On the E-Mobility Campus, interested visitors met many well-known names from the industry. The program of lectures featured an international lineup of speakers and provided an exciting backdrop to the technologies and services on display. The REDs were jointly founded by WAFIOS AG and Gehring Technologies GmbH.
WAFIOS' exhibition program included machines for the production of hairpins, axial flux coils, stator connection assemblies and busbars. Gehring Technologies and WAFIOS together offer entire production lines for stators.
"Our E-Mobility Days in Reutlingen took place for the sixth time. We were able to greet around 200 visitors over the past few days. Three days of exciting discussions about the latest developments in e-mobility! A special highlight was the extensive program of lectures with more than 20 speakers and lectures", says Dr. Uwe-Peter Weigmann, Speaker of the Executive Board of WAFIOS AG.
Series production on the SpeedFormer
The multi-wire version of the SpeedFormer, the flagship of hairpin series production, is able to quickly change between different wire diameters. Electrical components, such a hairpins, which are needed for the production of stators, can be produced on the SpeedFormer. The stator is the most important component of an electric motor when it comes to performance and efficiency.
With the SpeedFormer, the name speaks for itself: Wire and thus the production of a new kind of stator can be changed within approximately 60 seconds, its cycle time depends on the geometry of the workpiece, but approximately 60 pcs/min are possible which is super-fast.
Parallel production processes make the SpeedFormer as fast as it is. The SpeedFormer is based on the same technology as the FMU 40 E. As it uses the same kind of wire-shaping tools, data can be easily transferred to the SpeedFormer. A sample production on the FMU 40 E can be transferred to series production on the SpeedFormer within a very short time.
Versatile and precise – the FMU 40 E
Whether prototypes or small batches, the CNC bending machine FMU 40 E manufactures conventional hairpins, coils for axial flux and radial flux motors and stator connection assemblies with highest precision. The machine demonstrates its versatility also in the production of continuous hairpins (wave windings) and small busbars (< 30 mm²).
With the FMU 40 E, operators can also easily produce new solutions for axial flux motors, like coils with a pitch or multifold coils.
The WAFIOS hairpin tool system combines active rotary-draw bending with the agility of conventional wire bending tools. It prevents the material from slipping and increases the quality of complicated geometries. The HQ bending technique also enables the production of more compact winding heads to reduce the size of the stator while maintaining its efficiency. The FMU 40 E was presented at the REDs 2025 with a mechanical as well as a laser insulation stripping device.
Operator support with intelligent software solutions
WAFIOS' iQ functions support the operator in the setup of the machine as well as during production; the FMU 40 E, for example, features the iQplug&straight and iQhairpinsetup function. iQplug&straight supports the operator in the initial setup of the straightening devices by means of a straightness measurement. When setting up the machine, the wire has to be straightened first. Traditionally, this process has to be carried out manually and requires very well-trained and experienced operators and usually several repetitions. Therefore, the process can be prone to errors and requires time. iQplug&straight guides the operator systematically through the initial setup of the straightening devices. In doing so, it uses Artificial Intelligence due to the complexity of the process. During the setup process, defined wire sections are iteratively fed into the measuring system. Then, the measuring assembly provides the data required for calculating the setup values for the straightening devices. This way, the number of rejects produced during machine setup is reduced, tooling times are shortened and thus the machine's availability is increased. Operators can reliably and quickly set up the straightening process after changing the wire without prior experience or extensive training.
To improve already existing hairpin programs, operators can use iQhairpinsetup. This software facilitates the correction of all relevant hairpin characteristics, like e.g. leg position, parallelism or shoulder width, simply by selecting them on the user interface. Specifications can be adjusted individually with the desired increment. The required geometry elements are automatically selected. Different hairpin shapes are covered simply by selecting according templates. The hairpin is visualized on the screen of the control system as a simplified CAD graphic. Fine adjustments and corrections needed to produce the perfect hairpin, are directly entered into the CAD graphic using iQhairpinsetup. Correction values are thus directly used in the production of the next hairpin.
