Apparatus and method for automatically stacking fuel cell material layers

A method of automatically stacking a plurality of fuel cell layers, the plurality of fuel cell layers comprising at least a first fluid transport layer (first FTL), a second fluid transport layer (second FTL), and a membrane, the first and second FTLs being substantially porous and the membrane being substantially non-porous, the method comprising:

• applying vacuum to the first FTL to stabilize the first FTL relative to a support structure;
• moving one or both of the support structure and the membrane to establish contact between the membrane and the first FTL, the first FTL and the membrane defining a sub-assembly;
• while applying vacuum to the sub-assembly, moving one or both of the support structure and the second FTL to establish contact between the second FTL and the membrane, the application of vacuum to the sub-assembly maintaining positional stability of the first FTL and membrane relative to the support structure;
• and
• removing vacuum from the sub-assembly.

A method of automatically stacking a plurality of material layers comprising at least one substantially non-porous material layer and at least one substantially porous material layer, the method comprising:

• applying vacuum to a first porous material layer to stabilize the first porous material layer relative to a support structure;
• moving one or both of the support structure and a non-porous material layer to establish contact between the non-porous material layer and the first porous material layer, the first porous material layer and the non-porous material layer defining a sub-assembly;
• while applying vacuum to the sub-assembly, moving one or both of the support structure and a second material layer to establish contact between the second material layer and the non-porous material layer, the application of vacuum to the sub-assembly maintaining positional stability of the first porous material layer and non-porous material layer relative to the support structure;
• and
• removing vacuum from the sub-assembly.

A method of automatically stacking and bonding a plurality of fuel cell layers, the plurality of fuel cell layers comprising at least a first fluid transport layer (first FTL), a second fluid transport layer (second FTL), and a membrane, the first and second FTLs being substantially porous and the membrane being substantially non-porous, the method comprising:

• moving a second surface of the first FTL into contact with a first support of a bonding press;
• applying vacuum to the second surface of the first FTL to stabilize the first FTL on the first support;
• moving the membrane into contact with a first surface of the first FTL, the first FTL and the membrane defining a first sub-assembly;
• applying vacuum to the first sub-assembly to maintain positional stability of the first FTL and membrane relative to the first support;
• applying vacuum to a first surface of the second FTL to stabilize the second FTL on a second support of the bonding press;
• moving one or both of the first and second supports to establish contact between a first surface of the membrane and a second surface of the second FTL;
• and
• bonding together the first FTL, membrane, and second FTL to produce a bonded fuel cell assembly.

An apparatus for automatically stacking a plurality of fuel cell layers with use of a transportable fixture assembly comprising a first fixture and a second fixture, the first and second fixtures comprising at least one substantially porous region, respectively, the plurality of fuel cell layers comprising at least a first fluid transport layer (first FTL), a second fluid transport layer (second FTL), and a membrane, the first and second FTLs being substantially porous and the membrane being substantially non-porous, the apparatus comprising:

• a first support comprising a first vacuum apparatus;
• a second support comprising a second vacuum apparatus;
• a transfer mechanism;
• and
• a controller, the controller coordinating automatic stacking operations including:
• controlling the transfer mechanism to move the first FTL into contact with the first fixture positioned on the first support;
• controlling the transfer mechanism to move the membrane into contact with the first FTL, the first FTL in contact with the first fixture and the membrane defining a first sub-assembly;
• controlling the transfer mechanism to move the second fixture into contact with the second FTL positioned on the second support, the second FTL in contact with the second fixture defining a second sub-assembly;
• controlling the first and second vacuum assemblies to respectively apply vacuum to the first and second fixtures, and controlling the transfer mechanism to move the second sub-assembly relative to the first sub-assembly to establish contact between the second FTL and the membrane, the application of vacuum to the first sub-assembly maintaining positional stability of the first FTL and membrane relative to the first fixture, and the application of vacuum to the second sub-assembly maintaining positional stability of the second FTL relative to the second fixture;
• controlling the first vacuum apparatus to remove vacuum from the first sub-assembly;
• and
• controlling the second vacuum apparatus to remove vacuum from the second sub-assembly.

