Mahle‘s E-Scan battery diagnostics function has been awarded Battery Health Check CARA (Car Remarketing Association Europe) Approved certification, confirming that it meets European quality standards for electric vehicle battery assessment.

CARA certified that E-Scan provides a reliable evaluation of battery condition. The function comes pre-installed on Mahle’s TechPro and Connex diagnostic devices and reads battery parameters such as the state of health (SoH) through the vehicle’s standardized EOBD (European on-board diagnostic) interface. The system evaluates the battery based on original manufacturer data in just two minutes, without requiring a test drive.

Battery health assessments are increasingly important, as the high-voltage battery can account for up to 60% of an electric vehicle’s total value, influencing resale pricing. The certification gives repair shops, fleet operators and used car dealers a competitive advantage by ensuring consistent and reliable battery evaluations.

“We are pleased that the certification of E-Scan further strengthens our role as a competent and strong partner in the growing market for used electric vehicles,” said Felix-Matthias Walter, director service solutions at Mahle Lifecycle and Mobility.

“On the one hand, our partners can quickly answer customer questions about the battery health of an electric vehicle without needing to make additional investments. On the other hand, the certification now ensures comparability and transparency across national markets.”

For workshops requiring more detailed analysis, Mahle offers the E-Health Charge battery diagnostics device. It combines physical measurements of the battery during charging with OBD data, providing a manufacturer-independent SoH diagnosis in 15 minutes. The device is designed for EV-focused workshops, and the E-Charge 20 model adds flexibility with a mobile setup and 22 kW DC charging capability.

Related news, BatteryIQ calls for connected battery-health monitoring to reduce recalls

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an indispensable tool, especially for complex systems in a network, such as the battery-electric energy storage system.

The increasing number of highly developed sensors provides a volume of data that can no longer be processed with conventional software. For Porsche, using machine learning and AI for data analysis helps understand huge amounts of information and varying contexts, and provides reliable insights into component behavior and interaction.

AI in battery development

A high-voltage battery is a complex system that is exposed to a wide range of external and internal influences. Porsche’s engineers use data analysis and AI to establish these influences and their effects on the energy system.

AI supports developers in detecting implausible behavior within a battery. This allows the algorithms to analyze the balancing behavior of individual cells and the entire battery as early as the development stage. Balancing refers to the charge balance between the cells of a battery module. If the values deviate from the expected state, the data allows faster conclusions to be drawn about the causes and underlying processes. At the same time, the data quality in the development process is improved, so that later findings from customer vehicles are even more reliable.

In addition to the known main drivers of battery aging, modern analysis methods can also be used to identify other influences. Through the coupled application of state-of-the-art data-analysis methods and physicochemical models, forecasts and analyses of the aging of high-voltage batteries in the customer fleet can be created. Optimization criteria such as range, charging time, system performance, weight, durability and consumption are worked out.

Analyses based on AI must be understandable and explainable to provide a reliable foundation for development-related decision-making. Therefore, explainable AI methods are used. Porsche says that AI is a tool that helps the team to understand complex relationships and take all relevant aspects into account. In combination with the expertise of the sports car manufacturer’s development engineers, this enables a precise classification of the situation at the end of the analysis.

Through an intelligent and adapted system design, the aging influences identified by AI can be reduced in a targeted manner.

Preventative anomaly detection

A particularly innovative data analysis method, which is being used on data from the battery of the Porsche Macan, is preventive anomaly exploration. This assesses the technical cause and relevance should any anomalies be detected in the data.

Preventive anomaly detection uses detectors that use intelligent algorithms to extract, for example, a change in the behavior of the battery from the online data. The detected anomalies are analyzed, deciphered and evaluated in the cloud.

However, if a relevant anomaly should occur, Porsche proactively informs the driver with specific instructions via the MyPorsche app. This method can evaluate the data of each cell of the battery individually.

Preventive anomaly detection aims to use data-analysis methods to ensure the reliability and performance of vehicles, and to predict potential limitations.

