Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1327102
92 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2021 Dunn: I often share my experiences with the "flex that didn't flex." Do you have any flex war stories and lessons learned you would like to share? Martin: I honestly do not have a recollection of one. Dunn: Wow, that is a great track record after working with flex and rigid-flex for 25 years. As we wrap up, please share your best advice regarding flexible circuit stackups. Martin: As I have mentioned a few times, I think my best advice to people new to flexible mate- rials, or even those experienced flex design- ers, is to get in touch with your board house early in the process. Find out what materials they stock, all the way down to the adhesives they stock, and work with them to dial in the stackup. They are the experts and that simple step can prevent a lot of headaches later in the design. Dunn: Great advice. I couldn't agree more. Thanks, Jeff, it has been great talking with you today and I am sure this will be informative for designers just getting started with flexible materials. DESIGN007 Tara Dunn is the vice president of marketing and business development for Averatek. To read past columns or contact Dunn, click here. Exro Technologies Inc., a leading clean technology company which has developed a new class of power electronics for electric motors and batteries, is pleased to announce that it has completed the technology valida- tion on its Battery Control System (BCS), formerly known as the intelligent battery management system. The BCS can expand the capabilities of batteries by enabling a greater depth of control on the cells. The cells remaining in a battery at the end of first life can be opti- mized to rejuvenate the same battery into a new second life. Exro can establish a greater depth of control on bat- tery cells because the same principles that govern coil groupings in electric motors can also apply to managing cells in a battery. As more electric vehicle batteries reach end of first life, there is a growing number of batteries that can be utilized for second life energy storage. The BCS can help Exro to lead the rapidly accelerating energy storage markets. Second life energy storage is a dynamic growth market with CAGR projections of 23.1% through 2030. Simulations in the lab have demonstrated the prin- ciples required for optimized second life operations. The system is able to regulate grid current, charge and discharge at cell level, and manage cells with different states of charge. Exro will move forward to demonstrat- ing the Battery Control System in operating applications in 2021. "Now it's just about scaling this up", said Eric Hustedt, Chief Engineer of Exro. "We've confirmed the operational principles with our simulations and are very excited about the potential for this system in new environments." (Source: PRNewswire) Exro Validates Intelligent Battery Technology for Second Life Applications