Epec's Blog | Electronics Manufacturing Solutions

Whether using lithium-ion, nickel-based, or lead acid rechargeable batteries, you want them to last for as long as possible with your devices. Constantly buying new rechargeable batteries is not cost-effective to your budget and may lead to using your devices less.

When powering electronics, toys, and other devices, they may rely on rechargeable batteries to operate. Rechargeable batteries can be used repeatedly to power devices due to their ability to connect to a portable charger or be charged within the connected device. Depending on the battery chemistry, a rechargeable battery may be recharged for 500 cycles to 1,000 cycles before reaching its end of life.

Lithium batteries are used in the majority of the high-powered devices used today. From vehicles to cell phones, these batteries come in a range of sizes, watt-hours, chemistry, and volume.

Battery fuel gauges are an essential component in today's world of mobile and portable devices. A battery fuel gauge acts as a battery pack's brain for efficient power management in electronic devices by providing accurate real-time data on the battery's state of charge (SoC) and state of health (SoH).

Battery packs contain a multitude of cells that provide the power to the electrical load of a device. Battery chemistries such as lithium-ion can become unstable due to a number of factors. This instability can cause thermal runaway which could lead to an explosion or fire.

When deciding on which battery packs to purchase for applications, one of the factors that customers look at is the manufacturing cost. On average, prices for lithium batteries ranged from about $132 per kWh in 2021 as electric vehicle battery packs in 2022 averaged at $153 per kWh. While these prices are lower than back in 2008 ($1,355 kWh), lithium batteries have continually been the most expensive of battery chemistries.

Hazardous environments consist of work areas that may experience elevated levels of corrosion, extreme temperature variations, high pressure, flammable substances, or explosive conditions. Devices operating on battery power need special design requirements to prevent the battery pack from becoming damaged due to these hazardous materials.

New technologies, raw materials, and battery manufacturing have paved the way for new trends in custom battery pack designs. Many of these trends focus on making improvements to the battery's capacity and safety, while others redefine the testing standards implemented to ensure battery packs and chargers function optimally for consumers.

Lithium batteries contain high density which is ideal when powering electronics and applications that require a large amount of power over an extended time. However, the battery chemistry is unstable. These batteries can experience overcharging, over-discharging, and discharging that occurs too fast. When the following actions occur, the battery can become damaged, have a diminished lifespan, or even create a safety hazard.

At the conclusion of our webinar, Challenges Designing and Manufacturing Lithium-Ion Battery Packs, we had several questions submitted to our presenter, Randy Ibrahim, Battery Development Consultant at Epec. We have compiled these questions into a readable format on our blog.