This projected demand for PEMFCs underpins a need for the development of optimised manufacturing processes to achieve competitive unit costs. A cost analysis on PEMFC production revealed that fuel cell systems typically cost between € 200-300/kW. The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) contributes to 49 % of the system costs, with material procurement and processing being the largest overhead. Recent advances in material processing and economies of scale have led to a constant decrease in system prices, achieving a cost of $ 168 / kW in 2023, with a projected cost of $ 80 / kW in 2030. The 2023 DOE Fuel Cell cost report also highlights the significant cost of the catalyst layer (CL), accounting for close to 60 % of the total stack cost . While various research groups are actively involved in the exploration for alternative materials such as low platinum group metal alloyed catalysts , , , development of advanced carbon supports , and Platinum Group Metal free catalysts , , these prospective materials still suffer from accelerated degradation and are yet to be produced at industrial scale . Most large industrially produced CLs are composed of platinum nano-particles supported on carbon black dispersed in PFSA solutions 166. As a result, refining and optimising the manufacturing process flow is of vital importance to various industrial stakeholders in the PEMFC value chain.