E-Report

April 2008

New Battery Manufacturing Newsletter Announced from Battery Power Magazine

On April 17th Battery Power will be launching a new monthly e-newsletter to compliment our existing offerings.  We are pleased to introduce the Battery Manufacturing e-Report! The newsletter will sent on the third Thursday of every month and feature the latest product and technology developments in battery manufacturing, such as battery manufacturing equipment and systems, materials, chemicals, components and testing systems.

Click here to subscribe: http://www.infowebcom.com/newsletters_form.php

Do you have a product or company news you would like to see featured in the premiere issue; contact Shannon Given and Shannong@infowebcom.com.

Special advertising packages are available; contact Jeremy Fleming at jeremyf@infowebcom.com.

PowerGenix Targets Toxic Battery Market with New Line of Rechargeables

PowerGenix’s line of rechargeables serve as high-cycle, high-power replacements for existing sealed rechargeable battery technologies, including nickel-cadmium, which is being phased out by manufacturers and retailers in North America, the EU and Asia due to toxicity concerns.

The RoHS directive bans new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than agreed levels of toxic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium from the EU market. In parallel, the Battery Directive places even more aggressive restrictions on the use of cadmium and mercury. The general RoHS directive became mandatory in the EU during 2006 and is being adopted in California and is under consideration in parts of Asia.

PowerGenix’s batteries contain no lead, cadmium or mercury, common additives for electrode stabilization, presenting a cleaner environmental alternative to lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries. In addition to being non-toxic and inexpensive, nickel and zinc also allow for repeated recycling while still maintaining their physical properties and performance.

During lab testing at Summit Environmental Technologies, an independent analytical laboratory, PowerGenix’s battery cells were separated into multiple samples. Results showed that all components are well below concentrations required for compliance with both RoHS and the EU Battery Directive.

EnerSys Charges Ahead with EnForcer Line of Battery Chargers

EnerSys is putting a new charge into customers' productivity with the renaming of their entire line of motive power chargers: EnForcer Chargers.

At the top of the EnForcer line is the High Frequency (HF) charger. The EnForcer HF delivers a minimum of 95 percent power factor and a high efficiency rating of over 90 percent to save power and money. Because EnForcer HF chargers can automatically deliver and adjust charge rates based on the constant diagnosis of the battery, the EnForcer HF charger can manage the battery's heat and overcharge. This means longer battery life and less battery maintenance requirements.

The EnerSys EnForcer charger line also encompasses traditional charger technologies like the SCR, ferroresonant and a SCR/ferroresonant combination chargers. Well suited for light to heavy applications, the EnForcer SCR charger offers precise control of output current in order to deliver a complete charge. The SCR control also allows the user to select the time and day of the week for equalization charges required to optimize battery life, making the EnForcer SCR charger truly automatic. The EnForcer SCR can be used in an opportunity charging mode, which can reduce or even eliminate battery changes in multi-shift operations.

The EnForcer FERRO charger is a fully automatic, ferroresonant charger known for consistent performance. The EnForcer FERRO provides maximum battery protection through voltage mismatch protection, manual low-voltage over-ride, overload protection, and reverse polarity protection. This charger is fully automatic and will provide the required weekly equalization charge without user intervention.

EnForcer HYBRID chargers offer a unique combination of the SCR charger technology with the efficiency of ferroresonant chargers which ensures a complete recharge under virtually all operating conditions. These chargers are designed for complete recharges of both standard and high-gravity batteries in both hot and cold environments for greater battery performance, longer battery life and higher productivity.

Three New Power Management ICs can be Factory Customized to Support Hundreds of Application Specific Configurations for Ultra-Mobile Devices

While lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries offer many advantages for portable consumer electronics, they require extremely accurate charging current and output voltages to optimize battery life and performance. To address this need, Freescale Semiconductor has introduced a family of Li-Ion battery charger ICs designed to provide high performance and accuracy, as well as exceptional configuration flexibility.

Freescale’s MC34671, MC34673 and MC34674 single-input autonomous battery charger ICs offer output voltage accuracy of +/-0.4 percent over temperature and charging current accuracy of +/-5 percent over temperature. The ICs can be customized to create hundreds of configurations to address a wide range of portable and ultra-mobile device needs. A designer can select features and specifications, such as pin-out, feature set, charging parameters and LED indication, and Freescale can deliver customized charger ICs by programming them at the end of the manufacturing process.

The programming flexibility of the Li-Ion battery charger devices enables Freescale to create highly tailored charger ICs for specific application requirements. Target applications for Freescale’s battery charger IC family include cell phones, personal media players, navigation systems, digital still cameras, as well as travel chargers for these devices.

Built using Freescale’s process technology, the battery charger ICs are designed to deliver up to 1.2 A of charge current to single cell Li-Ion or Li-Polymer batteries. The battery charger input voltage can come from an AC adapter or a USB port power source. The high input voltage capability (up to 28 V) is designed to eliminate the need for an external input over-voltage protection circuit required in handheld devices, which helps reduce system cost and board space.

