Saft Increases Capacity, Cuts Production Costs

Saft’s Space & Defense Division in Cockeysville, Maryland, has reached milestone improvements for the facility’s production capabilities, including a 100% increase in capacity and a 50% savings in production cost (from baseline product cost since 2004). The improvements are part of the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Research Development Engineering Command’s Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) contract which provides funding for the development of low-risk, affordable technologies for the military. The goal is to improve production cost through product flow improvements, simplifying the design of manufactured products and reducing labor hours.

Saft has reduced cell labor hours by 63%, reduced material and component design cost by 38% and has doubled the power density of its “P” cells. The ManTech funding is aimed primarily at Saft’s VL34P battery system for hybrid electric military vehicles.