In related news, Porsche Engineering has developed what it is calling a concept for an ‘AC battery’ which integrates the normally separate functions of the battery management system, inverter, low-voltage DCDC and onboard charger into one single component, controlled by a standardized control unit concept with a particularly powerful and real-time-capable computing platform. Read the full story here

An automatic transmission case is a very complex casting incorporating a sophisticated valve body with multiple cross-channels and passages. Often it is necessary to drill through the casting to create these channels, creating cross-drillings. Doing so leaves a hole in the shell, which must be sealed to prevent fluid loss.

A long-time Promess customer uses an electromechanical assembly press (EMAP) to press a steel ball bearing into these holes to seal them. This sealing method worked in previous applications, but on a particular thin-walled transmission case it led to cracking of the housing, unacceptable leakage rates and warranty issues.

The EMAP is an electric servo press instrumented to monitor and precisely control peak force and final position. In this case the user programmed the ball-pressing application to stop at a specific distance, and only the distance was controlled. Neither the dimensions of the ball nor the diameter and surface finish of the hole were held to tight tolerances. As a result, the same level of force could leave the ball in a wide range of positions, which caused leakage and cracking of the thin-walled case.

Faced with unacceptable cracked housings and yield issues, the manufacturer decided to replace the steel ball with a Betaplug expansion plug from The Lee Company. This pre-assembled, two-piece tapered expansion plug has an inner pin and an outer plug body with lands and grooves that bite into the housing during
the installation process.

The Betaplug product is installed in a matching tapered bore that creates a perfect fit, reducing unnecessary expansion and giving a predictable stress level, ideal for brittle materials or thin wall conditions. The installation tool is designed to install the inner pin below flush while staking over the back edge of the plug body.

Assessing the situation
Use of the Betaplug expansion plug eliminated the cracked housing and production yield issues. However, the manufacturer carried over an improper installation specification that created new manufacturing problems – an unacceptable scrap rate, yield issues and damages in the fixturing. The manufacturer contacted Promess, supplier of the EMAP, and The Lee Company. Both companies were asked to examine the complete installation and assembly process and suggest a solution to the high scrap rate.

The Lee Company engineers determined that the Betaplug products were being over-pressed, which produced excessive radial force when the pin moved to expand the plug body and extruded the plug into the installation bore. The manufacturer was reluctant to change the distance-based programming because plugs that were installed successfully were not failing in the field. They were not happy with the scrap rate, but they were willing to accept it.

A proper installation for a Betaplug product should be terminated when the staking is complete, regardless of where the unit is within the bore. The manufacturer’s engineers wanted to install the plug at a fixed point within the bore – where the steel ball plug had performed best – regardless of the optimum staking location. However, in a tight bore this generated the excessive installation force that extruded the Betaplug expansion plug.

Promess engineers recommended that the manufacturer alter its process to measure more than a simple force level or distance. The engineers highlighted the benefit of combining EMAP instrumentation with the sophisticated data processing capabilities of the Promess Motion Controller. This gives the ability
to measure and control absolute force and distance, as well as more complex relationships such as the rate of change between those measurements.

During installation the Betaplug product initially moves as a unit until the lands on the outer plug body begin to dig into the bore. When adequate resistance is achieved, the plug body stops moving but the inner pin continues to move and generates the expansion force that creates leak-tight seals and ensures retention. When the pin is 0.5-0.8mm below flush, the installation tool stakes over the top edge of the plug body.

This transition produces a readily detectable inflection point in the rate of change relationship between press force and distance, making it a simple matter to stop the press when the pin is appropriately inserted into the plug body. The programming can also detect parts that are upside down, sideways, or missing a pin or other component.

Promess engineers and their Lee counterparts performed extensive laboratory testing to validate the new programming. This was done prior to installing the upgraded application in the manufacturer’s plant, where further trials were performed.

Plug and program solve the problem
The new EMAP program and the corrected installation procedure solved the installation yield issues and reduced the scrap rate. It was in fact determined that many of the scrapped parts – previously discarded because the Betaplug products were not inserted to the originally specified distance – were perfectly acceptable and would not have failed in the field. Since the change to the plug and program, over 35 million plugs have been installed and used in the field without any warranty returns for leakage.

