How to Minimize Costs in Battery Manufacturing

As lithium-ion battery technology evolves, reducing production costs has become a top priority for manufacturers and researchers alike. Lower costs not only make batteries more accessible for consumer electronics and electric vehicles but also enhance the viability of renewable energy storage solutions like solar and wind.

Achieving cost-effective battery manufacturing requires smart investments in material analysis, process optimization, and quality control. Without these, manufacturers risk wasting expensive materials, losing production time, or overspending on ineffective equipment. This guide outlines practical strategies to streamline battery production, reduce waste, and ensure consistent quality — ultimately driving down costs while boosting performance and reliability.

Testing a battery at the end of manufacturing is great for ensuring its functionality – but what if it fails this test? How will you determine what went wrong, and why? Here are ways to avoid common costly errors and streamline your battery manufacturing for efficiency and cost savings at each stage:

Battery materials, especially active cathode materials and electrolytes, are expensive. Before incorporating these materials into battery designs, battery developers should verify their properties. Proactive material analysis can prevent avoidable manufacturing mistakes and costly waste.

From R&D to full-scale manufacturing, comprehensive Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) tests of materials are essential for ensuring consistent quality and final battery performance.

Thermal analysis is helpful for screening incoming materials and verifying their performance before using them in large scale production. Differential Scanning Calorimeters (DSC) measure the melting temperature and glass transition temperature of binder, separator and electrolyte materials. These thermal properties influence a battery’s functionality in its operation range. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) measures thermal stability as well as helping determine incoming materials’ composition. Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA) determines the thermal mechanical integrity of the separator, which is critical to ensure battery safety. Together, these thermal analysis instruments help verify materials’ suitability and minimize waste by using the right material with ideal properties for battery manufacturing.

Electrodes are the most expensive battery components, accounting for approximately 20-40% of the cost of a cell.¹ Optimizing electrode manufacturing to minimize waste requires checking the slurry formulation at each stage of mixing, coating, and drying. During each of the following steps of processing, slurries undergo shear rates that can change their properties and performance:

Checking a slurry’s rheology during formulation is the first step toward success. The Discovery Hybrid Rheometer is designed for formulation and research-grade slurry testing. The DHR measures viscosity at relevant shear rates to help users optimize slurries for uniform coating. The uniquely friction-free Rheo-Impedance Spectroscopy accessory enables battery researchers to check the conductive network under realistic mixing and coating conditions, which may impact the resulting battery performance at high C-rate.

But what about changes during mixing, coating, and drying? Manufacturers can benefit from quick rheology checks to ensure batch-to-batch reliability and uniform slurry coatings. For efficient slurry checks, the Discovery Core Rheometer is a uniquely low-cost, user-friendly rheometer. Routine slurry QA/QC testing can be automated to easily and quickly check a slurry’s stability and suitability for coating. Explore which rheometer is right for your lab in our battery rheometer selection blog.

Testing battery slurries multiple times throughout the production process helps manufacturers diagnose issues early to prevent late-stage failures and spot issues before costly manufacturing mistake.

Investing in quality instrumentation is important, but ensuring its usability and minimizing downtime is essential for improving manufacturing efficiency. TA Instruments’ demonstrated commitment to after-sales support is the primary reason for our customers’ continued loyalty.

All of TA Instruments’ battery solutions – thermal analysis, rheometers, and microcalorimeters – are manufactured in the USA. Globally, we have an extensive worldwide team of field technical and service professionals recognized for their exceptional customer support. After more than 35,000 successful installations, our service team is prepared to ensure the smooth transition and continued functionality of your instrument.

Protecting the usability and quality of your instrument investment is important, which is why we recommend choosing a service support contract that matches your instrument use and needs. Users save significantly on repairs and maintenance by having a service contract in place that already covers the cost of parts and service.

Choosing the right technology is also key for streamlining your manufacturing process and getting the best value for your facility. The Discovery Core Rheometer is uniquely designed for walk-up usability, offering a simplified Rheo-Guide user interface while delivering the comprehensive rheological insights you need for successful electrode slurries. Manufacturing facilities can pre-program routine quality control tests, empowering new uses to simply load their sample and run the test with minimal training.

TA’s thermal analysis and rheometer operate on TRIOS Software, designed for ease of use in calibration and operation. Users can generate multiple calibration data sets to streamline test setup. Real-time signals during experiments help users ensure they are on the right track, and they can even modify a method during a test. TRIOS’ unparalleled flexibility and ease of use brings reliable thermal data to every user.

Don’t let battery manufacturing blind spots hold you back. Integrating user-friendly, comprehensive material analysis testing throughout your manufacturing workflow helps minimize material waste, reduce training and downtime, and supports your manufacturing success. Learn more about TA Instruments’ complete battery characterization suite in this Battery Testing Selection Guide, and contact our battery manufacturing experts for a personalized consultation on the instruments that will support your manufacturing success with reduced costs and reliable products.

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352152X19304840#aep-article-footnote-id10