ADVANCES IN BATTERY ENCLOSURE FABRICATION AND LEAK TESTING

The battery enclosure is the heart of the electric vehicle. Making it lightweight, affordable, safe, manufacturable, and serviceable are all important. The first part of this paper focuses on a new joining technology for polymeric battery enclosure lids to metal enclosures without fasteners, adhesives, or sealants. Using this technology, enclosures can be made to hermetic specifications and can be removed for service or material sorting at end-of-life recycling. The second part of this paper will focus on a new color change leak detection system (LeakSightTM) that identifies and marks areas that leak using low concentration, low pressure gas that can be produced onsite. These technologies together can help decrease the cost and increase the speed of battery enclosure manufacturing for the automotive and other industries.