Solid Oxide Fuel Cells / Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOFC/SOEC) stand out as a core technology in hydrogen-powered distributed energy and energy storage, thanks to their high-temperature efficiency, wide fuel compatibility, and reversible hydrogen production capabilities.
The core structure of a single SOFC cell consists of multi-layer ceramic thin films—electrolyte layer, anode support layer, and cathode functional layer—laminated and co-sintered. At present, tape casting is the most mainstream and mature mass-production process for fabricating large-area, thin, and highly uniform ceramic green bodies.
Zhejiang Dron Technology specializes in R&D and manufacturing of precision Tape Casting equipment, focusing on new energy functional ceramics. Based on the material and process characteristics of SOFC and high-temperature electrolysis hydrogen production, we provide dedicated tape casting machines plus complete front‑end and back‑end supporting lines, covering R&D lab trials, pilot-scale scale-up, and full industrial mass production.
Ball Milling – Deaeration – Cutting – Lamination – Warm Isostatic Pressing(WIP) – Hot Cutting
Core Challenges in SOFC Ceramic Tape Casting
1. Complex raw material systems – Materials such as YSZ (yttria-stabilized zirconia), LSM, LSCF, and NiO composite powders differ greatly in physical properties. Slurries vary in solid content, viscosity, and solvent systems, demanding high stability in feeding and coating.
2. High precision requirements for thin-film forming – The electrolyte layer is typically an ultra-thin dense layer with strict thickness and density specifications, making it prone to thickness variation, pinholes, cracking, and warping.
3. Difficult drying control – Solvent-based slurries are sensitive to drying rates. Rapid heating causes uneven shrinkage, delamination, and cracking, requiring staged gradient temperature control.
4. Stability in continuous mass production – Long-term stable web feeding, tension control, and uniform winding directly affect yield in subsequent lamination and sintering.
Core Configurations of Dron SOFC-Dedicated Tape Casting Equipment
Our equipment is purpose-built to address SOFC industry pain points with production-proven configurations:
1. High-precision coating system – Precision doctor-blade structure with micron-level adjustment, stable web transport, compatible with both ultra-thin electrolyte membranes and thick electrode support layers.
2. Zoned gradient drying oven – Multi-stage independent temperature control and uniform hot-air circulation: low-temperature pre-drying + medium-temperature curing + post slow cooling, reducing internal stress and minimizing deformation and cracking.
3. Constant tension control system – Closed-loop tension regulation and automatic web guiding ensure flat feeding and neat winding, ready for multi-layer lamination.
4. Standardized & automated design – PLC-integrated control, automatic blade height adjustment, storable recipes, and one-click recall enable fast product changeover and lower debugging costs.
Turnkey Integrated Line Delivery
Dron provides a full SOFC production line package:
● Front-end: Ball milling,mixing, and vacuum deaeration for homogeneous ceramic slurry preparation
● Mid-section: Core tape casting machinewith customizable width and thickness
● Back-end: Continuous slitting, fixed-length cutting, and winding for downstream lamination and lamination processes
The entire line is logically aligned with real SOFC manufacturing flows, ensuring high process compatibility and minimizing retrofitting and commissioning costs.
Industry Adaptability & Implementation Capabilities
The equipment is fully compatible with mainstream SOFC materials: YSZ ceramic electrolytes, lanthanum manganite cathodes, nickel-based composite anodes, and more.
Applications include: University research labs, hydrogen energy material enterprises, SOFC stack pilot lines, and SOEC high-temperature electrolysis hydrogen production substrate projects.
With over 20 years of experience in electronic ceramics and new energy ceramic tape casting equipment, Dron Technology delivers customized process solutions, equipment selection, on-site installation, commissioning, and long-term technical support based on client slurry formulas, target thickness, capacity, and plant layout.
The large-scale industrialization of SOFC relies on domestic support for core materials and forming equipment. Committed to customer-centric design and proven process adaptability, Zhejiang Dron Technology continues to provide stable, cost-effective integrated tape casting solutions for the hydrogen energy high-temperature ceramic materials sector, supporting the steady advancement of industry industrialization.
Media ContactCompany Name: Zhejiang Dron Technology Co., Ltd.Email: Send EmailCountry: ChinaWebsite: https://www.dron-tech.com/
