Case Study: EV Battery Recycling
Automating the Hazardous Teardown of EV Battery Packs
How GOLEM humanoids are removing humans from the "dull, dirty, and dangerous" loop of battery recycling while standardizing disassembly workflows.
The Challenge
End-of-life electric vehicle batteries present a massive bottleneck in the recycling supply chain. Disassembly is currently a manual, labor-intensive process fraught with risks:
- High Voltage Risk:Technicians work in close proximity to live modules with lethal voltage potential.
- Toxic Exposure:Risk of thermal runaway and exposure to hazardous electrolytes and heavy metals.
- High Variability:Battery packs vary wildly between manufacturers, models, and years, making traditional hard automation impossible.
The Solution
GOLEM deployed a fleet of humanoid robots equipped with multi-modal perception and force-aware manipulation to handle the disassembly process.
Adaptive Perception
Using 3D vision to identify screw locations, pry points, and cable connectors on previously unseen battery pack models.
Force-Aware Tools
Humanoids use standard power tools but modulate force to prevent stripping screws or puncturing cells during prying operations.
Human-in-the-Loop
When the robot encounters an unknown anomaly, a remote operator can step in via VR teleoperation to guide the robot, which then learns from this intervention.
Digital Twin Logging
Every step is logged, creating a digital passport for the recycled materials and providing data to improve future pack designs.
Key Results
"GOLEM robots didn't just replace a task; they transformed our safety profile. We no longer have to ask people to put their hands inside high-voltage packs."
— Director of Operations, Pilot Partner
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