Laser sintering technology yields flame-retardant battery pack prototypes

The R&D department at Energica Motor Company (Modena, Italy) constantly carries out research on new pouch cells placed on the market in order to evaluate their use in industrial production. 3D printing supplier CRP Technology (also in Modena), an integrator of rapid prototyping and 3D printing processes, is supporting Energica, the first Italian manufacturer of supersport electric motorcycles, in developing and manufacturing battery cell pouch frames. The cell frames are manufactured using laser sintering technology, and then tested on battery pack prototypes both for the racing and production.

To carry out the tests, Energica decided to provide each pouch cell with a surrounding case, providing support and reinforcement. The casing of each pouch cell had to be manufactured using a high-performance material with excellent mechanical properties, using advanced technology that meets the company’s requirements. 

For these reasons, they relied on CRP Technology using selective laser sintering technology with Windform FR2, a high-performance composite material for additive manufacturing, which is flame-retardant and glass fiber-reinforced. 

“Having built functional prototypes of pouch cell casings for various tests, including road tests, it was clear we should use a material with specific characteristics, namely polyamide-based material, electrically insulated, stiff, resistant to temperature, and flame-retardant,” says Franco Cevolini, CTO and VP at CRP Technology. 

Windform FR2 was the choice because it is the only material on the market with all of these characteristics. In a short time, and with excellent and highly promising results in terms of mechanical, electrical, and thermal features, it was possible to carry out all the tests on the battery pack prototype and testing protocols required. 

For more information, please visit crptechnology.com and energicamotor.com.