EV Battery Test Dust Chamber

The Challenge

Ingress protection testing against solid particulates such as dust is a crucial part of battery manufacturing. If a battery is not designed to keep out dust, small particles can infiltrate and wreak havoc on the delicate workings within the battery’s housing.

In building batteries at its US engineering center, a major automaker had always outsourced dust testing to a contractor. The manufacturer wanted to bring the testing in-house, under its own purview. ACS was selected to design and build a self-contained dust chamber in accordance with ISO and client-specific standards.

The Solution

ACS created an environmental test chamber designed to keep 2kg of dust suspended per m3 of volume. After exposure in the dust chamber, the battery can be examined to see how much, if any, dust made it inside. The dust is circulated to a specific density and flow rate using a custom-designed fan.

The chamber itself is dust-tight, preventing it from creating a mess in the plant. It takes up only 10 cubic feet of space and weighs less than 4,000 pounds. It is a minimal power draw, requiring only 480V 60A to operate.

Outcome

The automaker is now able to test degrees of protection against foreign objects, determining whether its batteries provide 5K ingress protection (dust protected) or 6K ingress protection (dust-tight). The testing can now be performed in-house and onsite, giving the company greater flexibility and control.

Key Features

• Manufacture a self-contained dust chamber for battery testing in accordance with ISO and client-specific standards
• Allen-Bradley PLC on the unit to control the duration and speed of the mixing
• Dust is circulated to a specific density and flow rate using a custom-designed fan

ACS Services

Design, engineering, manufacturing and assembly, FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing)