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Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing is on the cusp of a major leap forward with the emergence of 3D printed solid-state battery technology. In an exclusive Munro & Associates tour of Sakuu’s facility, Sandy Munro explores a truly groundbreaking development—solid-state battery cells manufactured via additive techniques. Unlike traditional lithium-ion batteries, these printed cells use dry processes and customizable formats, offering superior energy density and leaner manufacturing with significantly less waste.
This article dives into how Sakuu’s technology reimagines battery architecture, manufacturing, and scalability—offering insights that matter to automotive engineers, EV designers, lean manufacturing experts, and green technology investors.
Why 3D Printing Solid-State Batteries Matters
Solid-state batteries promise improved safety, higher energy density, and longer lifespan compared to liquid electrolyte cells. Sakuu’s innovation lies in how these are manufactured: not just what they make, but how. Instead of traditional casting, coating, or stacking processes, Sakuu prints each battery layer using additive manufacturing, drastically reducing scrap, solvent use, and factory footprint.
Using a fully dry process with advanced material science, Sakuu achieves higher performance with less environmental and capital cost. They can print lithium metal anodes and engineered cathode patterns directly onto substrates in custom shapes and configurations. It’s not just more efficient—it’s transformative.
From Chemistry to Geometry: Redefining Battery Form
Traditional manufacturing lines constrain pouch cells to rectangular or cylindrical formats. Sakuu’s printed solid-state batteries break free from these design limitations. Their proprietary 3D printing platform—called Kavian—can fabricate cells in arbitrary shapes, even embedding cooling features or structural gaps into the cell geometry.
Engineers now design batteries to fit product needs instead of shaping products around batteries. This shift offers a major advantage for tight automotive spaces, wearable tech, aerospace payloads, and more.
Kavian prints cathodes, anodes, and even separators with millimeter-level precision. As a result, it produces functioning cells that fit perfectly into unconventional cavities. These include curved surfaces and complex assemblies. This precision unlocks new design possibilities across industries.
Additive Manufacturing at Industrial Speed
Sakuu’s additive approach is not slow prototyping. Their platform operates at industrial throughput. The Kavian system, roughly 60 feet long by 6 feet wide, can produce up to 2.5 megawatt-hours of battery capacity per year—and scale to 100 megawatt-hours with larger deployments.
A full gigawatt-hour factory would require just 10–11 of these machines, drastically reducing plant size and energy requirements. That means faster time to scale, lower capex, and a smaller environmental footprint—key advantages for automakers looking to localize and decarbonize battery supply chains.
Unlike traditional plants that require solvent recovery systems, toxic slurry handling, and massive footprint, Kavian works with dry powders and minimal waste. Each cell takes just seconds to produce, depending on geometry—enabling real-time customization and rapid assembly-line compatibility.
Lithium Metal: The High-Density Frontier
One of Sakuu’s key innovations is its use of lithium metal anodes. Compared to traditional graphite-based systems, lithium metal significantly boosts energy density—both gravimetric (watt-hours per kilogram) and volumetric (watt-hours per liter).
While the industry average hovers around 600–700 Wh/L, Sakuu’s pouch cells already exceed 800 Wh/L. This density is crucial for applications like electric aircraft (where weight is limiting) and compact EVs (where volume is at a premium).
Their printed cells preserve this high-performance chemistry while enabling novel geometries—offering both form and function in ways legacy battery manufacturing can’t match.
Smarter Materials, Smarter Process
To make all this possible, Sakuu engineered proprietary dry powders for cathodes and anodes. These powders exhibit fluid-like behavior, essential for precise deposition. Their material science team transforms conventional battery powders into printable, flowable forms without using binders or solvents.
Sakuu deposits these dry powders in uniform layers and then calendars (presses) them to achieve conductivity and density. The materials stay dry, avoiding exposure to corrosive liquids or moisture. As a result, operators can recycle unused powder directly back into the process. This eliminates typical waste streams. It also cuts material costs.
More impressively, Sakuu can integrate multiple materials using different additive methods—inkjet, material jetting, and powder deposition—all in a single machine. This multimaterial capability allows printing of current collectors, insulators, and structural elements without switching platforms.
Lean Design and Reduced Scrap
Traditional battery plants generate significant waste. Slurry coatings are trimmed, foils are cut, and misalignments require rework or disposal. Even with high recycling rates, the energy cost and logistics add up.
Sakuu’s platform adds material only where needed. If a battery design requires a window, a cutout, or a non-standard edge, that area simply isn’t printed—resulting in near-zero scrap. Unlike stamped or coated electrodes, there’s no trimming and no wasted cathode material (which is the most expensive part).
This aligns perfectly with lean manufacturing goals: eliminate waste, minimize rework, and enable single-piece flow. Additive manufacturing isn’t just about innovation—it’s about efficiency.
Localized Supply Chains and US Manufacturing
Globalized lithium-ion supply chains currently move materials, electrodes, and cells across borders.
Sakuu’s platform requires only raw powders—available from global chemical suppliers—and does the rest in-house. No shipping cathodes overseas for coating, no back-and-forth logistics.
Moreover, while some of their early development equipment came from China, Sakuu is focused on U.S.-based manufacturing. Their long-term goal is domestic independence—from raw material sourcing to equipment design.
This not only improves resilience but also aligns with growing incentives for local clean energy production in North America and Europe.
First Printed Cell with Real Voltage
Toward the end of the tour, Sakuu demonstrated a live printed cell registering 1.8 volts—proof that their process yields not just a structure, but a functioning energy storage device. By stacking multiple printed cells, engineers can achieve desired voltages in compact, customizable packages.
Printed cells can be stacked in three dimensions, shaped per application, and built without pouches or rigid casings—reducing material costs and enhancing design freedom. Whether for drones, medical devices, EVs, or industrial tools, the form factor can match the mission.
The Road Ahead: Licensing and Scalability
Sakuu isn’t just building batteries. They’re also licensing the full stack. This includes chemistry, component specifications, equipment, and supplier selection. Through their “Cyprus” battery platform, manufacturers can scale production quickly—whether in the U.S. or abroad.
By offering a ready-to-go ecosystem, Sakuu lowers the barrier for OEMs and suppliers to adopt next-gen battery manufacturing without years of R&D. This turnkey approach mirrors strategies seen in semiconductor fabs—where high-value process IP enables rapid deployment.
Conclusion: Transforming Battery Design from the Inside Out
Sakuu’s 3D printed solid-state battery platform doesn’t just offer better batteries—it enables better vehicles, faster factories, and leaner supply chains. With dry processing, lithium metal chemistry, and true additive design, they’re redefining what’s possible in energy storage.
For automotive engineers, investors, and sustainability leaders, Sakuu’s approach offers a clear glimpse into the future. In this future, manufacturers print, shape, and deploy batteries with the same flexibility and speed as digital prototypes. This shift changes how energy storage is designed and delivered.
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