Global energy transition highlights the need for batteries with a longer shelf life and better energy efficiency. Battery testing is an essential cog in the process of achieving this. There is a need to evolve from traditional, multi-vendor battery testing systems, which requires extensive and laborious workflows and consumes significant time and resources. The siloed battery test systems need to be integrated, without such integration, data tracking becomes difficult, hampering the ability to make the necessary improvements in batteries.
A&D Technology facilitates this by providing integrated battery test systems explicitly designed to develop, optimize, and validate batteries and components. Its full turnkey solution facilitates design, project management, installation, commissioning, and service plans for battery and EV/HEV testing applications.
A standout feature of A&D Technology is the way it solves data-crunching problems. A&D unifies data processing in all steps through its robust solutions, including BMS Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) Development system, iTest.BTS test automation platform, and LabWorX lab data management suite. These solutions work in symbiosis to eliminate the disjointed battery testing workflows. With A&D Technology’s solutions, there is minimal need for programming knowledge to build a complex test schedule that can run for hours or days.
Each project has its unique set of challenges. We work towards offering our customers the ability to upgrade elements of their testing facilities through our accessible integration practices
The most significant impact that A&D brings for its client is the ‘LabWorx Integration,’ which facilitates a seamless data collection between different battery test systems and transforms them into a unified, managed lab. It offers central data storage and retrieval, usage tracking, and unattended operation. The solution simplifies the process of centralizing data and storage while allowing customers to quickly analyze and automate their data from anywhere.
“Each project has its unique set of challenges. We work towards offering our customers the ability to upgrade elements of their testing facilities through our accessible integration practices,” states Brad Butterfield, sales manager of A&D Technology.
The enhanced data visualization provides views of all key performance indicators for each pack, module, and individual battery cell within the network. Various battery attributes, including voltage, temperature, conductance, strap resistance, and temperature-compensated conductance, can be selected and compared with other batteries in the module for quick visualization of performance trends.
Unlike market competitors that offer rigid out-of-the-box solutions, A&D prefers to build a solution centered on customers’ needs. For instance, if a customer has doubts about choosing a piece of equipment for battery testing, A&D—through their extensive knowledge and expertise in the field—can recommend different manufacturers that align with their specs. Clients can purchase the relevant equipment themselves, or A&D can procure it for them. Alternatively, clients can bring in their equipment, and A&D will help them integrate and synchronize the steps involved in battery testing. All of the purchased systems can be integrated into the iTest.BTS platform.
A&D Technology’s capabilities were highlighted recently when a client asked them to integrate equipment from multiple suppliers into a functional testing lab. They wanted to implement test scheduling, data acquisition, and centralized reporting. The A&D team seamlessly integrated iTest.BTS, LabWorx, and LabReporter to centralizing all data and storage for data analysis and enable testing automation.
“Although our customer utilized different technology across two different test cells, A&D was able to unify their testing, reporting, and data acquisition. This has not only improved the efficiency of our customer’s testing, but made it easier to access and automate,” says Craig Giraud, Product Manager at A&D Technology.
Battery health is similar to that of a living organism. It cannot be measured, but only estimated based on available symptoms. With the help of A&D Technology, clients can take a new direction in seamless battery development and achieve their sustainability goals.
