Swiftfab Launched to Push Japan’s Battery Manufacturing Equipment Forward

Swiftfab has been launched as a joint initiative to strengthen the battery manufacturing equipment industry. Hitachi is involved from the preparation stage, with a focus on using advanced AI through HMAX Industry and building digital twin technology for battery manufacturing processes.

Nine equipment-related companies under the Battery Association for Supply Chain have agreed to form a consortium, tentatively named Swiftfab Energy Systems Co., Ltd. The purpose is to drive a cross-industry project called Swiftfab, aimed at improving Japan’s competitiveness in battery manufacturing equipment and addressing structural changes in the industry.

It is a basic and audacious vision, whereby companies from divergent aims of industries would collaborate to build an integrated production mechanism. Buildings, facilities, production equipment, and systems will be designed together as one unit, then deployed as complete battery production lines. The goal is higher quality, shorter lead times, and lower costs. The outcomes will be shared with BASC member companies over time as a co-creation industrial infrastructure, strengthening Japan’s manufacturing base.

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Hitachi’s role is centered on digital transformation. Battery manufacturing involves precise and complex processes, and current equipment and line design often take too long, followed by extended adjustment periods after production starts. Through the consortium, Hitachi plans to develop simulation technology that enables digital twins of battery manufacturing processes. By testing equipment and production data in a digital space before deployment, lead times at the design stage can be shortened and post-launch adjustments reduced.

This initiative aligns with Hitachi’s Connective Industries focus on Integrated Industry Automation. By expanding HMAX Industry into the storage battery field and combining on-site data, domain knowledge, and AI, Hitachi aims to optimize the full process from design to production. The broader objective is to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and support the long-term growth of Japan’s battery manufacturing industry.