Charged EVs | Lumafield research finds 8% of low-cost off-brand Li-ion battery cells may have harmful defect

Industrial X-ray CT expertise supplier Lumafield has launched the outcomes of a research evaluating the security and high quality of lithium-ion batteries. The research discovered that 1 in 13 low-cost or counterfeit batteries may have a harmful defect often known as destructive anode overhang.

The research additionally discovered that key indicators of high quality in low-end batteries are seven instances worse in comparison with these of name-brand producers, introducing additional threat.

OEM batteries exhibit prime quality management. They’re designed to have tightly aligned layer edges and even anode-cathode overhang. Low cost, off-brand batteries could have extremely variable anode-cathode overhang and a harmful defect known as destructive anode overhang.

The analysis evaluated greater than 100 18650 lithium-ion battery cells from every of ten manufacturers, utilizing industrial X-ray CT scans from Lumafield’s CT scanner and Battery Evaluation Module. The outcomes indicated a large hole in high quality between brand-name batteries and low-cost cells which can be broadly out there by way of on-line marketplaces.

Of the 1,054 battery cells scanned, 33 had destructive anode overhang, a producing defect that accelerates ageing and will increase the chance of inner short-circuiting and battery fires. All 33 of the faulty cells got here from low-cost or counterfeit manufacturers.

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One low-cost model had a 15% charge of destructive anode overhang defects, a excessive threat to customers who could also be tempted to purchase cheap batteries on-line.

“The standard of those battery cells varies considerably between brand-name OEM cells, re-wrap cells which have had their plastic wrapper eliminated and changed (typically with inflated specs) and low-cost or counterfeit cells which can be more and more flooding on-line marketplaces like Temu and Amazon,” Lumafield acknowledged.

Low-cost or counterfeit 18650 cells had 50% worse edge alignment, referring to the winding of the inner layers of the cylindrical battery, in comparison with cells manufactured by OEMs.

Battery defects like destructive anode overhang and alignment misregistration considerably improve the chance of failure, impeding efficiency of the units they energy, and even inflicting catastrophic fires in sure circumstances.

The dangers in particular person cells are compounded by the truth that many merchandise embrace a number of 18650 cells—from 5 in a typical cordless drill to 39 in an e-bike battery pack that Lumafield CT scanned for the research.

“Non-OEM batteries are a minefield,” mentioned Eduardo Torrealba, co-founder and CEO of Lumafield. “We’re seeing harmful defects at a scale that ought to alarm each manufacturing chief. If you happen to’re not policing your provide chain, you’re playing together with your model and your prospects’ security. With commerce boundaries shifting weekly, threat compounds. Speedy industrial CT isn’t non-compulsory; it’s one of the simplest ways to implement security and cease unhealthy components earlier than they attain folks.”

Supply: Lumafield