GETTING BATTERY DESIGN RIGHT IN ROBOTICS PROJECTS
BY MARK RUTHERFORD, CEO OF ALEXANDER BATTERY TECHNOLOGIES, A UK MANUFACTURER OF CUSTOM LITHIUM-ION BATTERY PACKS FOR OEMS. HELPING ROBOTICS AND INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURERS TAKE BATTERY SYSTEMS FROM CONCEPT TO PRODUCTION
When a robot stops, everything around it tends to stop too. The battery pack isn’ t usually the first thing people think about, yet it’ s often the part that determines whether the machine performs as it should. When it’ s designed around the real duty cycle and tested properly, it works quietly in the background, keeping operations running as planned. When it isn’ t, problems appear quickly- shorter run times, heat build-up or premature wear that can halt operations altogether. Consistent performance and reliable operation are the result of design decisions made early, based on how the robot will actually operate day to day.
The first step is to define how the robot will really work in service: how long it runs for, how often it charges and the environment it operates in. A unit working in a clean warehouse faces very different demands to one that spends its days on a loading dock or outdoors. Those early decisions shape everything that follows- from electrical design to how the pack is assembled and validated. Leaving these details open too long is one of the most common causes of redesigns, delivery slips and added cost.
Without clear checkpoints, assumptions multiply and time disappears. To avoid drift and late redesigns, development needs to follow defined stages. The first, Scope Freeze, is where the technical requirements, compliance planning and project timelines are agreed so that everyone is working to the same expectations. The second is working towards Design Freeze, when the detailed design has been reviewed and validated – drawings, test plans and documentation are finalised, so the pack is ready for a prototype build. The final stage is to validate costs, including the bill of materials, 3rd party supplier quotes, tooling, and commercial plan in order to reach Cost Freeze before moving to production. Taking this step-by-step approach
42 AUTOMATION, CONTROL & ENGINEERING