In this article, we will discuss various Electric Vehicle Battery Welding Technologies in India. We will analyze various aspects, methods, and technologies used for welding. We will also analyze various processes, their advantages, disadvantages, and challenges that are faced during the whole process.
The battery of an electric vehicle consists of hundreds and thousands of packs. In simple words, that means individual cells which are connected in parallel or in series combination inside them. This is done to provide the necessary power and capacity to the vehicle.
In recent times, we have seen the growth and demand for electric vehicles. With the increase in demand for EVs, the demand for batteries is also increasing. The manufacturing process of batteries has become very important in order to survive the latest competition in the ever-growing business.
Various Methods for Electric Vehicle Battery Welding Technologies
Assembly Levels of Lithium-Ion Battery Pack
The construction and design of a lithium-ion battery pack which is used in electric vehicles are very robust. It requires a high level of precision and reliable joints for attaching all the cells in the back. At the cell level, electrodes are attached to the tab and the case is sealed properly. At the module level, cell-to-cell is joined together. The last is the back level where different modules are fitted in such a way as to provide the best output.
Resistance Spot Building
This is one of the oldest welding methods which is widely used for manufacturing processes and also for joining metal sheets. In this technique, two or more metal sheets are welded together using the application of electrical current and pressure between the electrodes. Here, the resistance produced by the electricity at the interface of the material results in the generation of heat which melts the material together without the use of any filler material or gases.
This method uses a dual pulse technique. In the first pulse, all the contamination and oxides are eliminated. The second pulse welds all the workpieces together. The temperature is increased in the affected area in the interface which eventually reaches the melting point of the material.
Laser Beam Welding
It uses a focused beam of laser which is used as a point energy source to create localized heating. This heat is used to join different parts together.
This is a building technique in which a laser beam provides a concentrated heat source that uses the materials together. The components of this technique are a lazing medium, lazing cavity, and a pumping source.
Ultrasonic Welding
This is one of the most commonly used welding methods in the manufacturing of battery systems. In this process, high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations are used to join substrate materials. The ultrasonic vibration is of 20 kilohertz or above which creates solid-state bonds under clamping pressure.
Here, a bond is found by applying moderate static pressure and an ultrasonic constellation of about 20 kHz between two parts of metals. It causes continuous sharing and plastic deformation and also removes any oxide layer or contamination.
Various Challenges Faced During Electric Vehicle Battery Welding Technologies
- In some methods, it creates joints with low electrical resistance.
- There are few joints that are created using a low thermal input.
- Some batteries have high thermal fatigue resistance.
- In some techniques, it is difficult to join similar materials together.
- It is very difficult to complete the welding process when there are variable materials and surfaces.
- In some cases, the strength of the joint is not as per the requirement.
- There are various damages that are caused while joining using mechanical and vibrational welding.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Vehicle Battery Welding Technologies
Advantages
- Low initial cost.
- Thin sheets can be welded together.
- We can have good quality control over the materials.
- They are very helpful in production and in automation.
- It is a noncontact process that is safe.
- These latest machines have high precision during the whole process.
- These processes can be used for mass production.
- The latest welding techniques have a very small heat-affected zone.
- There are almost no metallurgical defects in these processes.
- Dissimilar metals can be joined easily using the techniques.
- Highly conductive metals can also be welded together.
- Low energy input and low temperature are required during the process.
Disadvantages
- Sometimes it is difficult to produce large nuggets.
- People face difficulty while welding highly conductive materials together.
- It is very difficult to weld multiple layers with exact precision.
- There are many cases of electrodes sticking together during welding.
- The initial cost of setting up the whole system is very high.
- There is a requirement for good joint fit-up.
- Sometimes it becomes very difficult for the latest machines to weld dissimilar metals and materials together.
- Ultrasonic welding creates a pouch in some cases.
- This welding causes structural damage to the battery cell.
- They are sensitive to high surface roughness.
Conclusion
So, we have discussed a lot about Electric Vehicle Battery Welding Technologies. We have discussed various tools and techniques that are being widely used by various manufacturers and battery developers. There are a lot of latest tools and machines that have come up which can help in welding batteries with high precision and accuracy.
Integration of these high-end tools and technology in the electric vehicle manufacturing process will have multi-dimensional benefits for both manufacturers as well as customers. These companies are getting a lot of support from the government in terms of incentives and schemes. We hope that by working together, we will achieve the target of net zero emissions before 2070.