Internal investigators within Audi have concluded their technical analyses of Audi’s large diesel engines’ software and found nothing untoward. Audi has passed on its findings to the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, KBA).

The company has so far examined around 700 model variants since 2016. The last round of investigations looked at Audi’s full-size models with diesel V6 engines, the A8, A7 Sportback, A6 and Q8; this includes second-generation ‘Evo’ and third-generation power units that have been brought out since mid-2014 or are still to be commercialized under WLTP rules.

“The investigations were more complex than expected,” commented Bernd Martens, Audi member of the board of management for procurement, who is leading the internal task force to address the diesel crisis.

“For every single diesel engine, we had to delve deep into the software codes in order to examine even peripheral areas of the driving profile. A genuine feat that our developers accomplished on top of their core task of working on new Audi models. To conduct this exhaustive analysis, our engine development colleagues combed through more than 750,000 pages of documentation.”

So far, the KBA has issued the company with seven notices for mandatory software updates in connection with the diesel crisis. These apply to a total of around 240,000 vehicles worldwide. As agreed at the Diesel Summit in Berlin August 2017, Audi is offering a voluntary software update for 370,000 vehicles with V TDI engines in Germany to improve emissions in real road traffic conditions. The retrofit program is free of charge and Audi promises no adverse effects.

These investigations only apply to Europe. In North America, the measures for the engine generations in use have already received clearance in four out of five cases from the regulatory authorities responsible. Two thirds of those cars have already been dealt with.

The Technical University of Munich (TUM), in collaboration with Forschungszentrum Jülich, has developed an all-new battery testing process designed to directly investigate lithium anode deposits, which build-up when a lithium-ion battery is charged too quickly, resulting in reduced battery capacity and life.

The deposit of metallic lithium on the anodes of lithium-ion batteries is one of the primary factors that limits charging current. The performance of batteries suffers significantly from the metallic deposit. When charging batteries, the positively charged lithium ions move through the liquid electrolytes and are deposited in the porous graphite anodes.

However, the larger the current and the lower the temperature, the greater the probability that the lithium ions will not be deposited within the electrodes, as desired, but rather as a solid metallic layer on the outer surface.

“Using traditional methods of microscopy, we can only observe a battery after use, because it needs to be opened,” said Dr Josef Granwehr at the Jülich Institute of Energy and Climate Research. “During this process, further reactions that distort the results become inevitable.”

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, however, can be readily integrated into laboratory procedures. The method is akin to the better-known nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, but focuses on electron spins rather than atomic nuclei.

“The key to detecting lithium plating using EPR was the construction of a test cell compatible with the requirements of EPR spectroscopy while exhibiting good electrochemical properties,” said Dr Johannes Wandt. “The geometry is also important. Precise measurement results are contingent on the sample being exposed to the magnetic field but not the inevitably present electric field.”

“Using this process, it is now for the first time possible to investigate lithium plating and the associated processes in a differentiated manner that is relevant to a whole array of applications,” added Rüdiger Eichel, director at Jülich Institute of Energy and Climate Research. “Our testing process makes determining the maximum charging current before lithium plating sets possible, as well as ascertaining other boundary conditions such as temperature and the influence of electrode geometry.”

Instrumentation specialist Labcell has developed a set of new ammonia analyzers for automotive development and test applications. Designed for dynamometer and in-vehicle development as well as diesel testing, the ECM 5250 NH3 can be used to improve engine efficiency and emissions.

Fitted with a large display to show measured values, the port options include CAN, USB and RS232 as well as six analog outputs. Simultaneously, the company has launched the environmentally-sealed NH3CAN module for in-vehicle applications for sole CAN output requirements.

Both instruments utilize an exhaust-mounted solid-state ceramic sensor, and can be connected to dynamometer data acquisition and control systems as well as direct output into an existing software platform. Additionally, the 5250 analyzers can operate in either single channel or dual-channel mode.

