• Collaboration to combine radiography, computed tomography and ultrasound capabilities to develop a full-lifecycle inspection solution for battery manufacturing, development and field service ​
• Joint inspection solution to be first in the market that can detect failure modes across the production lifecycle, providing battery manufacturers with cost efficiencies and higher yield productivity

Huerth, Germany and Emeryville, CA – March 31, 2026 – Waygate Technologies, a Baker Hughes business and global leader in non-destructive testing (NDT) solutions for industrial and energy infrastructure inspection, and Liminal Insights, a pioneer in AI-driven ultrasound inspection for batteries, today announced a strategic technology and channel collaboration to deliver the industry’s first integrated multi-modal inspection solution for battery manufacturing.

Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will collaborate across battery manufacturing, technology development, and services inspection, including the development of next-generation probes and integrated service offerings. In addition, Waygate Technologies will be Liminal’s preferred channel and integration partner to battery gigafactory and other battery field customers, utilizing Liminal’s EchoStat inspection system across in-line inspections for high-volume battery production operations.

The goal of the joint effort is to deepen collaboration across manufacturing, technology development, and services. Both companies will explore joint product development, co-engineering of next-generation probes, and integrated service offerings for a fundamental inspection challenge that battery factories worldwide are facing: up to 90% of EV battery cells contain some form of anomaly, yet no single inspection technology can detect all failure modes across the production lifecycle.  
 

Collaboration to drive higher yield and cost efficiencies across the battery lifecycle

By bringing together the industrial computed tomography (CT) and radiography leadership of Waygate Technologies with Liminal’s real-time ultrasound AI analytics, the two companies will be able to offer a full-lifecycle inspection capability spanning cell production through to module assembly and field service.

For radiography and CT, the collaboration leverages CT systems from Waygate Technologies for quality assurance and failure analysis in laboratory environments, R&D-grade nano CT for cell development and materials characterization, and high energy CT for battery pack and module level inspection. The Waygate Technologies Krautkrämer product line adds ultrasound solutions from phased array electronics to advanced beam-forming algorithms and probes designed and purpose-built in house for industrial environments. Co-development with Liminal will combine the company’s proprietary array probe technology and signal processing electronics with Liminal’s EchoStat hardware platforms and AI analytics layer, creating a next-generation inline ultrasonic testing (UT) platform with superior sensitivity and production-line robustness.

Through the combination of multiple NDT modalities – X-ray CT as ground truth, ultrasound for inline screening, and machine learning to close the feedback loop with process data – manufacturers will gain earlier defect intervention, reduced end-of-line scrap, and data-driven process optimization.

“Even a fraction of a percent yield improvement at gigafactory scale translates to tens of millions in annual savings,” says Paul Perera, Director of Strategy, Technology & Partnerships at Waygate Technologies, a Baker Hughes business. “The goal of combining the unique strengths of both companies is to significantly increase productivity for our customers.”

“Multi-modality is the future of battery inspection. Waygate Technologies’ global installed base and deep NDT heritage make them the ideal partner to scale our EchoStat in-line inspection systems,” adds Shaurjo Biswas, CEO, Liminal Insights. “Together, we offer battery manufacturers a single-source inspection solution from R&D through volume production that no competitor can match today.”
 

Proven Results at Battery R&D Center in the UK

Waygate Technologies maintains a presence at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) in Coventry, UK – one of Europe’s leading battery process development facilities. A joint proof-of-concept program has tested over 400 battery cells through the combined UT and CT workflow, building a comprehensive battery data science dataset. The program has demonstrated that the multi-modal approach delivers over 10% cost savings versus single-modality inspection, with a further 12% improvement in defect capture rate.

The announcement of this strategic collaboration coincides with the commissioning of UKBIC’s new FIL line, providing an ideal environment to validate the integrated Waygate Technologies and Liminal inspection workflow at production-representative scale – from electrolyte filling through formation and aging – before deployment to commercial gigafactories.

