The right environmental chamber can make a big difference in EV manufacturing

With the government getting more stringent with emission mandates, the sale of electric vehicles is forecast to rise dramatically – some say by as much as 15x by 2030.

Fast-charging, longer-range, greener, more cost-effective… customer demands are just as stringent as government mandates. And manufacturers simply have to keep up in terms of engineering innovation.

Now in EV cars, the battery is the backbone, so leaders in the market will be the ones with fail-proof, future-proof batteries.

And that’s where environmental chamber solutions come into the line of vision. To achieve failsafe battery performance, an inspection of every aspect of the battery’s performance is critical.

What is an environmental test chamber?

An environmental test chamber is a managed and controlled environment that replicates conditions to which machinery such as the battery components might be exposed. In short, it pushes the battery to its limits and it is ready for everything from endurance and stability to the effects of extreme temperature variations and so on. These test chambers are used by several industries ranging from automotive, and defence, to telecommunications.

There are several types of chambers, bench-top, and floor models, but what you need is one that is built to your specific test requirements. Some test chambers for instance are large enough for a complete integrated test solution, others can be used for special solutions, you’ve just got to find the right supplier who can give you the test chamber that suits your testing requirements.

To help you make the right choice, here is an environment chamber checklist

1. Temperature

Test chambers usually “shock test” batteries with extremely rapid temperature changes from -80 °C to +220 °C

2. Humidity

Your EV components are put through 98% humidity (RH) at 95 degrees C to check performance.

3. Tensile strength

Here, the integrity of the design is inspected under realistic conditions. Even with the highest standards in place in terms of manufacturing, batteries are susceptible to failure if not put through the rigours of an environmental chamber.

4. Dust

To ensure your vehicle is capable of combating dust, compressed air is injected through nozzles to create dust swirls. Batteries are one component in a complex electrical system, and testing can detect issues if any, allowing for a timely fix.

5. Water splash

Are the components waterproof? Rain test chambers check if the product can function reliably while withstanding various rain intensities.

6. Stress and vibration

This test is to measure stress on parts caused by intense vibrations. Stress screening help to identify hidden flaws in components.

7. Altitude

Test chambers can simulate heights of even 100,000 feet!

Blue Star E&E offers a range of environmental chambers designed to simulate a wide range of environmental conditions from thermal and humidity chambers to high-temperature convection ovens and rain chambers to dust chambers. Give our experts a call to learn more.