e-mobility

X-ray CT for quality control & inspection of New Electric Vehicles

The e-mobility industry is growing at an unprecedented rate, and with that growth comes a need for more efficient inspection methods to ensure the safety of the components used in these vehicles. As an industry once again in transition, e-mobility manufacturers rely on sustainable and reliable future-centered components. To inspect such products, with the highest level of precision and in a non-destructive way, X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) is the most efficient approach.

Deep insights into New Electric Vehicles components

The e-mobility industry faces many challenges such as extended range, reduce costs, and increased safety. X-ray CT scanning provides a solution by making sure every e-mobility component is checked and analyzed thoroughly. With a 3D view of the external and internal structures of parts, you can identify defects and measure them precisely. Thus, it allows for early detection of problems before launch and reduces costly repairs.

E-mobility components require high-quality inspections at each step of the product life cycle and the main components are batteries, fuel cells, electric motors, power electronics and many others.

Batteries - better understanding and improving batteries with X-Ray CT

Innovation in batteries means more room for inspection. X-ray CT contributes to this new generation of batteries for NEVs by ensuring efficiency and reliability. Conventional means of materials analysis often require the destruction of the sample and do not allow the evolution of a battery to be monitored over the charge and discharge cycles. In addition, these techniques provide two-dimensional information only, which is unsuitable for the analysis of a three-dimensional porous network. In order to improve the performance of batteries, X-ray Computed Tomography provides a technical solution to the challenge of understanding materials analysis and porous networks.

Batteries are the main and most expensive component of an electric car so to ensure flawless stack, X-ray inspection gives deep insights into every manufacturing step, from the creation and optimization of new batteries to the final assembly line.

This means the inspection of:

> Battery cells - measure and analyze cells, observe the conversion of energy with in-situ CT

> Battery electrodes - monitor and inspect during charge and discharge cycles, measure the geometry for better precision when added to the pack thanks to Nano CT

> Battery materials - analyze the assembly and detect defects before mass manufacturing

> Battery packs - inspect the complete enclosure of batteries by module or as a whole

READ INSA LYON success story here

Fuel cells - inspect every step of the product life cycle with X-ray CT

A Fuel cell generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction, not combustion. It works like batteries producing electricity and heat as long as fuel is supplied. H2 and air are combined to provide electricity to the electric motor.

As a non-destructive technology covering from nano to micro-scale applications, X-ray CT can be used at each step of the e-mobility fuel cell production process, from, R&D application to large manufactured parts’ inspection.

To get a clearer idea, you can use X-ray CT for fuels cells in every step as follows:

- Nano tomography to 3D render at very high-resolution internal electrode microstructure to analyze its behaviour to the core

- Control and inspect precisely the overall H2 tanks in a non-destructive way - this product is designed to store hydrogen at high pressure so the quality needs to be checked as safety is a key point

- Composite analysis to inspect for defects, porosities, and delaminations at the deepest level as it can weaken the tanks' reliability

READ case study here

Electric motors - quality control with early defect detection thanks to X-Ray CT

An electric stator and a rotor with integrated hairpins make up an electric motor's operating concept, which uses electrical energy from batteries to generate thrust. In today's e-vehicles, hairpin stators have totally replaced traditional round-wire windings. High repeatability, uninterrupted power flow, and improved performance are all guaranteed by these high-precision hairpins.

The inspection of the hairpin's precise positioning, the geometry and distances of the welding points, the detection of internal voids and porosities that might impair the electrical current, and the general hairpin position in relation to the stator are all possible uses for X-ray CT. Manually checking these components and welded connection sites for porosity or cracks might take a significant amount of time. The porosity and any welding faults are carefully taken into account using a fully automated, inline CT inspection technique.

As electric motors are subject to extreme wear, it usually leads to high repair and maintenance costs. Using X-ray CT, you can inspect the inside of your electric motors to predict their failure early enough to carry out preventive maintenance.

READ case study here

On-board electronics - inspection and failure analysis with X-Ray CT

Very important for the control system of a vehicle, on-board electronics play a key role when it comes to the development of e-mobility intelligent vehicles. The multiple sensors integrated for gesture recognition, virtual assistance, and more are made possible thanks to efficient on-board electronics.

On-board vehicles include multiple components such as connectors, printed circuit boards, sensors, micro-switch and more. All of these can easily be scanned with X-ray CT and multiple results are available only in one simple scan.

To ensure their quality levels and make sure they're robust, X-ray CT is used to:

> Analyze materials and detect their defects and defect causes

> Inspect assemblies as is without having to disassemble and lose key information

> Understand failure mechanisms before mass manufacturing

READ RENAULT success story here

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RX Solutions provides a broad range of CT systems, allowing its industrial & academic customers to examine closely Lithium-ion batteries, Hydrogen fuel cells, E-Motors, and many other electric vehicle components.