How do you manufacture fuel-cell bipolar plates with high precision, high yield, and production-scale efficiency?
In this episode of Hyfindr Tech Talks, Fabian Kapp (Gräbener) joins Steven Oji to walk through an end-to-end bipolar plate manufacturing line—from coil to stack-ready plate. Fabian explains hydroforming (up to ~2,500+ bar), precision laser cutting & welding, proprietary straightening for ultra-flat plates, and why cleaning, leak testing, and sealing are critical for quality and cost. He also shares practical lessons on OEE, staffing, and how to reduce scrap by controlling welding and base-material quality.
You’ll learn about:
Process flow: decoiling → hydroforming → cleaning → separation → laser cutting → laser welding → straightening → final clean → leak test → sealing → stacking
Hydroforming details: pressure ranges, flexibility across materials/thicknesses, low tooling cost
Laser operations: edge quality, port accuracy, 3D features, nitrogen assist
Welding quality: fixturing/clamping, stitch seams, leak-tight designs around ports/fields
Flatness & yield: straightening for stackability, scrap reduction, optical inspection
Production reality: leak testing (pressure-drop/helium), staffing, maintenance windows, and OEE best practices
Ideal for manufacturing engineers, operations leaders, and stack designers scaling fuel-cell production lines.
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