Lithium-ion battery expert
for design and manufacturing assessment

The need

A leading consumer home appliance company needed an expert in the manufacturing and assembly of lithium-ion battery packs. They were seeking advice on the design of the product’s existing lithium-ion battery pack manufactured in China. Chiefly, the client wanted to verify whether the design and the production were executed correctly and if either could be improved.

Our approach

From discussions with the client, we understood that the expert would need to look at process reviews and the manufacturing process as well as potentially review assembly, meet suppliers, and assess capabilities at the manufacturing site in China. Given the amount of industry knowledge required for this work, it was determined that someone with industry experience would be more suitable than a consulting academic. We worked quickly to find qualified experts for the project making it easy for the client to interview and select the right expert within their time frame.

The expert

We found not one, but two experts who were Ph.D. scientists and industry leading experts in the subject matter and had a combined 50 years of experience in the development and manufacture of lithium-ion batteries. Both were instrumental in the early development and commercialization of lithium-ion batteries. Additionally, both had extensive experience in auditing lithium-ion battery and lithium-ion battery pack manufacturers in Asia and China, and in assessing product quality and safety as well as manufacturing processes. Furthermore, both were named inventors on multiple U.S. patents related to lithium-ion battery packs.

Both experts were retained by the client to consult on the project. One of the experts focused on product testing and drafted a test plan for the battery pack and for the battery pack in use with the product. The other expert worked on a full process audit including the review of the process to introduce the battery pack to the product and the design of the battery pack itself. He conducted on-site audits at battery suppliers in Korea and battery pack suppliers in China to provide feedback to the client. Finally, he participated in the executive reviews of the product. The client was very satisfied with the work of both experts and continues to consult with them as needed.