The BM 36 HS for the production of stator connection assemblies
The CNC bending machine BM 36 HS for the production of bent parts made of wire and profiled wire was presented at the REDs 2025 in combination with an insulation stripping device FSA 2.5. The machine is primarily used for the production of electrical connectors, as they are used in e.g. electric motors or power electronics. The insulation stripping device features a radially defined advance feed of the insulation stripping knives and is controlled by a servomotor. It ensures that the coating is stripped off precisely and reliably. During the entire process, the FSA 2.5 ensures that the copper coating is removed with precision which is particularly important when contact surfaces have to be cleared.
The BM 36 HS with FSA 2.5 stands out due to its high reliability and it is ideally suited for the series production of complicated components like e.g. stator connection assemblies. The combination of bending machine and insulation stripping device sets new standards in terms of the quality and efficiency reached in the manufacturing process.
Large range of products for the production of busbars
Whether short or long, made of copper or aluminum, with a small or large cross-section - the range of WAFIOS busbar bending machines offers the right machine for an economical busbar production. This large range of busbar machines enables WAFIOS to cater for customer-specific requirements, such as short bending distances, high output rates, different insulation stripping procedures and the integration of further process steps. The BTF 90 constitutes a new machine concept for the economical production of long 3D busbars. It combines the well-known technology of the multiple-head wire bending machine from the BT series with the busbar bending machine BMF 90. Two bending heads with a proven tool concept plus a twist function make it possible to process both ends of busbars while maintaining outstanding bending quality standards and output.
"The modular machine concept is able to process not only rod material from magazines, but - in combination with pay-off units and wire straightening and cutting machines - also wire from spools", says Jörg Eisele, CEO of WAFIOS AG.
The BTF has been developed for wire cross sections of up to 400 mm² with a tensile strength of 100 N/mm² and a workpiece length of up to 3,000 mm. The flexible machine can be adjusted to suit requirements and extends from the production of prototypes to series production. One highlight is the newly developed transfer system with a gripper feed unit. The BTF 90 was developed using funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE).
From the tube bending area, the TWISTER² 25 RL was presented as a reliable and flexible bending machine with an integrated robot. The TWISTER² tools have been adapted for e-mobility. They can now be used for the production of busbars from pre-assembled material. For the production of busbars there are two sizes available: The TWISTER² 25 for busbar cross-sections of up to approximately 220 mm² and the TWISTER² 35 for busbar cross-sections of up to 300 mm² and lengths of 3,000 mm. The robot is controlled via the WAFIOS Programming System WPS 3.2 EasyWay, i.e. there is no additional robot control system required.
Co-exhibitors and research centers
This year's trade fair once again offered a multifaceted program that included well-known event partners. Approximately 20 co-exhibitors showcased their individual solutions for the e-mobility industry: from highly flexibly production solutions for hairpin and axial flux stators, assembling solutions, such as robot-assisted gluing and sealing, non-destructive testing systems for metallic materials to laser technologies, a comprehensive range of products and services was on display.
Technology is based on innovation and research. Therefore, also academic facilities participated in the REDs and presented their research topics.
"The REDs were a very successful event with a high professional standard, exciting discussions, and many familiar faces", concludes Moritz Stöckler, Research Assistant at the "Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components" (PEM) department at RWTH Aachen University. PEM addresses all aspects of the development, production and recycling of battery systems and their components as well as the fuel cell and the production of the electric powertrain and entire vehicle concepts.
The Friedrich Alexander University from Erlangen/Nuremberg participated with their department for Factory Automation and Production Systems (FAPS). The focus of this department is on the development of innovative production techniques for mechatronic products.
Together with its industrial research partners, the wbk Institute of Production Science at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology develops and researches innovative manufacturing and assembling processes for electric traction motors. Their particular focus is on shortening time to market and reducing production costs.
From Stuttgart University, the Institute of Electrical Energy Conversion (iew) participated. The iew is an innovative research partner for highly efficient electric machines and contactless energy transfer systems and develops solutions from the initial idea to optimized prototypes for applications in medicine, industry and electromobility.
With a diverse program of specialist presentations and intensive discussions during the trade fair evening, the REDs more and more become a conference format. The event provides the ideal setting for making new contacts and networking with industry experts.
