Battery Terminal Weld Integrity – Tensile Testing

Solution

• Software-controlled touchscreen tensile test system
• Custom-engineered insulated grip for battery cells
• Standard 5 kN Wedge Grip for weld fixation

Benefits

• Consistent, repeatable quality control at the production line
• Clear pass/fail output for immediate decision-making
• Comprehensive data capture for analysis, reporting, and traceability
• The MultiTest 2.5-i is highly reliable and intuitive. Since installation, we have had no operational issues, and the after-sales support from ITA, Mecmesin’s Polish distributor, has been prompt and effective.” – Miroslaw Bratus, Production Purchase Coordinator, BMZ Poland Sp.z.o.o.

Requirement

BMZ, a major European company that produces custom battery systems to be used in mobile power usage, was in need of developing a process that would ensure that the welds on the power leads of its rechargeable cells are sound. All terminals are welded on two points, all of which should be certified in strength. Testing had to be performed directly on the shop floor to integrate seamlessly with the production process.

Solution

Presto Stantest worked with BMZ via its Polish partner ITA to supply a MultiTest 2.5-i computer-controlled tensile tester. The system was equipped with a 1000 N ILC-S load cell, a standard 5 kN wedge grip, and a custom insulated grip designed to hold the battery cells securely. Emperor™ software was used to create automated test sequences, capture real-time force-displacement data, and generate reports, including color-coded pass/fail indicators.

During testing, the battery cell is positioned in the insulated grip, while the terminal is held in the wedge grip. The software guides the operator through the test procedure, starting with a slow approach to identify the touch-on point, then applying a tensile load at 1000 mm/min. The system sequentially tests each weld, calculating the peak force for both joints and storing results for traceability. This process ensures that each weld meets strength specifications before the cell moves to assembly.

Test Equipment

• MultiTest 2.5-i touchscreen tensile tester with Emperor™ software
• ILC-S 1000 N cell
• 5 kN wedge grip
• Custom insulated grip for battery cells
• OmniTest UTM with VectorPro software and ELS loadcell

The arrangement is a dependable, repetitive, and secure way of manufacturers to verify weld integrity on battery terminals to guarantee stable product quality at the production stage.