Self-pierce riveting ensures secure and time saving module assembly

Once the battery cells are joined together, they need to be reinforced with lateral braces, to protect the cell stacks from impact forces associated with a vehicle collision.

March 21, 2024

A major challenge identified in the EV battery assembly process was the critical requirement to join dissimilar cell stacks of different vehicles, as well as mixed material combinations, without generating heat or surplus waste material.

Common joining techniques such as drilling or spot welding are not suitable for battery module assembly because the heat generated and consequential metal fragments or welding splatter can harm and compromise the safety of the sensitive battery cells.

Atlas Copco’s innovative solution is a cold joining technique, known as self-pierce riveting. This clean and purely mechanical process does not require any preparation or rework of the surfaces to be joined. Neither does it generate heat, surplus material or any hazardous vapours, thereby guaranteeing the protection of the sensitive battery cells during module assembly. Another key advantage of self-pierce riveting is that the process was designed to be applicable for joining multiple layers of different materials, such as aluminium and steel, at the same time providing electrical conductivity for grounding protection. Equally, Atlas Copco has ensured the optimum balance between the weight and strength of rivets, to achieve the highest levels of joint integrity and durability, whilst also considering the importance of weight reduction in electric vehicle manufacture.

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As with all Atlas Copco assembly solutions, self-pierce riveting provides error-proofing and traceability as standard, giving peace of mind for manufacturers. As a reliable, time-saving solution for challenges involving hard joints, self-pierce riveting delivers precise, repeatable accuracy, that’s highly reliable with a fast cycle time.

With availability of rivets and equipment from a single source, this proven joining solution is a cornerstone in Atlas Copco’s philosophy on sustainable productivity.

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