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Battery Covers and Enclosures
Fuel for the future
Progress in the field of lithium-ion batteries is an important building block for the success of environmentally friendly electromobility. We at Röchling Automotive are making our contribution to this by continually developing our solutions for the integration of batteries. Battery covers play an essential role in this.
Safe on all sides
Battery covers are safety relevant components. Together with the lower housing, they separate the batteries from the rest of the vehicle. They shield against electromagnetic radiation and protect against the penetration of liquids and foreign objects as well as the battery in the event of an external fire. The cover also protects the outside world in the event of a dangerous battery fire (thermal runaway), the vehicle and its occupants.
Perfect fit
The covers only make optimum use of the available space when they are adapted to the respective vehicle. Plastic components are ideal for this. Solutions made of metal are often limited by their degree of deformation. Plastic covers also have a direct effect on vehicle performance: They are lighter and therefore increase the range.
Fire retardant according to UL94-V0
However, flexibility, low weight and cost-effective production are only relevant advantages if safety is guaranteed as one of the most important basic functions. In our tests we were able to show that SMC (Sheet Moulding Compound) materials from Röchling Automotive are clearly superior to aluminum and steel at high temperatures. In addition, we have the option of incorporating additional layers - for example, ceramic. Our battery covers made of flame-retardant materials according to UL94-V0 are thus among the particularly safe components for electric vehicles.
The most important highlights
- Best use of package space due to highest level of design freedom
- Extended range due to light weighting, up to 40 % reduction compared to a steel cover and 30 % weight reduction compared to Aluminium cover
- Improved Thermal Management leads to lower energy consumption for battery conditioning in winter and summer time by better thermal insulation in comparisson to metal
- Robust Design à outstanding long-term durability and corrosion resistance
- Best in class tightness achieved with one-piece design. Continuous sealing surface without interruption.
- Functional integration or assembly of sealing and additional buy parts with low cost solution
- Good external fire and thermal runaway protection tailored to the use case.
- EM-Shielding integration state-of-the-art
- Various materials and processes accessible and selected to fit customer requirements at best cost
- For smaller battery sizes, e.g. HEV and PHEV, best solutions are offered by glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic covers.
- For medium strength and stiffness by injection molding
- For high strength and stiffness by compression molding (D-LFT)
- Local fiber reinforcements for further improved mechanical properties possible
- High level of functional integration
- Over molded gaskets possible
- Best recyclability /sustainability
- For BEV applications Röchling recommends fiber reinforced thermoplastic.
- For high strength and stiffness by over molded endless fibers (Tapes)
- Local fiber reinforcements possible
- High level of functional integration
- Over molded gaskets possible
- Best recyclability /sustainability
- For BEV applications Röchling recommends compression molded covers based on
sheet molding compound (SMC) materials.- Polyester resin based thermoset material with high glass and mineral filler content for high strength and stiffness and superb thermal runaway resistance
- one-piece covers of more than 2.5 by 1.8 m footprint possible with tight tolerances. The materials low thermal elongation makes assembly to aluminium or steel enclosure easy.
- Fixing elements without metal inserts or bushings as state-of-the-art. SMC allows fastening without compression limiters
- Low thermal conductivity compared to aluminum and steel
- Various technologies for EM-Shielding and sealing integration available
- For smaller battery sizes, e.g. HEV and PHEV, best solutions are offered by glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic covers.
Your customer benefit through our battery covers and enclosures
Design freedom
- Wall thickness tailored to application between 1,8 and >5 mm
- Best in class package usage
- Best tightness performance
- Rib and beads for increased bending stiffness
- Hybrid design with local reinforcement by metal, or infinite fibres possible
Funktional integration
- Gasket IP-69k
- EM-Shielding up to 120 dB
- Additional fire-resistant materials (Ceramics, fibre cloth, …)
- Management of fluid conduits, cables, etc.
Material overview
- Injection Molding PP-GF & PA6-GF
- Compression molding:
- PP-LGF, Bio polymer in development
- SMC Polyester based (UL94-HB and UL94-V0)
Cost reduction
- Stacked tool concepts for injection molding
- Multi cavity tool for D-LFT and SMC compression molding depending on component footprint
- In-house developed materials for compounding of thermoplastic injection molding and compression molding
Full service from Röchling
- Over +10 years in battery cover development & series production
- Ability to design, develop, and produce the complete cover tailored to customer requirements
- Röchling is one of a few suppliers with compression and injection molding under one roof
- Structural Simulation in-house available
- Simulation for processing compression molding in development
- validation from material up to product level
- Long-term experience in End-of-Line testing (tightness & quality control)
- Global footprint for prototyping and series application
- Various press sizes and manufacturing methods available
- Adhesive and mechanical fixation of additional components state-of-the-art
