Eliminating Contaminants for Defect-Free Battery Wire Bonding

A leading Tier 1 OEM in the EV battery industry faced a critical problem in their manufacturing process: contamination on battery cell terminals was causing defects during their ultrasonic wire bonding process to create connections between busbars and cells. 

Oxides, grease, and dust interfered with the bonding process, leading to increased scrap rates, costly rework, and production inefficiencies.

Each failed weld required manual intervention and the rework of entire battery modules, leading to significant delays and costs. 

To maintain production efficiency and ensure reliable wire bonds, the OEM needed a high-speed, precise cleaning solution that could integrate seamlessly into their existing production line.

Objectives

Integrating Laserax’s laser cleaning technology into the manufacturing process of this Tier 1 OEM aimed to eliminate contaminants from battery cell terminals. 

The goal was to ensure defect-free ultrasonic wire bonding by effectively removing oxides, grease, and dust that interfered with the bonding process. 

By achieving this, the OEM sought to enhance production efficiency, reduce scrap and rework costs, and maintain high-quality standards in battery module assembly. 

Contamination on battery cell terminals was causing defects and rework, threatening our production efficiency. Laserax provided a rapid, seamless solution that eliminated these issues, ensuring defect-free wire bonding and improving our throughput. Their expertise and ability to integrate quickly into our process made all the difference. - Chief Engineer, Battery Systems

Solution

To address this challenge, Laserax provided an advanced laser cleaning system designed specifically for pre-wire bonding surface preparation. 

This technology effectively removed contaminants before ultrasonic welding, ensuring optimal bonding conditions while maintaining the integrity of the battery cells.  

Laserax’s engineering team also incorporated air knives and fume extraction systems to maintain a clean production environment and provided support for installation and Class 1 safety certification.

Output

By integrating Laserax’s laser cleaning technology into their process, the Tier 1 OEM successfully eliminated contamination issues, ensuring high-quality, defect-free wire bonding.

Benefits of Our Solution

• Precision cleaning 
  The laser selectively removed oxides, grease, and dust without damaging battery components.
• Non-contact, chemical-free process
  Unlike traditional methods, laser cleaning requires no consumables, reducing costs and environmental impact.
• Seamless production line integration 
  The system was implemented directly into the OEM’s existing workflow, ensuring every terminal was cleaned before wire bonding.
• High-speed batch processing 
  With 200W and 100W laser systems, the solution met high throughput demands without slowing down production.
• Proven reliability through testing 
  Extensive trials were conducted with the OEM’s teams across factories in North America and Europe to validate performance before full-scale implementation. 

Manufacturing Improvements

• Defect reduction 
  Bonding failures dropped dramatically, increasing overall yield.
• Lower scrap & rework costs 
  Reduced material waste and eliminated the need to redo full battery modules.
• Higher production efficiency 
  The non-contact, high-speed cleaning process minimized downtime and optimized workflow.
• Long-term cost savings 
  Eliminated reliance on chemical cleaners and manual pre-treatment, reducing operational expenses.