New market potential for lithium-ion battery fuses

Technology that truly solves customer needs

Secondary protection fuses “Self Control Protectors (SCPs)” safely shut down circuits in the event of an overcharge or overcurrent in lithium-ion batteries. Applications include but are not limited to electronic devices such as laptops, smartphones and power tools.

Dexerials’ product development engineer often visit customer. They have mission to design and develop SCPs for new applications. Engineers visit our customers to learn about their problems and develop products as a solution to solve them. If the existing Dexerials fuse lineup cannot solve the problem, we take a closer look at the materials that make up our fuses or propose a different solution.

Several years ago, an electric power tools customer asked us to expand the range of voltage supported by our fuses, which ensure the safety of lithium-ion batteries by interrupting the fuse at a product’s specific current and voltage. However, the customer was considering installing our fuses in their equipment over a wide range of voltages. They wanted Dexerials’ fuse to be able to handle a voltage range several times greater than that of conventional products.

We proposed a circuit that uses a technology called PWM: Pulse Width Modulation. The control signal issued from the IC on the protection circuit uses pulse control to switch the current on and off at high speed. This reduces the power supplied to the heater and increases the width of the corresponding voltage of our fuse. Since the corresponding voltage can be increased or decreased by controlling the pulse width according to set conditions, our fuse could be installed without any problem (for more information on PWM, please refer to this article).

In another case, we changed the adhesive used to secure the fuse cap to the ceramic substrate to a more heat-resistant adhesive in response to a customer’s request. When installing a fuse, heat treatment is required in the reflow process. The adhesive used for the fuse also needed to have high heat resistance, since the customer was processing at higher temperatures than usual.

Listening and understanding customers’ voice to solve their issues

The most important thing is to listen carefully and understand what the customer is saying. The next important thing is to understand the essence of the issue and consider whether there are other optimal solutions. We believe that our mission is not simply to provide what the customer wants, but to provide technology that can fundamentally solve their problem.

Installation in DC/DC converters and electric vehicles

The potential use of SCPs is not just limited to electronic products. Dexerials are looking to find a new market.

New markets where SCP will be adopted in the future

Dexerials have been marketing SCPs by focusing on their lithium-ion battery protection capability. However, we are now considering whether there are products other than lithium-ion batteries that can use SCPs, taking advantage of the fact that they can physically cut off circuits depending on their current and voltage. One such application is DC/DC converters, which are devices that extract and transform the voltage required by a circuit from a direct current power source. DC/DC converters are used in refrigerated trucks and refrigerated cargo trailers. DC/DC converters change currents from high voltage to low voltage and vice versa. However, a breakdown can occur due to component failure or malfunction caused by electricity flow from high to low voltage. We believe that SCPs can be utilized to prevent backflows.

Possibility of SCP being used in batteries other than lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles (EVs), which are expected to expand rapidly worldwide in the future

We believe that an EV, with their advanced AI-assisted self-driving technology, is one big moving electronic device. Information is obtained by communicating with the outside world through on-board sensors, which is then reflected in the motor’s rotation speed and direction of travel. Ensuring the safety of the driver and passengers by breaking the circuits when a problem occurs is necessary, since all of the internal circuits are electrically connected. Vehicles are subject to overwhelmingly higher currents and voltages than electronic devices. This means a different approach and structure from conventional our fuses are required. Dexerials is currently investigating fuses for such application as we believe it provides an integral part of EV safety.

Proven track record of protecting more than 2 billion electronic devices

Dexerials’ fuses (SCPs) have been protecting electronic devices around the world since they were first introduced to the market nearly 30 years ago.

The strengths of Dexerials’ fuse (SCP)

One of Dexerials’s strengths is commitment to the continuous development of fuse technology. Since its launch, Dexerials’ fuses have been installed in more than 2 billion electronic devices produced by manufacturers around the world. We believe this track record is the reason why many customers continue asking us for advice on lithium-ion battery protection. As the application, capacity, and output of lithium batteries increase, it becomes increasingly important to ensure its safety. We strive to improve people’s daily lives through the use of our fuses.