scholarly journals The Characteristics of Laser Welding of a Thin Aluminum Tab and Steel Battery Case for Lithium-Ion Battery

Metals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lanh Ngoc Trinh ◽  
Dongkyoung Lee
Keyword(s):  
Laser Welding ◽  
Lithium Ion Battery ◽  
Electrical Resistance ◽  
Dissimilar Materials ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Hardness Test ◽  
High Productivity ◽  
Mechanical And Electrical Properties ◽  
Pulsed Fiber Laser ◽  
Battery Case

During lithium-ion battery packing, joining between battery cases and tabs is challenging for manufacturers due to dissimilar materials of the battery case and the tab, as well as their thicknesses. Laser welding, which has proven to produce a good weld with high productivity and low electrical resistance, is introduced to weld these materials. The weld was conducted with nanosecond-pulsed fiber laser and the effect of laser powers on mechanical and electrical properties as well as microstructure of the joint is investigated. The weld bead at the low laser power exhibited several blowholes on the surface, while the formation of voids including centerline and root cavities was observed through the cross-section. Moreover, the phenomenon of upward penetration (UP) was observed in all laser powers and recoil pressure which was generated by metal evaporation was supposed to cause the formation of an upward flow of the lower material. A hardness test was performed on both horizontal and vertical directions through the fusion zone. Additionally, the increase of upward penetration (UP) resulted in higher strength and lower electrical resistance of the weld.

scholarly journals The effect of using the metal tube on laser welding of the battery case and the tab for lithium-ion battery

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongkyoung Lee
Keyword(s):  
Laser Welding ◽  
Gaussian Beam ◽  
Lithium Ion Battery ◽  
Power Distribution ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Metal Tube ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Mechanical And Electrical Properties ◽  
Battery Case ◽  
Positive Effect

Abstract Given the drawbacks of the conventional welding methods in joining the battery case and tab in the lithium-ion battery, the laser welding technique using the metal tube has been introduced for the weld. The metal tube is supposed to contribute a positive effect on protecting the outside structure by blocking the injection of the spatters. However, the use of the metal tube is believed to affect the intensity as well as the power distribution of the laser gaussian beam. Through the observation and analysis in this study, both advantages and disadvantages of the application of the metal tube on the weld have been clarified. The use of the metal tube prevents the ejection of the spatter to the outside of the welding zone, the gap between the battery case and tab in the weld is also minimized. Besides, the limitation of the intensity and the power energy distribution of the laser Gaussian beam has caused significant changes in the morphology, mechanical, and electrical properties of the weld.

scholarly journals The Effect of Using a Metal Tube on Laser Welding of the Battery Case and the Tab for Lithium-Ion Battery

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 4460
Author(s):  
Lanh Ngoc Trinh ◽  
Dongkyoung Lee
Keyword(s):  
Laser Welding ◽  
Lithium Ion Battery ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Metal Tube ◽  
Lap Joint ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Mechanical And Electrical Properties ◽  
Battery Case ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Welding Technique

Given the drawbacks of the conventional welding methods in joining the battery case and tab in the lithium-ion battery, the laser welding technique using the metal tube has been introduced for the weld. The metal tube is supposed to contribute a positive effect including protection to the outside structure by blocking the injection of the spatters, and minimization of the contact gap between the battery case and table. However, the use of the metal tube is believed to cause the plume trapped inside and affect the intensity distribution of the laser gaussian beam. Through the observation and analysis in this study, both advantages and disadvantages of the application of the metal tube on the weld have been analyzed. The use of the metal tube prevents the ejection of the spatter to the outside of the welding zone, as well as minimize the air gap between the battery case and tab in the lap joint weld is also minimized. On the other hand, the trapped plume inside the metal tube and the reduction of the energy of the laser beam have been considered to cause significant changes in the morphology, mechanical, and electrical properties of the weld.

Joining Technologies for Automotive Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing: A Review

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Shawn Lee ◽  
Tae H. Kim ◽  
S. Jack Hu ◽  
Wayne W. Cai ◽  
Jeffrey A. Abell
Keyword(s):  
Lithium Ion Battery ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Hybrid Electric Vehicles ◽  
Dissimilar Materials ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Battery Packs ◽  
Hybrid Electric ◽  
Battery Cells

Automotive battery packs for electric vehicles (EV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) typically consist of a large number of battery cells. These cells must be assembled together with robust mechanical and electrical joints. Joining of battery cells presents several challenges such as welding of highly conductive and dissimilar materials, multiple sheets joining, and varying material thickness combinations. In addition, different cell types and pack configurations have implications for battery joining methods. This paper provides a comprehensive review of joining technologies and processes for automotive lithium-ion battery manufacturing. It details the advantages and disadvantages of the joining technologies as related to battery manufacturing, including resistance welding, laser welding, ultrasonic welding and mechanical joining, and discusses corresponding manufacturing issues. Joining processes for electrode-to-tab, tab-to-tab (tab-to-bus bar), and module-to-module assembly are discussed with respect to cell types and pack configuration.

