MacGregor Welding Systems has announced that it now offers the new TR-16A Touch Retract Welding Torch, ideal for rapid design evaluation of electric vehicle battery pack concepts in research and development settings, low to medium volume battery pack manufacturing, and battery pack repair and rework applications. The TR-16A is aimed at those scaling up from R&D to manufacturing.
It is a lightweight, handheld tool that allows easy manipulation of battery cans and tab materials in a bench-top, R&D environment. The system can be used with typical prototype tooling. It has been extensively tested for welding copper, nickel, and aluminium battery tab materials up to a thickness of 0.5 millimetres onto 18650 and 2170 battery can material.
Compared to traditional resistance welding technologies, the TR-16A Touch Retract Torch can achieve effective welding of copper with relative ease. Its low voltage operation also offers safety advantages for hand assembly applications compared to many tungsten inert gas (TIG) systems.
At a lower cost than a typical laser system, the system is a more affordable option for low volume battery pack prototyping, racing vehicles, and small to medium scale battery pack rework. The flexible TR-16A enables battery pack concepts to be quickly manufactured and tested. It can also be incorporated into an automated manufacturing line, making the TR-16A appropriate for low to medium volume niche automotive production applications.
