Epec's Blog | Electronics Manufacturing Solutions

At the conclusion of our webinar, Do You Really Need Lithium or Will Nickel Metal Hydride Suffice, 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.

Occasionally, customers have to change battery suppliers. There are many different reasons for these changes. It could involve the battery supplier going out of business, the customer may find a supplier that can offer similar batteries at lower prices and faster time-to-market deadlines, the quality of the battery could be lacking, or there is a disruption to the supply chain for the supplier that the customer must make a temporary switch to an optional manufacturer to complete project deadlines.

Creating an application or product requires designs, drawings, and recommendations regarding the function of the application, materials to use, and the dimensions. In addition, a manufacturer also must consider how to power it. Many applications require a portable battery source that can be recharged numerous times and stored safely without future damage.

Whether it is a medical device concept, automotive manufacturing, project, industrial application, or consumer product, companies require large and small battery packs that will ensure their electronic devices and machinery have the longest life cycles without any safety issues. Many of hese battery packs need to be custom made for the specific device before they can be marketed.

Battery pack manufacturing can be a complex process depending on the size of the pack, the types of battery chemistries used, if a battery management system (BMS) will be used, and whether testing and certification must be done before transportation.

Battery pack design and development can be a complex process based upon the power needs of the application. Due to the multiple steps that go into creating a battery pack, we try to work with customers from the concept stage to learn about the project's details regarding the application's power needs, size of the battery pack, and specific components that will be added. We will also need time to acquire the materials for the battery pack, to create the prototyping, and to acquire the certifications that may be necessary based on the chemistry of the battery.

Inductive charging is the process of charging an object without any contact between it and any sort of charger or another charged object, and it can seem like magic. With no wires or visible connections, devices gather a full charge, so how is this possible?

If anyone questions why there's concern about transporting lithium batteries, refer them to the Federal Aviation Administration. Between March 20, 1991, and April 1, 2019, they logged 254 airline and airport incidents where a lithium battery either started smoking, caught fire, or exploded.

Rechargeable batteries are everywhere. From the laptops we type on to the portable medical equipment used to perform examinations or provide health record information, rechargeable batteries help to provide products and services to make our lives better. However, not many people know about what goes into recharging a battery in the correct manner, the right charger for certain battery chemistries, and where a battery management system (BMS) fits into the process.

At the conclusion of our webinar – Design Considerations for Lithium Batteries Used in Portable Devices – we had several questions submitted to our presenter, Battery Development Consultant Randy Ibrahim. We compiled these into a readable format on our blog.