Should you’ve been hanging round on the earth of electrical bikes for any first rate period of time, you’ve in all probability come throughout Bafang. They don’t make electrical bikes, however they’ve lengthy made most of the elements utilized by them. I visited the manufacturing facility again in 2019, and not too long ago returned for a second go to to see what had modified. Boy, was I unprepared for what awaited me…
After I say that Bafang makes most of the elements discovered within the e-bike you in all probability have at house, that now looks as if an understatement. With all the new tech and developments the corporate has made, they now produce nearly each half utilized in electrical bike drive methods.
And never solely that, however their manufacturing processes have modified considerably over the previous couple of years.
To see behind the scenes your self, take a look at my video from the go to beneath.
Even from the primary second I walked by means of the gates, the updates had been obvious. Since my final go to, Bafang has moved into an enormous new advanced, which is necessary since a few of their new manufacturing now consists of the addition of full e-bike battery design and manufacturing. That clearly requires considerably extra of a footprint than only a motor and drive system maker.
However earlier than I get to the brand new battery work, let’s begin initially. I started my go to within the R&D division, the place a devoted workforce of engineers and designers work collectively on drawing up the subsequent technology of e-bike elements. After I visited in 2019, there have been hints within the air that Bafang was engaged on an answer to the frequent situation of e-bike motors having an unlucky tendency to wreak havoc on conventional bicycle transmissions. There’s only a restricted quantity of energy that almost all bicycle shifters and derailleurs are designed for, and that quantity often falls above leg energy however beneath motor energy.
Now I used to be happy to see that Bafang has a number of choices for their very own in-house developed transmissions constructed round internally geared hubs (IGHs). IGHs are prized within the bicycle world for his or her clear, low-maintenance design that fully replaces a dangling derailleur. Nevertheless, the usage of an internally geared hub typically means you may’t use a hub motor (or must put it within the entrance wheel, which is much less fascinating). However not solely has Bafang developed their very own IGHs, however they’ve even integrated hub motors into the design, creating multi-speed transmissions that share the identical wheel hub as an electrical motor. That innovation, referred to as the Bafang GVT line (Gear Variable Transmission), opens a complete new world of e-bike prospects by placing an internally geared hub and a hub motor in the identical product. And on high of that, the shifting happens completely robotically and with out exterior cables or wires. Intelligent use of mechanical elements retains the complete factor sealed and with out further exterior elements that may put on out or fail.
I used to be in a position to take a look at just a few of those designs in Bafang’s showroom, and even examined them out later within the day on just a few completely different e-bikes sporting Bafang’s elements. However alas, I’m getting forward of myself.
A giant a part of R&D goes past simply imagining new elements. Bafang has to scrupulously check their designs to make sure they’ll deal with the cruel world during which e-bikes reside. From stress tanks of water that expose any air gaps in motors to brutal drop exams and shaker tables, the corporate’s engineers completely torture these poor gadgets whereas on the lookout for how and the place they’ll fail.
That testing not solely results in design enhancements, however typically even to the event of latest supplies. Bafang makes use of their very own proprietary materials for the gears used of their motors, providing extra power and ruggedness than typical nylon gears, however much less noise than metal gears.
There are soundproof rooms for making essentially the most minute measurements of the sounds produced by varied elements, and even an EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) chamber for electrical security testing and compliance certification, the place e-bikes and elements might be examined to make sure that all the varied items are working collectively correctly with out creating any pointless or probably problematic electromagnetic radiation. That is additionally vital to making sure compatability of assorted electrical elements in order that they don’t intrude with each other.
With a greater understanding of the method that goes into R&D, I moved on to the manufacturing facility the place manufacturing happens. Right here all of it begins in with high quality inspections that make sure that the elements that go into Bafang’s merchandise are inside manufacturing tolerances. Elements like motor shells and bearings are vital to the efficiency of an e-bike’s drive system, and so elements are scrutinized in fantastic element with micron-level measurements earlier than they make it to the manufacturing facility ground the place they are going to be integrated into assemblies.
After passing their checks, elements head right into a largely automated course of. For instance, the motor shells are dealt with by robots that transfer them by means of a number of phases on an meeting line, including gears, spreading grease, and receiving their motor cores.
These motor cores cross by means of their very own robotic strains, with the copper wire spun by precision machines. Such a work was usually finished by hand years in the past, however has now been supplanted by automated machines which can be sooner and extra correct.
