Measurement System Analysis : For Battery Production Using DMAIC at Northvolt AB

Abstract: As battery manufacturing is enclosed with multiple quality and safety requirements, the batteryindustry needs adequate Measurement Systems (MS) to provide high product quality and ensure a safe working environment. The study purpose was to improve the performance of an MS for battery production by utilizing MSA and Six Sigma methodology, and to make appropriate recommendations for improvement and future control. The study included 28 measurement instruments which were evaluated by the utilization of a framework consisting of five different errors identified in the literature, namely bias, linearity, stability, reproducibility and repeatability. This framework is considered as the theoretical contribution of this study. The improvement methodology DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control) was used to perform the case study. The results indicate an overall improved MS and generated improvement suggestions of three recurrent scenarios that arose in the analysis. Moreover, a company adopted control plan with an intention to serve as a basis for future work within MSA is presented and concerns the practical contribution of this work. The results provide helpful support as well as establish a foundation of how to maintain a well-performing MS for Northvolt. By implementing the suggested recommendations, the potential saving was estimated to 395 000 SEK annually.