To provide developers with smaller, lighter charger IC products for space-constrained portable designs, each battery charger IC comes in a low-profile 2 mm by 3 mm by 0.65 mm ultra-thin dual flat no-lead (UDFN) thermally enhanced package.

Microchip Technology Creates New Academic Partner Program

Microchip Technology, Inc. has created a new Microchip Academic Partner program, providing an opportunity for academia to partner with a semiconductor industry leader to increase their knowledge base in embedded applications.  The program, which offers free local training and curriculum to educators via Microchip’s Regional Training Centers (RTCs) and Web site (www.microchip.com/academic); as well as discounts on development tools and software for both students and educators, is also expanding beyond universities to the K-12 grade levels. 

“We have a large challenge to undertake with regard to engineering education in today’s world,” said Steve Sanghi, president and CEO of Microchip. “Many of today’s youth think that the only options for them are to be in Hollywood or become a professional athlete.  Microchip’s academic program is challenging this head-on by making it ‘hip and easy’ to learn science, technology and math, so that students can aspire to be successful engineers and citizens—the people who will shape our tomorrow.”

All educators and students with an e-mail address ending in .edu, .k12 or .ac automatically receive a discount on Microchip development tools at microchipDIRECT.  Microchip’s Academic Partner program also offers development tool lab sets made specifically for education, and support for university researchers and entrepreneurship programs creating innovative electronic designs.

Argonne's Lithium-Ion Battery Technology to be Commercialized by Japan's Toda Kogyo

The US Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and Toda Kogyo Corp. of Japan have reached a world-wide licensing agreement for the commercial production and sales of Argonne's patented composite cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries, which result in longer-lasting, safer batteries for hybrid-electric vehicles, cell phones, laptop computers and other applications.

"Our agreement with Toda Kogyo is an important step toward bringing to market key advanced lithium-ion battery technologies that are being developed here at Argonne with funding from the US Department of Energy," said Gary Henriksen, manager of the Electrochemical Energy Storage Department at Argonne. "The technologies being licensed will enhance the performance, life and inherent safety of lithium-ion cells compared to those that employ the cobalt-based cathode technology that has dominated the market since the introduction of lithium-ion batteries in 1990."

The family of structurally integrated composite cathode materials being licensed uses a new combination of lithium/manganese mixed metal oxides in a revolutionary materials-design approach to extend the time between charges, increase calendar life and improve lithium-ion cell safety.

The new cathode materials are comprised of a composite matrix using an inherently stable inactive lithium-metal oxide that is integrated with a highly active form of another lithium-metal oxide component. This composite allows for greater levels of lithium to be used, while reducing oxygen-induced side reactions at the electrode surface that limit cell life and safety. The enhanced stability of these materials allows the system to be charged to higher voltages, leading to a significantly higher energy storage capacity than currently available materials through both the higher voltage and higher capacity per unit weight of active material.

This licensing agreement is integral to DOE's commercialization efforts, which includes a full spectrum of activities required to rapidly move a new technology, product, or process from its conceptual stage to the marketplace.

VIASPACE Distributes Batteries for Portable Electronics, Power Tools and Electric Vehicles

VIASPACE, Inc. has entered into the rechargeable battery marketplace through a distribution agreement with Yoku Energy Co. Ltd, a major manufacturer of rechargeable lithium polymer batteries. Under the agreement, VIASPACE will market and distribute Yoku's entire battery product line in the US, Canada, Mexico and Europe.

Yoku of Hong Kong, with a factory in Zhangzhou, is one of the largest manufacturers of Li Polymer batteries in China with single battery cell capacity ranges from 50 mAh to 55,000 mAh. The products are UL and CE approved, and are compliant with RoHS, the European environmental standard. Yoku batteries are widely used in electronic products, such as GPS navigators, medical products, mobile phones and notebook computers. New large emerging battery markets include power tools, power driven toys, battery operated bicycles and electric and hybrid vehicles.

Battery Power 2008, September 4-5 in New Orleans, La., is currently accepting presentation abstracts. The 2008 event will explore the important topics impacting the battery industry from design issues in battery packs and emerging charging technologies to predicting battery failure and battery hybrid technologies.

Call for Presentations – Deadline to submit a presentation is April 4th.

Battery Power 2008 provides an excellent forum to discuss new developments in technology, market conditions and end-user requirements that are driving innovation, capabilities and features, application trends and performance improvements today and in the future. Attendees will include top executives, technical managers and engineering professionals from original equipment manufacturers, system developers and integrators, dealers and component providers.

For more information on submitting an abstract contact Shannon Given, program manager, 720-528-3770 or shannong@infowebcom.com or visit http://www.batterypoweronline.com/bp08_callforpresentations.htm.

May
4-7 - UTC, Orlando, Fla.

5-7 - BATTCON 2008, Marco Island, Fla.

6-8 - EDS 2008, Las Vegas, Nev.

12-16 - The 8th International Advanced Automotive Battery and Ultracapacitor Conference, Tampa, Fla.

18-23 - Electrochemical Society Spring, Phoenix, Ariz.