A Method to Study Fatigue Life of Ultrasonically Welded Lithium-Ion Battery Tab Joints Using Electrical Resistance

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nanzhu Zhao ◽  
Wei Li ◽  
Wayne W. Cai ◽  
Jeffrey A. Abell
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Lithium Ion Battery ◽  
Fatigue Test ◽  
Electrical Resistance ◽  
Hybrid Electric Vehicle ◽  
Damage Mechanics ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Damage Variable ◽  
Life Model

The fatigue life of ultrasonically welded lithium-ion battery tab joints is studied for electric and hybrid-electric vehicle applications. Similar to metallic materials, the electrical resistance of these ultrasonic welds strongly depends on their quality and the crack growth under fatigue loading. A fatigue life model is developed using the continuum damage mechanics formulation, where the damage variable is defined using the electrical resistance of ultrasonic welds. Fatigue tests under various loading conditions are conducted with aluminum-copper battery tab joints made under various ultrasonic welding conditions. It is shown that the electrical resistance of ultrasonic welds increases characteristically during the fatigue life test. There is a threshold for the damage variable, after which the ultrasound welds fail rapidly. Due to welding process variation, welds made under the same process settings may have different fatigue performance. This quality difference may be classified using two parameters estimated from the fatigue life model. By monitoring the electrical resistance, it is possible to predict the remaining life of ultrasonically welded battery tab joints using only a portion of the fatigue test data. The prediction is more reliable by incorporating data beyond the half-life of the joints during the fatigue test.

Optimization of Welding Conditions for Sealing of Lithium-Ion Battery by Pulsed Nd:YAG Laser

2008 ◽  
Vol 580-582 ◽  
pp. 523-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jong Do Kim ◽  
Seung Jo Yoo ◽  
Jang Soo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Lithium Ion Battery ◽  
Nd:Yag Laser ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Contact Length ◽  
Weld Bead ◽  
Laser Material Processing ◽  
Pulsed Nd:Yag Laser ◽  
Solution Methods ◽  
Battery Case

Laser material processing is a very rapidly advancing technology for various industrial applications, because of its many advantages. A few of its major advantages, less yet better controlled heat input, have been successfully exploited for the very critical application of aluminum alloy welding. This study suggested the source of weld-defects and its solution methods in welding a lithium ion battery with pulsed Nd:YAG laser. In the experiment, battery case has changed over joint geometry from side welding to flat welding. In the case of an electrolyte inlet seal welding, welding was carried out after pressing an Al ball and the degree of eccentricity, the contact length and the gap are presented as major parameters. With the Al ball indent improvement, the eccentricity and the gap were reduced and the contact length was increased. As a result of an experiment, a sound weld bead shape and crack-free weld bead were obtained.

Ultrasonic Welding Simulations for Multiple Layers of Lithium-Ion Battery Tabs

2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongkyun Lee ◽  
Elijah Kannatey-Asibu ◽  
Wayne Cai
Keyword(s):  
Lithium Ion Battery ◽  
Automotive Industry ◽  
Semiconductor Industry ◽  
Computational Cost ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Dissimilar Materials ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Ultrasonic Welding ◽  
Simulation Procedure ◽  
Thermal Phenomena

Ultrasonic welding is a solid-state bond created using ultrasonic energy. It has been used in the semiconductor industry for several decades, and more recently, in the automotive industry such as for lithium-ion battery welding. Although there existed numerical simulations for ultrasonic welding, the models were limited to two-layer and like materials stackups. In this study, finite element theories are introduced and simulation procedure is established for multiple sheets and dissimilar metal ultrasonic welding. The procedures require both abaqus/Standard and abaqus/Explicit to simulate the coupled mechanical-thermal phenomena over the entire weld duration with moderate computational cost. The procedure is verified and used to simulate selected specific cases involving multiple sheets and dissimilar materials, i.e., copper and aluminum. The simulation procedure demonstrates its capability to predict welding energy, distortion, and temperature distribution of the workpieces. Case studies of ultrasonic welding simulations for multiple layers of lithium-ion battery tabs are presented. The prediction leads to several innovative ultrasonic welding process designs for improved welding quality.

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