Software defined battery lab takes testing technology in a new direction for EV and battery development
National Instruments (NI) has created a Software-Defined Battery Lab product for electric vehicle battery validation laboratories. The new product covers the entire, sustainable battery lifecycle from research and development to validation, production, second-life and re-manufacturing.
The Software-Defined Battery Lab supports EV manufacturers and battery suppliers in tackling the pressing challenges of time-to-market, cost and battery performance through an open and flexible approach. Using software, it enables battery validation and data management and analysis of battery data, while being open and flexible to scale for global validation testing and adapt to the ever-evolving innovations in battery technologies.
The Lab draws parallels from the concept of Software-Defined Vehicles, which is revolutionizing how engineering teams bring vehicles to market and continuously improve their performance. As battery technologies evolve and scale, companies can accelerate test system development, maximise the reuse of battery testing investments and connect battery data to improve performance through changes to software.
According to Drita Roggenbuck of NI, companies are faced with driving down battery costs, improving performance, innovating endlessly and scaling production.
“At a time when new vehicle programmes are as short as ever, and battery validation and production must scale immediately and continuously through the end of the decade, NI’s Software-Defined Battery Lab offers the technology needed to improve time to market and battery performance through test systems and test insights,” says Roggenbuck.
The Software-Defined Battery Lab builds upon NI’s core battery testing capabilities, which are based on NI’s existing software and hardware platforms. The key components encompass a comprehensive set of software, instrumentation and services needed to build robust testing and data management capabilities.
The primary element of the platform is the Battery Test Development and Execution Software, which helps users to interpret and act on accurate and reliable test results. In addition, the Lab System and Data Management Software is used for managing labs, improving test operations and analysing test results to extract meaningful insights from test and measurement data.
The HPS-17000 Battery Cycler provides up to 150 kW of power and is ideal for testing in a fast-paced lab environment. This is open software and allows integration with third party cyclers to increase development efficiency and enable reuse.
In addition, the platform includes a Battery Measurement and Control System based on NI’s software-connected, modular hardware platforms. These systems can be quickly reconfigured and customised to adapt to changing test requirements, including integration with third-party components.
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