Page 46
www.us-
tech.com
September, 2016
Sonobond: Eco-Friendly Assembly for Alternative Energy Storage
By Janet Devine, President, Sonobond Ultrasonics
ies, has stimulated manufacturers’ interest in reliable, eco-friendly, high-conductivity ultrasonic assem- bly methods. A growing, worldwide need for
I
batteries for renewable energy is al- lowing Sonobond to provide solutions for the manufacturers developing these innovative storage systems. Currently, wind and solar ac-
count for about 6 percent of the elec- trical power generation in the U.S. But, as reliance on alternative sources of energy increases, batteries will become essential as backup, pro- viding power when there is no wind or sun. In fact, some battery manu-
As reliance on alternative sources of energy increas- es, batteries will become essential as backup, providing power when there is no wind or sun.
facturers are developing new formats for home and utility-sized energy storage systems that could eventual- ly make wind and solar more consis- tent power resources. And, some bat- tery manufacturers hoping to com-
ncreased demand for affordable and efficient battery storage, as well as for rechargeable batter-
mercialize new types of rechargeable batteries are employing Sonobond’s
ultrasonic assembly technology. These new batteries may eventually provide backup power, as well as grid-scale distributive storage to maintain peak power. The company continues to pro-
vide welding units to manufacturers seeking environmentally-friendly methods of assembling the existing lithium ion and nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries used in such appli- cations as electric and hybrid auto- mobiles, medical technology, military systems, and telecommunications.
Ensuring Reliable Welds The company’s ultrasonic metal
Encased battery, battery pouch and copper foil to tab.
spot welders require no external heat, current, fluxes or fillers and produce no arcs, sparks or fumes. In- stead, the welders create durable bonds by employing a patented wedge-reed ultrasonic bonding sys- tem that combines high vibratory force and low-amplitude coupling. Using shear mode vibration parallel to the welding surface — while the line of force is directly over the parts to be welded — achieves precise, solid-state and highly conductive welds. The ultrasonic assembly sys- tems can weld most oxidized and tinned metals in one pulse without pre-cleaning. Sonobond offers two ultrasonic spot welder models that weld multi-
ple layers of foils to tabs or termi- nals, accommodate battery pouch as- sembly and HV termination welding. The SonoWeld® 1600 and Dual Head Spot (DHS) welders handle foils as thin as 7 µm. Also, the Dual Head Spot welder is the first ultrasonic welder that can join up to 100 layers of copper or aluminum foil without tearing in one pulse. The units deliv- er outputs of 1,500, 2,500 and 3,500W. Both models have digital dis-
plays that allow weld control to be selected by time, energy or distance. Each unit has a power supply with a built-in microprocessor containing
It is estimated that the market for batteries providing stationary energy storage will increase from about
$1 billion to approximately $6 billion by 2020.
automatic frequency control, over- load protection and storage recall of up to 250 protocols. The SonoWeld 1600 and Dual
Head Spot welders have heat-treated tool steel taper lock tips that can per- form up to 30,000 welds before re-
Continued on next page
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116