Fully Integrated Battery Cell Test Lab for Electric Vehicle R&D

Summary

A leading North American automotive OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) needed a turnkey battery cell test laboratory at its US-based R&D center. Off-the-shelf systems could not integrate battery cyclers, environmental chambers, and coolant circulators into one cohesive platform, nor provide the unified data visibility and control the team required.

Customer Benefits

Key Technologies

Hardware

Software

Solution

The automotive OEM’s US R&D lab needed a fully integrated battery cell test solution to perform advanced EV battery experiments. They lacked any existing cell test infrastructure; all battery testing was previously done overseas. The desired lab had to combine battery cycling, thermal regulation, data acquisition, and test automation into one turnkey system, allowing engineers to simulate extreme conditions (from -30°C freezer soaks to high-temperature and high-current charge/discharge cycles) and collect synchronized data. No commercial product offered such integration out of the box.

Two-Chamber Lab Project Coordination and Integration

DMC took on the role of primary system integrator, coordinating all aspects of the project from concept through on-site commissioning. We partnered closely with Unico (for the BAT100 cyclers) and AES (for the safety-rated chambers and fixtures) to procure and configure the core hardware.  

The Test & Measurement team also supplied Polyscience chillers, NI cDAQ hardware for additional sensors, and networked PC workstations, ensuring all components could communicate seamlessly in the lab environment. The result was a two-chamber lab, one configured to test 18 cylindrical cells and one for six high-current prismatic cells, both in parallel and integrated with the cycler and thermal systems. 

Centralizing Cells with a Custom User Interface

DMC also developed a robust, custom automation software suite to unify control of the disparate devices in real time. We leveraged NI TestStand for high-level test sequence management and LabVIEW for the human-machine interface (HMI). This HMI presents operators with an intuitive dashboard: a tree-view of all connected battery cells, their status and workflow step, live readouts of voltages, currents, and temperatures, as well as interactive graphs and even thermal heatmap displays for each cell’s thermocouple readings.

This central UI allows engineers to monitor and alter test parameters across many cells with ease, instead of managing separate UIs for each device. Importantly, DMC’s team created specialized Python-based drivers to interface with the cyclers and environmental devices where needed, enabling synchronization across platforms. For example, custom sync steps in the battery cycling sequences allow the software to pause multiple cells’ tests at critical points and simultaneously trigger the chamber and coolant setpoints (e.g., drop all cells to -10°C for a cold soak), then resume cycling once conditions are stable. This was crucial because even though the cycler could run many cells in parallel, the common chamber and coolant system required coordinated batch events for consistent soaking and thermal profiles across all cells.

Safe and Streamlined Commissioning

Overall, DMC provided a turnkey solution, handling design, integration, and on-site deployment so the client could focus on testing rather than system assembly. Our engineers installed and commissioned the lab at the client’s facility, working with their internal teams for power and facility hookups.  

The team implemented numerous safety measures: the AES chambers included EUCAR level 7 battery safety ratings (with integrated hydrogen sensors and fire-suppression features), while the software monitors temperature and current alarms across all devices in real time. When an extremely cold test run caused condensation and frost on coolant lines, DMC promptly resolved it by adding insulation and modifying operating procedures, demonstrating our commitment to robust, safe operations.

Results

The completed battery cell test lab has transformed the client’s capabilities in EV battery R&D. Test workflow setup that includes control of chamber temperature, chiller temperature, and cycler test selection can now be accomplished in one place via the DMC software. The team can run long-duration, multi-channel tests (with up to 54 thermocouple channels and 24/7 operation) to gather high-resolution performance data on different cell types.  

All test data, voltages, currents, temperatures, and environmental conditions are automatically logged in sync, ensuring no data is missed and enabling reliable analysis and comparison with the OEM’s global battery research teams. The open and modular architecture means new test sequences or hardware components (for instance, adding EIS measurement capability) can be integrated with minimal redesign. Overall, the project delivered a cutting-edge, integrated battery cell testing environment that allows the OEM to accelerate innovation in electric vehicle battery technology with confidence and efficiency.