Aug 31 2006
Lithium-ion batteries are widely used to power everyday electronic products such as laptops, cell phones, and camcorders. But large-scale recalls stemming from overheating notebooks have thrown the manufacturing process of these batteries into question and prompted public concern.
In direct response to these recent events, ANSI member and accredited standards developer IPC - Association Connecting Electronics Industries (IPC) has announced that it will move immediately to develop safety standards for lithium-ion batteries. The initiative will be led by IPC’s OEM (original equipment manufacturer) Critical Components Committee, which includes technical experts from ANSI members Dell Computer, Hewlett-Packard, Apple Computer, IBM, Motorola, Lucent Technologies, Intel, and Cisco Systems.
Experts say that potential failures can result if, during the manufacturing process, metal particles contaminate the battery’s interior, causing a deterioration of the protective barrier between the battery’s anodes and cathodes. The IPC committee will work to define the necessary manufacturing and design parameters, as well as design and performance requirements, to resolve these issues.
“Standardization can and will address the issue of operation and safety called into question by the use of lithium ion batteries,” said John Grosso, chairman of the IPC OEM Critical Components Committee and director of supplier engineering and quality, sub-tier and critical components, Dell Inc.
The group aims to have completed a comprehensive standard by July 2007. The voluntary standards are expected to be implemented by all of the participating OEMs, as well as by industry suppliers and customers.
IPC develops design and performance standards for global electronics industry, including electronics interconnections and computer-aided technology. IPC’s OEM Critical Components Committee has published a standard for electronics fans, and is working on performance specifications for power conversion devices.
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