CATL Deploys Humanoid Robots on Battery Production Line in World First
Contemporary Amperex Technology has launched the world's first large-scale deployment of humanoid embodied intelligence robots on a new energy battery PACK production line at its Zhongzhou facility.
The humanoid robot, named "Xiao Mo," is now performing complex battery connector insertion tasks, marking a milestone in the application of embodied intelligence in smart manufacturing. The robots replace human workers in EOL (End of Line) and DCR processes, which involve final functional testing before battery packs leave the production line.
These procedures have traditionally relied on manual operations due to their requirements for handling multiple product varieties, small batch sizes, and high flexibility. Workers previously needed to precisely insert test plugs carrying hundreds of volts into designated positions on battery packs, posing risks of high-voltage arcing and inconsistent efficiency and quality.
Xiao Mo is equipped with an advanced end-to-end Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model that provides robust environmental perception and task generalization capabilities. The robot autonomously adapts to incoming material position deviations and connection point variations by adjusting its operational posture in real time. When handling flexible cable harnesses, it dynamically modulates force to ensure reliable connections without damaging components.
In actual operations, Xiao Mo achieves a connection success rate exceeding 99%, matching the performance of skilled human workers. The robot autonomously detects cable connection status and reports anomalies immediately, reducing defect rates. During downtime, it switches to inspection mode. Its daily workload has tripled compared to human operators when handling continuous production of multiple battery models, while maintaining superior consistency and stability.
Xiao Mo was developed by Qianxun Intelligent Robot Company, a CATL ecosystem partner, and is powered by CATL's proprietary batteries. The company coordinated multiple departments in conducting field research to translate actual operational requirements into engineering specifications, establishing a development framework that balances forward-looking technology with practical deployment feasibility.
CATL plans to use Xiao Mo's deployment as a starting point to comprehensively enhance automation and intelligence levels across PACK production lines, deepening industry collaboration between smart manufacturing and green power while expanding embodied intelligence applications to support global carbon neutrality goals.