The three companies VON ARDENNE, Weil Technology, and ZELTWANGER have joined forces as partners in the GERMAN FUEL CELL COOPERATION (GFC), combining their expertise across the entire manufacturing process, from the metal strip to the fuel cell or electrolyzer stack.
VON ARDENNE contributes many years of expertise in industrial vacuum coating equipment and PVD thin-film technology. Weil Technology specializes in equipment for sheet-metal processing using laser welding and cutting. ZELTWANGER complements the cooperation with extensive expertise in industrial leak testing using air and tracer gases.
The GFC partners support their customers in scaling processes and equipment, from joint development at laboratory scale, through prototype and pilot-series production, to high-volume manufacturing.
The GFC partners have already implemented equipment and manufacturing solutions for leading companies in the hydrogen and fuel cell industries and are working together on publicly funded and research projects. The practical experience gained from these activities has contributed to the further development of their respective process and equipment technologies, as well as their joint, fully integrated manufacturing solution. The partners will present these solutions at the Hydrogen Technology World Expo, taking place in Hamburg from October 20 to 22, 2026, at booth 6J74.
VON ARDENNE: X-CONDUCT high-performance carbon coating and first PVD inline coating system with HCLA technology – VICA900
Metallic bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells and PEM electrolyzers require functional coatings to provide electrical conductivity and corrosion protection, as well as to act as a barrier against ion leaching and hydrogen embrittlement.
For this reason, VON ARDENNE has developed the new X-CONDUCT carbon coating, which offers high conductivity and corrosion resistance even under the most demanding conditions.
The significant performance improvement has been achieved through the use of the company’s latest PVD technology: High Current Laser Arc (HCLA) evaporation. X-CONDUCT not only outperforms other carbon coatings in terms of performance, but also sets new standards in total cost of ownership thanks to the successful scale-up of HCLA technology and the more energy-efficient carbon deposition process.
VON ARDENNE has not only scaled up the HCLA process but has also developed a new equipment platform: the VICA900. This PVD system is a genuine innovation because it combines the principle of continuous inline coating with HCLA technology for the first time.
In its basic configuration, the VICA900 Mid Volume, the system is designed for an annual production capacity of 6.4 million bipolar plates and focuses on coatings for PEM fuel cell applications. The addition of further PVD process sources enables additional applications, such as double-sided precious-metal coating of PEM electrolyzer components. Upgrading the machine configuration can significantly increase throughput, allowing the VICA900 High Volume version to coat up to 10 million bipolar plates per year.
WEIL TECHNOLOGY: Modified equipment technology with greater application and scaling flexibility
Experience gained from series production has been incorporated directly into the further development of the new generation of laser-welding technology. Numerous improvements in equipment engineering, tooling, and automation increase flexibility, process reliability, and scalability.
The proven welding cells have been retained, while their working range has been expanded. At the same time, the tooling technology has been further optimized, particularly with regard to clamping and gas-introduction processes. In addition, the new equipment generation enables the processing of components that are particularly relevant to electrolyzer manufacturing.
A key development step is the new automation concept: The previous rotary indexing table has been replaced by a linear, modularly expandable equipment architecture. This allows the system to be flexibly adapted to different production volumes and expanded as needed.
Another feature is automatic tool cleaning. It extends tool service life, reduces maintenance requirements, and contributes to higher equipment availability. For the new generation, the system has been further developed in terms of cleaning performance and process reliability.
The new laser-welding system thus combines proven technology with a scalable architecture and an expanded range of applications for future industrial manufacturing requirements.
ZELTWANGER: patent-pending valve technology for faster and more cost-effective helium leak testing
ZELTWANGER specializes in industrial leak testing and offers solutions for hydrogen technologies ranging from Testing as a Service to automated test systems using air and tracer gases.
Helium leak testing in the high-volume production of bipolar plates places high demands on valve technology. Requirements include high cycle durability, high gas flow rates, and as little residual helium as possible to avoid influencing subsequent measurements. Elastomer valves are durable in series production, but they can absorb helium and release it again with a time delay. Metal-sealing valves avoid this effect, but often fail to achieve the required service life.
Because no valve solution was available on the market that combined a long switching life with metal sealing and high flow rates, ZELTWANGER developed its own valve technology. It reduces helium consumption to as little as 10 percent, thereby lowering testing costs, and speeds up measurement by up to a factor of four. In addition, its compact design enables particularly space-saving, maintenance-friendly, and automation-ready test tools with minimal dead volumes. The technology is highly scalable and designed for production lines manufacturing several million bipolar plates per year.
GFC at the Hydrogen Technology World Expo in Hamburg
20 to 22 October 2026 | hall B6 | booth 6J74 | Hamburg Messe
Contact:
VON ARDENNE GmbH
Falk Iser | +49 351 2637 9000 | presse@vonardenne.com | www.vonardenne.com
Weil Technology GmbH
Felicitas Ledig | +49 7631 1809 399 | f.ledig@weil-technology.com | www.weil-technology.com
ZELTWANGER Gruppe
Benjamin Rilling | +49 7071 3663-119 | B.Rilling@zeltwanger.de | www.zeltwanger.de
How do you efficiently produce the fuel cell or electrolyzers of the future?
VON ARDENNE, Weil Technology and ZELTWANGER have asked themselves this question together. You can benefit from the expertise of all three companies at every step in the process chain and get your production ready for the fuel cell or electrolyzers of the future.
VON ARDENNE GmbH
Am Hahnweg 8
01328 Dresden
Telefon: +49 (351) 2637-300
Telefax: +49 (351) 2637-308
http://www.vonardenne.de
Marketing und Kommunikation
Telefon: +49 351 2637-300
E-Mail: iser.falk@vonardenne.com