Learn more and about the industrial inspection portfolio from Waygate Technologies and the partnership with Liminal:

• Waygate Technologies NDT for Batteries
• Waygate Technologies NDT for Battery and Automotive Manufacturers
• Waygate Technologies LinkedIn Channel
• Waygate Technologies YouTube Channel

The joint inspection solution is set to be the first on the market capable of detecting failure modes across the production lifecycle

Waygate Technologies’ Phoenix V|tome|x M Neo: The world‘s most flexible industrial dual-tube micro/nano CT scanner

Liminal’s EchoStat ARRAY: Ultrasonic inspection system for inline testing

Source: Baker Hughes

DENVER — Hatch, a global leader in engineering, project delivery, and professional services, and Hydrostor, a leading global long‑duration energy storage (LDES) developer and operator, have announced a new strategic project execution partnership and equity investment. Through this agreement, Hatch will lead the design and execution for the Willow Rock Energy Storage Center.

“Advancing a reliable and resilient energy system is more important than ever. Through our alignment with Hydrostor, we’re bringing forward what we view is the best-in-class long‑duration storage technology needed to reinforce global grid reliability for decades to come,” said Jim Sarvinis, global managing director, Energy, Hatch. “With a track record in complex, energy innovation projects, we’re driving momentum as committed stakeholders enabling a modern grid.”

“We’re pleased to announce this partnership with Hatch, which pairs Hydrostor’s leading long-duration energy storage technology with Hatch’s highly successful track record in delivering complex infrastructure projects,” said Tom Duckett, Hydrostor’s Chief Development Officer. “Willow Rock is going to be a key reliability asset in California as electricity demand grows, and we look forward to working towards groundbreaking this year.”

Beth Summers, Chief Financial Officer at Hydrostor, said “The equity agreement signals not only Hatch’s confidence in A-CAES technology, but also in Hydrostor as a business. Hatch joins an impressive list of leading equity investors in Hydrostor and we’re excited to work hand-in-hand with Hatch as we continue to grow our pipeline of projects globally.”

Willow Rock is a 500-MW Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) facility that is currently in late-stage development in California and which has received final permitting approvals from the California Energy Commission. It is designed to deliver 4,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of energy; it will be capable of delivering eight hours of clean, reliable energy on a full charge, providing vital long-duration storage for a modernized grid. As the largest A-CAES project in the world, Willow Rock showcases Hydrostor’s scalable technology.

This partnership reflects a shared commitment to delivering transformative energy solutions. Hydrostor’s proven A-CAES technology enables a strong technical foundation, while Hatch’s investment in Hydrostor, alongside its deep experience in project execution, regulatory insight, and delivery agility, will help meet the rising demand for bankable long-duration energy storage.

The Willow Rock Energy Storage Center is slated to be the largest A-CAES project in the world, marking a major step forward in building the long-duration storage required for a resilient power grid.

About Hatch

Hatch is a global engineering, project delivery, and professional services firm. Whatever our clients envision, our teams can design and build. With seven decades of business and technical experience in the energy, mining, and infrastructure sectors, we know your business and understand that your challenges are changing rapidly. We respond quickly with solutions that are smarter, more efficient, and innovative. We draw upon our 11,000 staff with experience in over 150 countries to challenge the status quo and create positive change for our clients, our employees, and the communities we serve. Find out more on www.hatch.com/About-Us

About Hydrostor Inc. 

Hydrostor is a leading developer and operator of long duration energy storage systems, leveraging a proven, patented technology solution for delivering long duration energy storage to power grids around the world, using compressed air and water to store energy.

Founded in 2010 and with offices in Toronto, Canada; Melbourne, Australia; and Denver, USA; Hydrostor is backed by Goldman Sachs Alternatives, CPP Investments, Canada Growth Fund, and other forward-thinking institutional investors, providing financial security to commit to top-tier energy projects. Hydrostor has an extensive pipeline of A-CAES projects in North America, Australia, and Europe, poised to meet their evolving grid and reliability needs.

To learn more, visit https://www.hydrostor.ca/ or follow us on LinkedIn.

Source: Hydrostor