At this level, the sub-assemblies transfer to a remaining meeting line, one of many few locations you continue to see numerous human employees. Right here, mid-drive motors obtain their remaining meeting by hand. There are nonetheless a number of variations I observed although, comparable to the shortage of laser-engraved serial numbers, which have now been changed by particular stickers that retain the motor shell’s corrosion-resistant end as an alternative of engraving it away. The only sticker additionally replaces the a number of stickers of assorted configurations and dimensions that use to supply a hodgepodge of knowledge, and have now been streamlined right into a single unobstrusive marker that additionally leaves the protecting coating of the motor’s shell unaffected.
Motors are examined one remaining time on a bench equipment, guaranteeing they meet all the right specs, earlier than reaching their remaining cease on the conveyor belt: packaging.
Close by, one other machine kinds small components comparable to nuts and washers which can be included with merchandise like hub motors, robotically bagging them to be included within the motor containers.
It’s an analogous story for a number of different elements I noticed, from handlebar shows to wiring harnesses. A lot of the method has now been automated with particular machines that robotically strip wires, mount connectors, glue show covers, and different steps which can be extremely handbook and repetitive. Not every thing has been changed by robots, and also you definitely nonetheless see many line employees, however a big variety of the duties have been automated, and that looks as if a development that may proceed.
One different intersting replace I noticed was a change to the way in which the soldering stations are arrange. Beforehand, fumehoods had been mounted above soldering stations that will suck out the fumes from the soldering operations.
That helps stop these fumes from increase within the room, however the person employees at every sales space aren’t as protected for the reason that fumes nonetheless cross by their faces.
The brand new setup has vacuum holes within the precise workstation floor that suck the fumes down and out by means of the desk, stopping even the preliminary employee from being uncovered to soldering fumes.
It’s a nicer setup that protects everybody, and I used to be glad to see the upgrades.
Bafang Battery Manufacturing facility
The following a part of the tour took me into the battery manufacturing facility, which was like getting into a courageous new world for an e-bike components provider. Usually, battery factories are standalone operations run purely by battery makers. However Bafang has grown so massive that at this level, it is smart for them to spend money on constructing their very own prime quality battery packs. It’s one thing they’ve been finding out for practically a decade, largely staying within the R&D part. However in the previous couple of years, they’ve introduced these designs to life and entered full battery manufacturing.
Once more although, I’m getting forward of myself. Becuase it’s that design stage that’s vital to the standard and security of batteries. Equally to the e-bike drive system facet of issues, the battery manufacturing facility has its personal R&D part that scrutinizes completely different cells and batteries whereas making ready and testing new designs to make sure they’ll meet the right security and efficiency necessities set by Bafang. Assuming they do, they might find yourself slated for manufacturing and turn into one of many firm’s new battery pack choices.
Manufacturing on the manufacturing facility ground begins with the person battery cells that may ultimately make up the bigger battery packs. They’re examined to make sure they cross high quality checks earlier than being robotically sorted by robots into essentially the most applicable mixtures of cells based mostly on comparable inner resistances.
Laptop-controlled ultrasonic welding machines then mix these battery cells into bigger packs, that are encased in varied enclosures relying on the particular mannequin of battery. Earlier than the battery instances are even sealed, every battery is put by means of a sequence of bench exams to make sure it meets the right parameters. After the batteries cross these checks, they get sealed and despatched to carry out a whole testing cycle, the place rows of cabinets home lots of – perhaps 1000’s – of actively charging and discharging battery packs. After getting the inexperienced mild following a profitable cost and discharge cycle check, the battery is lastly packaged and ready to be despatched on its technique to an e-bike manufacturing facility.
The dimensions of Bafang’s operations is nothing in need of spectacular. I’ve visited dozens of Chinese language factories at this level however I’ve by no means seen such an all-encompassing operation from an e-bike part maker. With the addition of battery packs, to not point out all the opposite drivetrain elements made by Bafang, the corporate actually is a one-stop store now for e-bike OEMs.
It has been an unimaginable expertise to see not simply the elements and designs, however the way in which that manufacturing has essentially modified inside Bafang’s partitions during the last a number of years. And at this price, I’m fascinated to see what new improvements the subsequent few years might carry.
Don’t neglect to take a look at the video of this behind-the-scenes tour, beneath!
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