Epec's Blog | Electronics Manufacturing Solutions

When battery packs are placed into storage, it is easy to assume they will be ready whenever they are needed. In reality, a stored battery pack is still changing over time. The cells continue to self-discharge, the pack continues to age, and the storage environment can affect the condition of the pack long before it is installed into equipment.

When it comes to cable assemblies and wire harnesses, consistency is everything. A design might look perfect on paper, but without clear workmanship standards and acceptance criteria, the final product can vary from build to build. That is exactly why IPC/WHMA-A-620 exists.

At the conclusion of our webinar, Hidden Costs and Challenges of Offshore Battery Pack Manufacturing, we had several questions submitted to our presenter, Battery Product Manager Anton Beck. We compiled these into a readable format on our blog.

Overmolded cable assemblies are relied on in applications where failure is not an option. Industrial control panels, medical equipment, automotive sensors, laboratory instruments, and outdoor electronics all depend on strong strain relief, dependable sealing, and repeatable performance. Overmolding delivers that performance by encapsulating the connection point between the cable and its component interface, creating a unified structure that protects against moisture, vibration, abrasion, and general wear.

Just the same as rigid printed circuit boards (PCBs), flex PCBs sometimes encounter issues with space constraints. Devices get smaller, components become more numerous, and weight becomes an increasing concern. And while flex can be used to drop down the weight of a design, that only solves one of those three problems.

In today’s high-density electronics, designers are constantly balancing miniaturization with long-term reliability. One technology that makes compact layouts possible is the use of blind and buried vias, specialized interconnections that don’t completely pass through the board like traditional plated-through-holes.

Battery management systems (BMS) are safety devices integrated into battery packs to monitor the cells during charging and discharging phases. These systems can activate safety controls when problems arise while logging data that you can use to evaluate the cell's stability. When functioning properly, the BMS can improve the efficiency and longevity of the battery pack. Unfortunately, BMS design flaws may cause serious risks and failures to cells.

Many engineers and buyers assume that printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturers are only interested in large production volume orders. It is an easy conclusion to draw. High-volume manufacturing often dominates industry conversations, and many suppliers structure their operations around scale. But the reality is very different for companies like Epec, which specializes in high mix, low/medium volume-engineered products like PCBs.

Typically, when stiffeners and adhesives are thought of, they are only considered for flexible PCBs rather than rigid-flex PCBs. In reality, stiffeners can be applied to rigid-flex designs just as they are in flexible circuits.

Products that use battery packs may require certification through national and international quality and safety organizations. These regulations ensure that the battery packs meet compliance standards for packaging, transportation, use, storage, and disposal.