General MotorsCase study · Controls & PLC
EV Battery Mini-Stack Automation Validation
Validating automation for EV battery mini-stack production at Factory ZERO and Orion Assembly.
- My role
- Controls Engineer
- Timeframe
- General Motors · Oct 2023 – Present
- Team / context
- Factory ZERO and Orion Assembly, General Motors
- Tech stack
- EV battery production · Automation validation · PLC · Throughput & quality audits
01
Overview
I validated automation for electric vehicle battery mini-stack production at two GM plants, Factory ZERO and Orion Assembly.
The work supported battery builds for Cadillac, HUMMER, and Equinox. Validation means testing and auditing automation against its throughput and quality targets before production depends on it.
02
The problem & objective
Battery production automation has to be proven before vehicles depend on it. The objective was to validate mini-stack automation at Factory ZERO and Orion Assembly so it could support Cadillac, HUMMER, and Equinox battery builds.
03
My role & responsibilities
Controls Engineer. Delivered as part of my role as Controls Engineer at General Motors.
- Validate automation for EV battery mini-stack production at Factory ZERO and Orion Assembly
- Test, validate, and audit the automation against throughput and quality targets
- Update PLC logic for approved changes
04
Approach & process
Test against targets
Run the automation against its throughput and quality targets to see where it stands.
Audit
Audit the automation to confirm it meets requirements.
Implement approved changes
Update PLC logic where changes are approved.
Support production builds
Validated automation supports Cadillac, HUMMER, and Equinox battery builds.
05
Key features & deliverables
Validated mini-stack automation
At Factory ZERO and Orion Assembly.
PLC updates
Logic updated for approved changes.
06
Challenges & how I solved them
| Challenge | How I solved it |
|---|---|
| Two plants, multiple vehicle programs | A consistent approach of testing, validating, and auditing against throughput and quality targets, applied at both sites. |
07
Results & impact
- Validated EV battery mini-stack automation at Factory ZERO and Orion Assembly
- Supported Cadillac, HUMMER, and Equinox battery builds
08
Skills demonstrated & lessons learned
Skills demonstrated: Automation validation · PLC programming · EV battery manufacturing · Quality and throughput auditing
Validation is a deliverable in its own right. It's how a plant gains confidence in new automation.
Get in touch
Let's work together
I'm open to Controls Engineer, Automation Engineer, Software Engineer, and Full-Stack Developer roles, remote or on-site. If you're building something where automation and software meet, I'd like to hear about it.
elshark.atef@gmail.com