Designing Future Smart Battery Enclosures
(2026) MMKM10 20252Innovation
- Abstract
- The aim of this project was to explore battery enclosures, specifically for
e-scooter batteries, and whether additive manufacturing can be used to
enhance existing designs. Furthermore, FEM and topology optimization
were explored as tools for optimizing these designs.
A modified Double Diamond approach was used as a guideline for the
project. The modified version enters a prolonged optimization phase after
the ”discover”, ”define” and ”develop” steps.
The optimization phase consisted of exploration, testing and iteration.
Developed concepts were subjected to FE analysis based on UN regulations
and IEC standards. Topology optimization was utilized for establishing
design principles, which were applied in the iterative ”Master”... (More) - The aim of this project was to explore battery enclosures, specifically for
e-scooter batteries, and whether additive manufacturing can be used to
enhance existing designs. Furthermore, FEM and topology optimization
were explored as tools for optimizing these designs.
A modified Double Diamond approach was used as a guideline for the
project. The modified version enters a prolonged optimization phase after
the ”discover”, ”define” and ”develop” steps.
The optimization phase consisted of exploration, testing and iteration.
Developed concepts were subjected to FE analysis based on UN regulations
and IEC standards. Topology optimization was utilized for establishing
design principles, which were applied in the iterative ”Master” and
”Maestro” series. In the end, the ”Master 13.7” model was infused with
various lattice structures. These latticed models were tested and compared
using comparative values. Models for demonstration were ultimately
printed using SLS and FDM.
Throughout the project, the only model that narrowly passed all tests was
”Master 13.7”. All ”Maestro” models performed significantly worse. In
addition, none of the latticed versions outperformed the original ”Master
13.7”. Nevertheless, the comparative values indicated that the gyroid lattice
showed the most promise.
The study concludes that an AM battery enclosure can be designed to pass
relevant tests and standards. However, real-life tests are needed in order to
determine the validity of these results. Moreover, a business perspective is
required in order to evaluate the viability of such a product.
The proposed method of incorporating topology optimization was judged as
having questionable usefulness. FEM was, on the other hand, deemed
essential to the process. (Less) - Popular Abstract (Swedish)
- Elsparkcyklarna sprider sig, inte bara inom Lund utan över hela jorden. Därför växer även behovet av säkrare och mer hållbara batterier. Batteriets hölje är särskilt kritiskt för att skydda batteriet mot stötar, värme och elektromagnetism. Detta examensarbete fokuserade på just detta hölje och om det är rimligt att 3D-printa det. Genom ett omfattande designprojekt mynnade arbetet slutligen ut i konceptet “Master 13.7”.
Ett effektivare hölje innebär en förbättring av vad som finns på marknaden när det gäller vikt, stöttålighet och säkerhet. Att kunna 3D-printa batterier ger dessutom alternativ inom batteritillverkningen, både gällande form och material, där hållbara material möjliggör en mer cirkulär affärsmodell. Alltså är det högst... (More) - Elsparkcyklarna sprider sig, inte bara inom Lund utan över hela jorden. Därför växer även behovet av säkrare och mer hållbara batterier. Batteriets hölje är särskilt kritiskt för att skydda batteriet mot stötar, värme och elektromagnetism. Detta examensarbete fokuserade på just detta hölje och om det är rimligt att 3D-printa det. Genom ett omfattande designprojekt mynnade arbetet slutligen ut i konceptet “Master 13.7”.
Ett effektivare hölje innebär en förbättring av vad som finns på marknaden när det gäller vikt, stöttålighet och säkerhet. Att kunna 3D-printa batterier ger dessutom alternativ inom batteritillverkningen, både gällande form och material, där hållbara material möjliggör en mer cirkulär affärsmodell. Alltså är det högst relevant att undersöka var gränserna går för additiv tillverkning och hur 3D-printade delar står sig mot etablerade tester och standarder.
För att "Master 13.7" ska kunna användas till ett riktigt batteri krävs bland annat fysiska tester som verifierar resultaten. Arbetet förlitade sig nämligen mestadels på numeriska simuleringar (genom FEM och topologioptimering). Till följd av 100+ simulerade tester och 30+ topologioptimeringar optimerades batteriet baserat på förordningar, relevanta standarder (och påföljande lastfall), vikt och "printbarhet". Olika typer av inre strukturer experimenterades även med (exempelvis gyroidstruktur). Designmetodiken, som baserades på en Double Diamond-modell, var skräddarsydd för just detta projekt. Förhoppningen är dock att den kan byggas vidare på och användas som mall för liknande projekt.
Projektet utgör det inledande steget i ett samarbete mellan LTH och Glasgow University, där bl.a. additiv tillverkning och biobaserade polymerer kommer att utforskas. Projektet har en stor omfattning. Därför kommer det att krävas mer forskning som bygger vidare på detta examensarbetes grundarbete och stora mängd empiriska data. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9225169
- author
- Åkerman, Oscar LU
- supervisor
-
- Axel Nordin LU
- organization
- course
- MMKM10 20252
- year
- 2026
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- LMT batteries, additive manufacturing, topology optimization, FEM, Double Diamond, lattice structures
- language
- English
- id
- 9225169
- date added to LUP
- 2026-04-09 11:07:17
- date last changed
- 2026-04-09 11:07:17
@misc{9225169,
abstract = {{The aim of this project was to explore battery enclosures, specifically for
e-scooter batteries, and whether additive manufacturing can be used to
enhance existing designs. Furthermore, FEM and topology optimization
were explored as tools for optimizing these designs.
A modified Double Diamond approach was used as a guideline for the
project. The modified version enters a prolonged optimization phase after
the ”discover”, ”define” and ”develop” steps.
The optimization phase consisted of exploration, testing and iteration.
Developed concepts were subjected to FE analysis based on UN regulations
and IEC standards. Topology optimization was utilized for establishing
design principles, which were applied in the iterative ”Master” and
”Maestro” series. In the end, the ”Master 13.7” model was infused with
various lattice structures. These latticed models were tested and compared
using comparative values. Models for demonstration were ultimately
printed using SLS and FDM.
Throughout the project, the only model that narrowly passed all tests was
”Master 13.7”. All ”Maestro” models performed significantly worse. In
addition, none of the latticed versions outperformed the original ”Master
13.7”. Nevertheless, the comparative values indicated that the gyroid lattice
showed the most promise.
The study concludes that an AM battery enclosure can be designed to pass
relevant tests and standards. However, real-life tests are needed in order to
determine the validity of these results. Moreover, a business perspective is
required in order to evaluate the viability of such a product.
The proposed method of incorporating topology optimization was judged as
having questionable usefulness. FEM was, on the other hand, deemed
essential to the process.}},
author = {{Åkerman, Oscar}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Designing Future Smart Battery Enclosures}},
year = {{2026}},
}