Thanks to an exhaust fitted sensor, there is no need for sample lines or pumps, making installation easier. Additionally, the sensor can be located up to 100m from the analyzer with no loss of response time or accuracy (+/-5ppm).

Japanese OEM Honda’s Ohio engine plant this week produced its 25 millionth unit since opening the US facility in 1985. The site has recently received a US$47m investment for the introduction of the 2018 Accord engine line-up. The newly added motors include the direct-injected VTEC turbo four-cylinder and the 2.0 i-VTEC Atkinson Cycle engine.

The Anna Engine Plant, which has seen a total investment of US$2.7bn, has four assembly lines and two casting operations producing engines and components for 14 Honda and Acura products.

The 25 millionth motor, which was produced on line four, was a 1.5-liter turbo that will be installed in an all-new 2018 Accord at the Marysville Auto Plant. The landmark was reached 32 years after the site opened and at current production rate – 1.18 million engines annually – it will take just 21 years to reach 50 million.

“Building 25 million engines is not just a major production milestone, but symbolic of the passion and commitment invested by our associates, past and present, to satisfy 25 million customers,” said Paul Dentinger, plant manager at the Anna Engine Plant.

“We continue to invest in our plant and our people to build a new generation of Honda engine products for customers here and around the world.”

Mahle Powertrain, a global leader in engine development solutions, has been awarded a GB£2.1m (US$2.7m) towards the construction of a state-of-the-art climatic vehicle emissions test centre at its UK base in Northampton. The funding, provided by the South-East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) through the Local Growth Fund, will safeguard existing jobs while creating new opportunities for highly skilled engineers.

Development of the multi-million-pound Mahle Powertrain technology centre on St. James Mill Road is already underway, with the site expected to be completed in mid-2018. The centre of automotive excellence is part of the region’s economic plan to create a knowledge hub capable of competing on the world stage and will support the business’ drive to develop the next generation of lighter, cleaner and more efficient powertrains.

“We have worked hard with SEMLEP to secure this investment as part of an ongoing plan to expand and enhance our vehicle emissions testing capability in Northampton,” explained Dave Beecroft, director of sales and marketing at Mahle Powertrain. “This funding will allow us to grow the business and create employment opportunities by placing us at the forefront of the requirements of the new Real Driving Emissions legislation, which comes into force later this year.”

The new centre will see Mahle Powertrain, which works with vehicle manufacturers across the world, offer an even broader range of test services. From on-the-road PEMS (portable emissions measurement system) through to dyno-based road simulations and comprehensive emissions testing, manufacturers will be able to complete full testing regimes in the UK, meeting stringent new air quality and environmental targets.

In addition, the centre will allow Mahle Powertrain to fully simulate the new test cycle, with the added ability to control the atmospheric pressure within the chamber, a first for the UK. Simulating altitudes of up to 5,000 metres allows insight into how engines perform in vastly different environments, meaning results are much more comprehensive.

Millbrook Group, the UK-based independent vehicle test and validation services provider, has further expanded its powertrain testing capabilities, with the creation of a new test cell for high-performance engines. The new cell features a dynamic, high-speed dynamometer to test to 523kW and 9,000rpm.

The new engine test cell is the 17th to be installed at Millbrook’s Bedfordshire site, and is now fully operational. It houses the latest engine test equipment, and has been designed specifically to test premium and performance engines used in light-duty vehicles. The new cell allows a higher control of test parameters to suit a widening range of customer demands.

The new cell has a modular design, built with future expansion and additional testing capability in mind, the new cell has been installed in a standalone building. The cell’s flexibility means that it can be used for alternative programmes including hybrid vehicles and future engine technologies, and can be expanded with supplementary emissions test equipment.

“The design of the new cell was important to deliver a high-tech facility within a short delivery and installation time frame,” explained Phil Stones, chief engineer – Powertrain. “The flexible nature of the space means we can incorporate new equipment and update the test procedures to suit existing and upcoming customer requirements. It has been designed with high-performance car engines in mind, as the technology continues to develop in order to meet tightening emissions regulations and fuel economy targets.”