The continuing trend toward electrification in the automotive industry is accelerating the development and testing need of batteries. To support these activities, Austrian testing specialist AVL has developed Lab Management for Battery, a data and process management software solution which it says enables OEMs and Tier 1s to operate different types of battery test fields to the highest efficiency, while ensuring maximum data quality and managing a range of tasks related to specific use cases.
The company notes that cell testing is typically characterized by a large volume of units under test (UUTs) being processed in a short space of time, and activities therefore require the coordinated planning and execution of many different tests.
On-site testing teams must monitor a huge number UUTs at once – sometimes thousands – such as battery cells, battery modules and battery packs. In parallel, they must carry out tasks such as setting up, assembling and dismantling the testing units.
According to AVL, its system handles these tasks with its intelligent logistics functions and test planning algorithms. In addition, its central data management function provides maximum reusability and traceability of all the collected data, which forms the basis for the automated generation of decision-relevant reports.
The software covers everything from test stand reservation and order planning, to test preparation and execution, through to data management and data post-processing. The company highlights that increasing test facility efficiency and reducing testing effort is crucial for OEMs and Tier 1s to remain competitive given the increasing complexity of electrified powertrain systems and the growing number of the model variants.
The system has been designed with an open architecture, which allows it to be used with hardware or software from third-party suppliers. Additionally, its scalability and flexibility allow it to grow and adapt as the customers’ requirements evolve.