Should you’ve been hanging round on this planet of electrical bikes for any first rate period of time, you’ve most likely 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 unit again in 2019, and just lately returned for a second go to to see what had modified. Boy, was I unprepared for what awaited me…
Once I say that Bafang makes most of the elements discovered within the e-bike you most likely have at house, that now looks as if an understatement. With the entire new tech and developments the corporate has made, they now produce nearly each half utilized in electrical bike drive programs.
And never solely that, however their manufacturing processes have modified considerably over the previous couple of years.
To see behind the scenes your self, try my video from the go to under.
Even from the primary second I walked by way of the gates, the updates had been obvious. Since my final go to, Bafang has moved into an enormous new complicated, which is vital 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 originally. 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 following era of e-bike elements. Once I visited in 2019, there have been hints within the air that Bafang was engaged on an answer to the widespread 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 normally falls above leg energy however under 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, using an internally geared hub typically means you possibly can’t use a hub motor (or should 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 included 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 prime of that, the shifting happens solely routinely and with out exterior cables or wires. Intelligent use of mechanical elements retains the whole factor sealed and with out extra exterior elements that may put on out or fail.
I used to be ready to take a look at a number of of those designs in Bafang’s showroom, and even examined them out later within the day on a number of 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 carefully check their designs to make sure they will deal with the tough world during which e-bikes reside. From strain tanks of water that expose any air gaps in motors to brutal drop checks and shaker tables, the corporate’s engineers completely torture these poor units whereas searching for how and the place they will fail.
That testing not solely results in design enhancements, however generally 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 energy and ruggedness than typical nylon gears, however much less noise than metal gears.
There are soundproof rooms for making probably the most minute measurements of the sounds produced by numerous 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 the entire numerous items are working collectively correctly with out creating any pointless or doubtlessly problematic electromagnetic radiation. That is additionally important to making sure compatability of assorted electrical elements in order that they don’t intervene with each other.
With a greater understanding of the method that goes into R&D, I moved on to the manufacturing unit the place manufacturing happens. Right here all of it begins in with high quality inspections that be certain that the elements that go into Bafang’s merchandise are inside manufacturing tolerances. Parts like motor shells and bearings are important 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 unit ground the place they are going to be included 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 way of a number of levels on an meeting line, including gears, spreading grease, and receiving their motor cores.
These motor cores cross by way of their very own robotic traces, with the copper wire spun by precision machines. The sort of work was typically finished by hand years in the past, however has now been supplanted by automated machines which can be quicker and extra correct.
At this level, the sub-assemblies transfer to a last meeting line, one of many few locations you continue to see a lot of human employees. Right here, mid-drive motors obtain their last meeting by hand. There are nonetheless a number of variations I observed although, resembling 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 dimensions and shapes 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 last time on a bench equipment, making certain they meet all the right specs, earlier than reaching their last cease on the conveyor belt: packaging.
Close by, one other machine types small components resembling nuts and washers which can be included with merchandise like hub motors, routinely bagging them to be included within the motor packing 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 routinely 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 can 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 may 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 because the 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 way 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 unit
The subsequent a part of the tour took me into the battery manufacturing unit, which was like getting into a courageous new world for an e-bike components provider. Typically, battery factories are standalone operations run purely by battery makers. However Bafang has grown so massive that at this level, it is sensible for them to spend money on constructing their very own top quality battery packs. It’s one thing they’ve been finding out for practically a decade, principally 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 important to the standard and security of batteries. Equally to the e-bike drive system facet of issues, the battery manufacturing unit has its personal R&D part that scrutinizes completely different cells and batteries whereas getting ready and testing new designs to make sure they will meet the correct security and efficiency necessities set by Bafang. Assuming they do, they could find yourself slated for manufacturing and turn out to be one of many firm’s new battery pack choices.
Manufacturing on the manufacturing unit ground begins with the person battery cells that can ultimately make up the bigger battery packs. They’re examined to make sure they cross high quality checks earlier than being routinely sorted by robots into probably the most applicable mixtures of cells primarily based on comparable inside resistances.
Laptop-controlled ultrasonic welding machines then mix these battery cells into bigger packs, that are encased in numerous enclosures relying on the precise mannequin of battery. Earlier than the battery circumstances are even sealed, every battery is put by way of a sequence of bench checks to make sure it meets the correct 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 – possibly 1000’s – of actively charging and discharging battery packs. After getting the inexperienced gentle following a profitable cost and discharge cycle check, the battery is lastly packaged and ready to be despatched on its approach to an e-bike manufacturing unit.
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 over the past a number of years. And at this charge, I’m fascinated to see what new improvements the following few years might carry.
Don’t overlook to take a look at the video of this behind-the-scenes tour, under!
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