Page 56
www.us -
tech.com
September 2025
Touch-and-Go: Test Probes for Battery Cell Manufacturing
By Matthias Zapatka, CIS, Dipl.-Ing. (FH), INGUN USA
tact to the cell. This includes the so-called “formation process,” where the battery is charged and cycled for the first time and battery characterization and test, such as EIS (electrochemical impedance spec- troscopy), OCV/ACIR test and more. In a typical cell holder, spring-
D
loaded elements are used to establish contact with the cell. But unlike in a holder for household use, one can’t just use a simple nickel-plated spring or a blade to mate with the cell — the contact resistance would just not be good enough for most tasks. Also, with today’s demanding appli-
cations, including the need to run high- er current through that spring, such ele- ments could potentially overheat. One may be tempted to use such parts due to their low price, but in the end, those may fail. In the battery cell manufacturing indus-
try, more “sophisticated” designs are therefore used, consisting of a sturdy plunger, a higher- force and higher-temperature rated spring and a barrel which holds these components together. The parts are plated with gold, silver
Accessing a battery cell.
Battery Formation, Charge and Discharge
The battery formation process during
manufacturing is not a test per se but it still requires test probes to access the battery cells for a temporary contact. This is to charge and discharge the cell. In this step,
uring the manufacturing process of a battery cell, there are several stages that require temporary electrical con-
or proprietary high conductivity alloys. These components make up the test probe. Depending on the surface material and design, different tip styles are used to keep the contact resistance low.
the battery is activated. Some of the forma- tion steps require de-gassing — such as for so-called pouch cells. Pouches are punctured and then resealed. No matter which form fac- tor the cell has (pouch, cylindrical and pris- matic are the three common ones for most lithium-based cells), the access to the cell is very demanding. Low contact resistance options
must be used, awhich need to last a very long time. Time is money — and often those electrical contacts in the forma- tion station are not changed for years. The formation process takes a long time; it can range from hours to days. Up to 80% of the manufacturing time for a battery cell is spent on that task. The following test probe options are typically used for such applications:
l Fine-serration heads, which have multiple contact points
l Medium-to-high spring force options
l High current designs with continuous plunger (exposed spring) or non-moving tail
l Four-wire designs with addition sense-line to detect voltage while charging or discharging
Continued on next page
PROTECT
YOUR ELECTRONICS FROM FA Reliable Polyuret
AIILURE ethane
ne and Epoxy Resinssins
• 1.5“ to 10.1“ incl. touctouch • USB, SPI, I²C, RS-232 • HDMI
32
• I/Os, analog and digital • Control, save, processing • Wall housing for 4.3“ and 7“
gital essing 3“
• WYSIWYG tool • typ. 1,000 cd/m² • Brilliant IPS displays • Sunlight readable
ys
Ensure reliable performance with our potting and encapsulation materials. Protect sensitive electronics from moisture, vibration, and thermal stress—keeping your components safe in the toughest environments.
Superior protection against harsh conditions
Custom formulations for your exact needs
Proven performance across industries
www.EpicResins.com
VISIT US The Battery Show & EV Tech Expo Oct. 7-9, 2025 Booth 2818
SMART HMI Hall 7 · Booth 160
Nuremberg, Germany 25 – 27 November 2025
www.displayvisions.us/unitft See at The Battery Show, Booth 2818
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
