Altergy Systems Unveils The World's First Automated, High Volume Fuel Cell Assembly Line
Folsom, CA - Altergy Systems has officially unveiled the world's first and only automated, high volume fuel cell assembly line.
Altergy's industry-leading fuel cell technology and the new automated production-line enables mass production of Altergy's fuel cell products, offering substantial opportunities to expand fuel cell production and deployment around the world. The new production line, installed at Altergy's production facility in Folsom, California, is capable of producing thousands of fuel cell plates per day, representing orders of magnitude increases in rate and capacity over typical hand-built fuel cell plates and systems.
"Altergy's automated, high volume assembly line is an important leap forward in the commercialization and worldwide deployment of fuel cells as a viable and clean power generation alternative," stated Eric S. Mettler, President and CEO of Altergy Systems. "These California-built fuel cells are already providing distributed electrical power generation to customers around the world. Our new line greatly expands our capacity and our ability to meet our growing customer demand."
Joining Mr. Mettler to dedicate the new assembly line were U.S. Congressman Dan Lungren, CA-3rd; Ms. Linda Adams, Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA); and Dr. Alan Lloyd, President of the International Council on Clean Transportation and former secretary of the CalEPA.
The automated assembly line consists of SCARA (Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm) robots, lift and transfer stations, turntables, and automated conveyors. It employs automated parts placement, automated bonding, automated dispensing, automated in-line curing, automated in-line test, automated conveyance and automated stacking.
Commented Congressman Dan Lungren: "This is a great day for all of us…something we can all rejoice in, that we can say ‘this makes sense.' We're going to be able to utilize energy in a different way, in a more practical way, in a way that is going to make a difference in many of our everyday lives on a daily basis, and it is here now. Maybe what we're seeing here today will be as important for us in our everyday lives as that GPS idea was just 20 years ago, or Henry Ford's idea to make the car available, several generations ago. That's what's so exciting about this!"
"On behalf of Governor Schwarzenegger," stated Linda Adams, Agency Secretary, CalEPA, "he is very excited about this celebration of the world's first high volume fuel cell manufacturing plant, right here in California, a place known for leadership in technology and the environment. Governor Schwarzenegger believes a strong economy and a strong environment can go hand in hand. (Altergy) is manufacturing clean technology that is good for the environment and good for the economy, and creating new, high paying jobs right here in California."
Dr. Alan Lloyd, president of the International Council on Clean Transportation and former Secretary of the CalEPA, explained, "It (the Altergy fuel cell assembly line) is very impressive in volume production, quality control and scaling ability. Altergy's mass production capability is a wonderful step forward because cost becomes a key issue in terms of fuel cells. To be able to increase the volume to bring the cost down is a huge step forward."
About Altergy
Altergy Systems engages in the design, manufacture, marketing and service of proprietary fuel cell power products that are changing the way the world gets its power. Altergy's Freedom Power products provide freedom from the grid, freedom from foreign oil, freedom from traditional energy solutions, freedom from batteries and freedom from pollution. These low cost, robust, fully integrated, and high efficiency fuel cell systems generate electrical power at the point-of-use, making low cost, distributed electrical power generation a reality. Altergy's Freedom Power products are a solution to the serious global shortage of premium power and growing demand for low cost, high quality power.
SOURCE: Altergy Systems