What Do Lithium Battery Testing & Top Gun Pilots Have in Common?

For those who saw the last Top Gun movie, Top Gun: Maverick, you’ll remember when, in the opening scene, Tom Cruise says, “Want Mach 10? Let’s give ’em Mach 10!” referring to making the jet plane go hypersonic.  Toward the end of the movie, Cruise pushes the plane beyond its limits until he starts experiencing hypoxia (when the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen) caused by the rising altitude and the G-force.

Just like Top Gun pilots, lithium batteries are also subjected to high and sudden acceleration (G-force) that could derive from a collision, an explosion, or a drop, which increases the force exerted on them. Hence, batteries must be tested to ensure that they will withstand such harsh conditions.

Why Batteries Need Their Own “Top Gun” Training

Lithium batteries endure high-stress scenarios, from electric vehicle crashes to accidental drops in consumer devices. To ensure safety, they undergo rigorous testing akin to a pilot’s survival training:

• High Acceleration Shock Tests simulate forces up to 150G (150 times gravity).
• Crush, Puncture, and Short Circuit Tests replicate real-world failures.

UL 1642, UL 2054, and UL/CSA 62133-2 all require batteries to pass a 150G, 6ms, half-sine profile shock test.

For example, if a battery pack weighs 1kg, during a 150G shock test, the samples would be subjected to a force of 150 times their weight. Considering Newton’s kinematics equations of motion, this would be similar to crashing a battery pack from 8.827 m/s (31.78 km/h) and reducing its velocity to 0 m/s in 6 milliseconds for it to reach 150 G acceleration.

As you can see, the heavier the mass of the battery pack, the higher the force exerted on it during the test.  This is why mechanical considerations become highly important when designing and integrating a new battery product.

At LabTest, we have the expertise and capabilities to test all types of batteries, including Lithium batteries.  We test to a variety of industrial and military standards, including UN/DOT 38.3, UL 1642, UL 2054, and UL/CSA 62133-2.

___________________________________________

You can count on LabTest Certification for a fast and headache-free solution!

To learn more or request a FREE quotation for testing and/or certification of your batteries, please contact us at info@labtestcert.com.