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New Lithium Battery Validation for an Electronic Device

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Unfortunately, changing to a new battery model from a new supplier is not as straightforward as most people think. Careful lithium battery validation is required in order to ensure they don’t lead to many failures.

In many cases, the majority of failures on electronic devices actually come from the battery. A battery that is a poor fit for your device, or with very inconsistent performance, will result in customer dissatisfaction, returns, and brand damage. It may even lead to recalls and perhaps lawsuits and damages in the case of accident and injury.

Validating a new battery for an existing product is, in a way, like validating a new product. In most cases, these steps must not be skipped:

  • Confirm the specifications that correspond to the needs of the product
  • Ensure the battery fulfils those specifications (through testing)
  • Track performance over time (batch check)

Keep reading for an introduction to the kind of battery testing we suggest when sourcing a new lithium-ion battery for your existing product…

 

Which battery tests to run?

Important question that will impact the testing plan: do your product’s users tend to do mostly partial discharges or full discharges? The way to test the batteries will, ideally, replicate that particular user pattern.

We usually suggest testing for:

  • Maximum output current
  • Protection of circuit
  • Over voltage
  • Ageing (sometimes 100% of batteries are charged & discharged continuously for 1 week)
  • Battery performance in different temperatures
  • Battery self-discharge

And it is also helpful to dismantle a battery to check its components (e.g. size of the wires), and then to confirm none of that changes from one batch to another. Please note, this does not mean opening the battery up to expose its liquid electrolyte, which could lead to injury.

At Sofeast we prepare customized testing plans for our client’s specific needs, and we often test to UN38.3 standard for safe shipping – this standard basically includes the above tests but also tests that replicate the conditions the battery will endure during shipping, such as:

  • Altitude (low-pressure conditions)
  • Vibration
  • Shock impact
  • Crush testing
  • Drop test

 

Monitoring battery life after 6-12 months of usage

Electronic products need a battery whose performance is going to satisfy the user for a reasonable time, probably at least the warranty period if not more depending on the cost and perceived value of the product.

If one of the failure modes observed during testing is a quickly dwindling battery lifetime, it is important to test the output impedance, which may be what leads to shorter battery life. (It may not be an issue coming from battery capacity.) Testing the impedance on batteries is a pretty fast job, so testing 100% of the samples is usually not an issue.

To test battery life, there is only one way – test the charge/discharge cycle of the batteries; for example, go through 500 cycles and check if the real capacity is still over 80% of nominal capacity.

Typically, good long-lasting lithium batteries for always-on applications such as in a large iPad type tablet should have at least 850 charge/discharge (C/D) for the same way they tested which is fine. 850 is the typical but high-end batteries can go up to 1000 or more C/D with 60% remaining at the end. 

What other factors may be contributing to a short battery lifetime?

  • Battery load… in terms of drawing current 
  • How many apps are running in the background and how much power they are using
  • Design and quality of battery components; for example, low-cost alloy components used in the battery that hold less charge than those of a higher quality
  • Poor design and construction and manufacturing quality of batteries contribute to a shorter lifetime 
  • Some battery management ICs that are having issues with memory cache will keep running and draining the battery

 

Continue reading “New Lithium Battery Validation for an Electronic Device”

Why Do Importers Need Product Reliability Testing? [Podcast]

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Product reliability testing is a must for importers who want to avoid risk…

Why Do Importers Need Product Reliability Testing? [Podcast]

2020 added considerable strain and difficulty to many importers’ lives, so today, more than ever, it’s so important to implement measures to protect your business against expensive recalls and lawsuits which may occur if your products don’t reach expected reliability, quality, and safety standards. Undertaking thorough product reliability testing during the development and manufacturing stages is one such way to nip any potential issues in the bud at a very early stage.

So, what is reliability testing, who needs it, what kinds of tests may be conducted, and what does it cost? We’ll be answering all of these questions and more in this episode of the podcast, and, hopefully, you’ll share our opinion that skipping it just doesn’t make sense!

