Design and Manufacturing of Ultra-Thin Square Power Battery Aluminum Shell Forming Die

Abstract

Increased demands on lightweight and high-performance battery casings of electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems require cutting-edge forming technology to overcome challenges of conventional deep drawing and stamping, where usually thickness inhomogeneity, residual stress, and defects would be caused. The research deals with the designing and optimisation of an ultra-thin square aluminium shell power battery forming die utilising roll forming technology for improving size accuracy and mechanical reliability. A finite element model for simulation to optimise roll forming parameters, such as rolling force and pass geometry, was established and verified experimentally for thickness distribution assessment, defect minimisation, and spring back minimisation. The comparative study against deep drawing and stamping techniques reveals that roll forming results in 50% thickness variation reduction, 63% dimensional accuracy improvement, and 75% defect rate minimization. Furthermore, spring back effects were decreased by 42–60%, and shape retention and structural stability were improved. The results confirm that roll forming enhances production accuracy, reduces human errors, and improves overall efficiency, making it a good candidate for scalable next-generation production of batteries. From the data, it can be deduced that roll forming is a better alternative when compared to traditional forming as it helps in achieving better sustainability, less material waste, and increased reliability for future energy storage technologies.