DS) at high voltage, as well as applications for end-of-line controls such as open circuit voltage, control voltage pick-up, polarization curve, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), performance, driving cycle and cyclic voltammetry tests.

Contact Marposs:

Address: Marposs India – Plot 147, Sector 7, IMT Manesar, Gurugram, Haryana 122052

phone number: +91 124 473 5776

Email: sales@in.marposs.com

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