Now, more than ever, portability and mobility in electronic products is becoming an absolute necessity. However, with this demand comes the requirement for powerful and reliable batteries.
Uniross has been in the market long enough to have seen the shift from Nicad batteries to NIMH, and again from NIMH to Lithium, so we understand the battery market probably better than most. With this experience under our belt, we have also developed many strategic relationships with world-class cell manufacturers around the globe.
When it comes to battery pack manufacturing, there is probably no better saying than the age-old adage, “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” No matter how well designed or assembled the battery pack may be, if it has been built using an inferior cell, the performance, as well as the safety of the entire battery pack, is put at risk. This is an issue now more than ever, as we see more and more battery packs making use of lithium based chemistries.
Unfortunately, the problem with a battery is that it is incredibly difficult to distinguish the difference between a good quality one, and one of inferior quality. Once they are manufactured, they all look very similar and any flaws or potential safety issues will not reveal themselves with a simple test. It may take a few days or even a few months before these flaws become apparent, by which stage it is too late and the damage has been done.
The failure of a power source such as a battery usually means a critical failure for the entire product. For this reason, we strongly advise our customers to use the best possible cell they can afford when it comes to designing a new product. We understand that in today’s economic climate, price plays a very big part in the purchase decision, and this is particularly true in the case of the battery, especially considering that in the vast majority of cases, the battery is the single largest cost of the bill of materials (BOM). However, take a few minutes to think about the substantially larger costs you may face if you do experience a critical battery failure.
The first thought that jumps to mind when one mentions a battery failure is usually a battery fire, and the damage it may cause to both equipment and people. This is true, a battery fire can be devastating, but there are also less dramatic failures which could potentially cost you just as much. Imagine for a second a battery failure in a military application, or a vehicle tracking device. A failure in either of these scenarios could mean the loss of the vehicle or even life. Uniross partners with some of the world’s most renowned cell manufacturers in order to ensure that the cells we use in our battery packs are of the highest possible quality. We then also put these cells and battery packs through rigorous quality controls to ensure that the battery packs we supply will not only deliver exceptional performance, but are also of the highest quality.
Batteries are inherently dangerous, by the very nature of what they are, and with the ever growing demand for increased energy in smaller physical packages, batteries are becoming ever more complex, and as a result, more dangerous. Along with this increase in demand for batteries is an increase in the number of manufacturers entering the market. Ordinarily, in any other market this would be a good thing, but in the battery industry it has led to a proliferation of small manufacturers popping up, especially in the far East. Whilst these manufacturers may have been proficient in the manufacturing of the old nickel based chemistries, lithium is a different process altogether.
The recent Samsung battery issue is a perfect reminder of the dangers. If this could happen to an internationally reputable giant such as Samsung, which has state of the art facilities with enormous quality and engineering teams, one can only imagine the probability of disaster for these smaller manufacturers operating out of the far East. It is therefore imperative for electronic engineers to use reputable suppliers who understand the intricacies of batteries and the safety aspects thereof.
Unfortunately, as a result of these highly publicised battery issues, the transport industry has reacted by implementing extremely stringent regulations regarding the transport of batteries, something which engineers and product manufacturers need to be aware of. From a battery manufacturer’s point of view, these regulations have made it almost impossible to transport any batteries (not incorporated into a product) by air, thus leaving sea freight as the only alternative.
Uniross is a battery company specialising in the design and manufacture of custom battery packs for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Today we predominately specialise in lithium based chemistries – be it primary or secondary batteries. With 50 years of experience in the battery manufacturing industry, we are uniquely equipped to assist OEMs with their specific battery requirements. From custom designed smart lithium ion battery packs to intelligent charging systems, we are able to provide a turnkey solution to any OEM project. Some of our customers include major OEMs in the medical, vehicle tracking and military industries.
For more information contact Michael Rogers, Uniross Batteries, +27 (0)11 466 1156, [email protected], www.uniross.co.za
| Tel: | +27 11 466 1156 |
| Fax: | +27 11 466 9109 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.uniross.co.za |
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