An apparatus for automatically stacking a plurality of fuel cell layers, the plurality of fuel cell layers comprising at least a first fluid transport layer (first FTL), a second fluid transport layer (second FTL), and a membrane, the first and second FTLs being substantially porous and the membrane being substantially non-porous, the apparatus comprising:

• a support structure comprising a first vacuum apparatus;
• a transfer mechanism;
• and
• a controller, the controller coordinating automatic stacking operations including:
• controlling the transfer mechanism to move the first FTL into contact with the support structure;
• controlling the first vacuum to apply vacuum to the first FTL to stabilize the first FTL on the support structure;
• controlling the transfer mechanism to move the membrane into contact with the first FTL, the first FTL and the membrane defining a sub-assembly, the application of vacuum to the sub-assembly via the first vacuum apparatus maintaining positional stability of the first FTL and membrane relative to the support structure;
• controlling the transfer mechanism to move the second FTL into contact with the membrane;
• and
• controlling the first vacuum apparatus to remove vacuum from the sub-assembly.

An apparatus for automatically stacking and bonding a plurality of fuel cell layers, the plurality of fuel cell layers comprising at least a first fluid transport layer (first FTL), a second fluid transport layer (second FTL), and a membrane, the first and second FTLs being substantially porous and the membrane being substantially non-porous, the apparatus comprising:

• a bonding press comprising a first support and a second support;
• a first vacuum apparatus proximate the first support;
• a second vacuum apparatus proximate the second support;
• a transfer mechanism comprising a third vacuum apparatus;
• and
• a controller, the controller coordinating automatic stacking operations including:
• controlling the transfer mechanism and third vacuum apparatus to apply a vacuum to a first surface of the first FTL and to move the first FTL under vacuum into contact with the first support;
• controlling the first vacuum apparatus to apply a vacuum to a second surface of the first FTL to stabilize the first FTL on the first support, and controlling the third vacuum apparatus of the transfer mechanism to thereafter remove vacuum from the first surface of the first FTL;
• controlling the transfer mechanism and third vacuum apparatus to apply a vacuum to a first surface of the membrane and to move the membrane so that a second surface of the membrane contacts the first surface of the first FTL, the controller controlling removal of vacuum from the first surface of the membrane thereafter, the first FTL and the membrane defining a first sub-assembly;
• controlling the first vacuum apparatus to maintain the application of vacuum to the first sub-assembly to maintain positional stability of the first FTL and membrane relative to the first support;
• controlling the second vacuum to apply a vacuum to a first surface of the second FTL to stabilize the second FTL on the second support of the bonding press;
• controlling the bonding press to move one or both of the first and second supports to establish contact between the first surface of the membrane and a second surface of the second FTL;
• and
• controlling the bonding press to bond together the first FTL, membrane, and second FTL to produce a bonded fuel cell assembly.

An apparatus for automatically stacking a plurality of material layers comprising at least one substantially non-porous material layer and at least one substantially porous material layer, the apparatus comprising:

• a support structure comprising a first vacuum apparatus;
• a transfer mechanism;
• and
• a controller, the controller coordinating automatic stacking operations including:
• controlling the transfer mechanism to move a first porous material layer into contact with the support structure;
• controlling the first vacuum to apply vacuum to the first porous material layer to stabilize the first porous material layer on the support structure;
• controlling the transfer mechanism to move a non-porous material layer into contact with the first porous material layer, the first porous material layer and the non-porous material layer defining a sub-assembly, the application of vacuum to the sub-assembly via the first vacuum apparatus maintaining positional stability of the first porous material layer and non-porous material layer relative to the support structure;
• controlling the transfer mechanism to move a second porous material layer into contact with the non-porous material layer;
• and
• controlling the first vacuum apparatus to remove vacuum from the sub-assembly.