Just hit the play button to start listening..!

Listen to the episode right here 👇👇👇

🎧 Why Do Importers Need Product Reliability Testing? 🎧

Here’s a summary of key sections of this episode:

✅ What is product reliability as a concept?

✅ How do unreliable products affect importers? The results can range from getting poor online reviews to being sued in court and paying heavy damages.

✅ What typically causes reliability issues in a new product? The causes of reliability issues can usually be broken down into 2 categories:

  • Design: Poor design is usually the top cause of reliability problems later on.
  • Manufacturing: Mistakes from component manufacturers or manufacturing at the main assembly site can also cause reliability issues.

✅ How easy it is for consumers to leave bad reviews on the internet. Hence the need to be extra careful about only selling reliable products.

✅ Understanding safety standards and brainstorming all possible product problems that could cause injury etc to consumers during development.

✅ Do 3rd party testing companies help importers find and eliminate risks they may not have thought of? The onus is on the importer to be the ‘expert’ about their product and consumers, but, if we take my company Sofeast as an example, we will usually discuss the relevant regulations and potential risks with a customer who is developing a new product where needed, challenge their design and prototypes to assure that they’re going in the right direction for their goals for the product, and also often perform risk analysis and a design FMEA, too.

✅ How to confirm the performance of and pushing the limits of the product during development. Whatever fails first is often the main flaw in the design if there is one, and so an area of special interest when testing and developing.

✅ Reliability and compliance testing during mass production. A pilot run is very helpful because samples from it can be tested to check both the reliability and the manufacturing process is solid before mass production begins and a large number of products have been made.

✅ Do some companies still take the risk of not performing reliability testing? Some less experienced importers trust their manufacturer blindly, but this is risky in China.

✅ A summary of the many different types of reliability testing that may be conducted. 

  • For electronics: Cycling the product from low to high temperature, humidity testing, salt spray testing on exposed metals, mechanical tests like drop and vibration tests, flexing cables, lifecycle testing (HALT), and more.
  • Packaging reliability testing is also a consideration, as it is often a part of the product offering these days and will need to reliably protect your product and its retail packaging during transit and storage. So for this, there will be drop tests, vibration tests, atmospheric testing, and compression testing, and more.
  • Batteries, in particular, will have many types of tests, such as charge/discharge cycling, drop tests, thermal tests, and more.

✅ Examples of real product disasters caught by reliability testing. Products that catch fire (!) are a constant threat and something seen a number of times, but also products which instantly break, scratch or corrode immediately, and more!

✅ The link between reliability, quality, and safety, and how they overlap. If importers get reliability during development and quality during production right, safety issues are unlikely.

✅ How much does product reliability testing cost? Product reliability testing can range between $300-3,000 for most products not produced in massive quantities.

 

Even more content about product, battery, and packaging reliability testing…

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What sort of product reliability testing do you currently perform?

Let us know your experiences by leaving a comment, please.

 

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Battery Safety Testing 101 For Buyers + Videos

Posted on by sofeast

Batteries are an integral component for many of today’s electronics, so battery safety testing should be a key concern for importers.

Don’t forget that, as the importer of either batteries or electronic devices that include batteries, you’re liable for consumer injury should the batteries turn out to be dangerous. You should also assure that your batteries comply with your market’s regulatory demands, which could mean, for instance, not importing batteries made with certain materials.

So, how to assess whether your batteries will be compliant and safe? Battery safety testing.

Continue reading “Battery Safety Testing 101 For Buyers + Videos”

How To Keep A Chinese Battery Supplier Honest?

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How To Keep A Chinese Battery Supplier Honest?

Let’s say you buy an electrical product from your Chinese supplier and they promise to purchase original batteries from a well-known company. Are you sure you will get the types of batteries that you’ve paid for? Here’s how to keep your Chinese battery supplier honest.

Continue reading “How To Keep A Chinese Battery Supplier Honest?”