Small Fuel Cells for Commercial & Military Applications
April 30 – May 2, 2008
Omni Hotel at CNN Center
Atlanta, GA
www.knowledgefoundation.com

In its 10th year, Small Fuel Cells for Commercial & Military Applications is the primary source of information for end users, developers and manufacturers of portable power devices. With a special pre-conference 1-Day Symposium on building synergy between fuel cells and lithium ion batteries, an impressive lineup of speakers from around the world, and industry leaders exhibiting the latest technologies, this year's conference is not to be missed. Just a few of the presenting organizations include: Motorola, Samsung, Sony Corporation, U.S. Army, and The U.S. Department of Energy.

Contact:
The Knowledge Foundation
Telephone: 617-232-7400
Web: http://www.knowledgefoundation.com
Email: custserv@knowledgefoundation.com

Battcon® 2008 International Stationary Battery Conference and Trade Show
May 5 - 7, 2008
Marco Island, Florida

The Battcon Stationary Battery Conference is a three day, noncommercial, technical event for storage battery users from the power, telecom, UPS and other industries.

This well-established event brings over 450 end-users, engineers, battery and battery test equipment manufacturers, installers, and standards and safety experts together to discuss storage battery innovations and solutions for existing systems.

Presentations by users and manufacturers address everyday battery applications, technical advances, and industry concerns. A two evening trade show featuring storage power related vendors is also part of the conference.

Info: Jennifer Stryker, Albercorp, 3103 N. Andrews Ave. Ext., Pompano Beach, FL 33064. (954) 623-6660 ext 31206, or visit www.battcon.com.

EDS -- Where the Electronics Industry Connects—May 5-8, 2008, Paris/Bally’s Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada  www.edsconnects.com

EDS is North America’s premier venue for business-to-business meetings and networking for the electronics distribution industry. More than 5,000 key representatives from the three major areas of the industry—distribution, manufacturing and professional field sales—attend EDS.  It’s where the “who’s who” in electronics come to build business, including  more international participants than any comparable event in North America. 
EDS is sponsored by industry leaders the Electronic Components, Assemblies and Materials Association (ECA), the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) and the National Electronic Distributors Association (NEDA).  EDS facilitates sales and marketing partnerships in the global electronics distribution industry. Convened annually since 1937, EDS provides conferences, educational programs, planning sessions, networking opportunities, and a show floor for exhibitors. Complete details and registration information is available at www.edsconnects.com or by calling (312) 648-1140.

2008 Electrochemical Society

Register now for the 213th Meeting of The Electrochemical Society (ECS) to take place at the Phoenix Convention Center May 18th- 23rd.

The program for the Phoenix meeting contains a full range of technical symposia, and is expected to attract over 1,500 scientists and engineers, from a broad range of private and public sector institutions. Technical symposia will include electrochemical and solid-state research ranging from batteries and fuel cells to semiconductors and everything in between. The advanced registration deadline is April 18, so don't delay.

NXTcomm08
June 16-19, 2008
Las Vegas, NV

Communications is your business. NXTcomm08 is your show.
Don’t miss the one event delivering the entire ecosystem of network-enabled voice, video and data. From VoIP and IPTV to WiMAX and wireless, the key players that drive communications and the technology and services making history converge here. NXTcomm08’s conference partners include: ATIS, Broadband Wireless World, IEC and FierceMarkets. NXTcomm08’s summit partners include: Telephony, Yankee Group and iHollywood Forum’s.
Exhibits Plus Pass Includes Access to:

1. The entire NXTcomm exhibit floor
2. Every single NXTcomm keynote speaker
3. All NXTcomm programming (special free conference sessions each day!)
4. Each NXTcomm Special Interest Program
5. The entire InfoComm exhibit floor

Register for your free Exhibits Plus Pass using code: BAT8

www.nxtcommshow.com

SCTE Cable-Tec Expo®
Philadelphia, PA
June 24-27, 2008

Meet Us at the Corner of Engineering and Innovation during SCTE Cable-Tec Expo®

For 25 years, SCTE Cable-Tec Expo® has unlocked the industry’s best engineering practices for all cable professionals—from field technicians and engineers to executives and marketing specialists. Learn about the latest engineering issues, technical developments and applications with 20+ workshops in one convenient cost-effective setting. Explore tools and techniques in the hands-on exhibit hall to help save time and money and keep operations profitable. This four-day event also features the International Cable-Tec Games; Expo Evening; the Opening General Session; the Annual Awards Luncheon and key networking opportunities.

Get full show details and register today at http://expo.scte.org.
SCTE Cable-Tec Expo® ● June 24-27 ● Philadelphia, PA

43rd POWER SOURCES CONFERENCE
Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel, Philadelphia Pennsylvania
July 7-10, 2008

The 43rd Power Sources Conference is scheduled to proceed along traditional lines.  The meeting will focus on energy generation and storage technology (largely, but not exclusively electrochemical) which is of interest to the DoD, other Government agencies, and to the civilian marketplace. As usual, the orientation will be toward devices, but relevant contributions on materials, mechanisms and power management are very welcome, in addition to contributions on prototype development, manufacturing technology, device and system engineering, and economic and environmental considerations.

www.powersourcesconference.com

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