Automated Battery QA Ensures Medical Device Reliability
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Medical device manufacturer achieved 100% quality verification in 12 weeks by implementing an automated battery testing solution built with Cyth BatteryFlex and NI PXI.
Project Summary
Medical device manufacturer achieved 100% quality verification in 12 weeks by implementing an automated battery testing solution built with Cyth BatteryFlex and NI PXI.
System Features & Components
NI PXI data acquisition platform provided high-accuracy voltage and current measurements to enable comprehensive battery characterization
Cyth BatteryFlex multi-channel testing architecture enabled simultaneous test of multiple batteries to maximize testing throughput
LabVIEW user interface provided operators with live test data visualization
Scalable platform architecture accommodated increased production volumes without additional capital investment
Outcomes
100% individual battery verification achieved, eliminating field failures due to battery capacity issues
Test cycle time and cost of test significantly reduced through parallel test of multiple batteries
Turnkey automated test solution delivered in 12 weeks leveraging Cyth BatteryFlex platform
Technology at-a-glance
Verifying OEM Component Performance
When designing new products, manufacturers must verify that every component in the bill of materials (BOM) performs to OEM specifications, ensuring that the product delivers on promises made to end-users.
Some components influence a devices overall performance more than others. For example, a defective or substandard battery built into a in a life-critical application can result risks to patient safety and an enormous liability burden for the device manufacturer.
Manual Testing Limits Scalability
The device manufacturer’s manual battery testing methodology was not capable of addressing their quality assurance needs.
Measurement accuracy limitations prevented the acquisition of the high-precision voltage and current measurements necessary for comprehensive battery characterization.
Testing inefficiencies of manual processes created bottlenecks in production timelines.
Quality uncertainty resulting from the lack of individual battery verification resulted in deployment risks for life-critical applications.
Scalability constraints of manual testing prevented the manufacturer from increasing production volumes.
Left: The customer's portable ventilator, Right: Traditional ventilator.
To hold their supplier accountable and ensure patient safety, the device manufacturer needed a high-accuracy, automated solution to verify the quality of the batteries built into their portable ventilators. They decided to partner with Cyth Systems to address their automated testing needs because of their proven expertise designing high-throughput automated test solutions.
Comprehensive Battery Characterization
Cyth deployed their BatteryFlex architecture, an automated battery testing platform for comprehensive battery characterization leveraging the high-accuracy measurement capabilities of NI’s PXI platform. The programmatic execution of numerous test protocols simultaneously across multiple batteries enabled the device manufacturer to drive test time and test cost down substantially.
Key hardware capabilities:
NI PXI data acquistion for high-accuracy voltage and current measurements
Cyth BatteryFlex multi-channel architecture enabled simultaneous battery testing
Custom test fixtures ensured secure battery connection and consistent test conditions
Key software capabilities:
LabVIEW-based user interface for live data visualization
Automated test sequencing for five critical battery characterization protocols
Open Circuit Voltage (OCV)
Power Cycle Test
Capacity Testing (Static, Script, Pattern/Pulse)
DC Internal Resistance (DCIR)
AC Internal Resistance (ACIR)
Battery capacity identification and quality verification for each individual battery
Left: PXI data acquisition platform, Right: BatteryFlex LabVIEW user interface (UI) showing live test data.
100% Quality Verification
The turnkey test solution transformed the device manufacturer’s battery quality assurance from a manual bottleneck into an automated, scalable process.
Quality assurance: 100% individual battery verification prior to deployment eliminated field failures from battery capacity issues
Testing efficiency: Simultaneous testing of multiple batteries substantially reduced cycle time and overall cost of test
Production flexibility: Scalable platform accommodates increased testing volumes without additional capital investment
Risk mitigation: High-accuracy measurements ensure that only specification compliant batteries are deployed into life-critical ventilators
Rapid deployment: BatteryFlex reference design accelerated solution development time; everything from proof-of-concept to turnkey test system deployed in 12 weeks.
Now, the medical device manufacturer operates with confidence, knowing that every single battery deployed into their portable ventilators meets their exact capacity specifications, ensuring reliable performance in life-critical patient care.
