Detroit’s waterfront skyline, the host city for The Battery Show & EV Tech Expo 2026
Faster charging, lighter cells, and safer battery packs are reshaping electric mobility. The Battery Show & EV Tech Expo 2026, held October 12–15 at Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan, brought these engineering challenges into focus. Workshops opened the event on October 12, followed by the conference and exhibition October 13–15. Event details
The program explored solid-state and semi-solid batteries, silicon anode materials, and safer battery systems. Turning those advances into dependable products also requires better pack architecture, testing, and assembly. Among the companies in the 2026 exhibitor lineup, Elite Battery Systems, Tekscan, and Nordson illustrate how battery design, sensing, and manufacturing are advancing together. Technology program
Elite Battery Systems develops modular battery systems and standard packs for commercial and industrial applications. Its commercial EV range uses lithium iron phosphate chemistry, integrated battery management, and modular construction that allows individual modules to be serviced or replaced. Matching voltage, capacity, and form factor to the application helps engineers adapt battery systems to commercial vehicles, material handling equipment, and other demanding platforms.
Tekscan brings pressure and temperature mapping into battery development and testing. Its I-Scan platform, including the Model 7800 pressure sensor and T800 temperature sensor, helps engineers examine how cells expand and heat during cycling. Correlating these measurements can reveal uneven compression and localized temperature variations that average readings may miss, supporting improvements in cell fixtures and module design.
Nordson advances battery manufacturing with its VERSATEC precision dispensing platform and assembly solutions for weld-tab protection, pouch stacking, pack sealing, and thermal management. Controlled material dispensing is an important manufacturing complement to new battery designs, helping place adhesives, sealants, and protective materials where the assembly requires them.
Large-format flexible printed circuit boards support these evolving battery architectures by connecting sensing and control functions across rows of cells. Custom-shaped flexes can integrate voltage pickup, temperature monitoring, balancing connections, and selected power paths while reducing the bulk of individual wires. Long circuits require accurate fabrication, controlled bend zones, assembly fixtures, and strain relief.
Built-in fuse conductor runs provide protection within the interconnect itself. These engineered sections are designed to open under specified fault conditions and interrupt current in the protected branch. Conductor geometry, material, insulation, and fault-clearing behavior must be validated together; a narrowed trace alone is not a qualified fuse.
Image 1. Built-in fuse conductor
Larger power runs use wider conductors and, where needed, thicker copper to carry designated power currents while limiting voltage drop and heat. Current capacity depends on conductor length, cross-section, and the surrounding thermal conditions. Main traction-current paths typically require dedicated busbars or specifically engineered high-conductance structures.
Image 2. Large copper power runs
Nickel-tab connections provide durable interfaces between the flex circuit and cell terminals or busbars. Tabs may be soldered to reinforced flex pads and welded to compatible mating metals. Material selection, joint resistance, positioning, and mechanical support all influence reliability under vibration and temperature changes.
Image 3. Nickel-tab Connections
Localized epoxy encapsulation protects exposed connections. At the black multi-pin connector, the translucent, ridged epoxy strip covers the surface-mount solder terminals joining the header to the flex traces. Proper coverage helps resist moisture ingress and oxidation while supporting the joints against mechanical strain.
Image 4. Connector SMT solder joints protected by epoxy encapsulation
Near the metal frame lug, a rounded epoxy deposit covers the small surface-mount component and its solder pads. This protection helps reduce moisture-related leakage or shorting and mechanical damage from vibration and thermal movement. If the component is a temperature sensor, the material and coverage must preserve its required thermal response.
Image 5. Localized epoxy protection over the surface-mount component and solder pads
The choice of epoxy matters: adhesion, stiffness, thermal expansion, and cure conditions must suit the assembly. Combined with integrated fuse runs, appropriately sized power conductors, and robust nickel-tab connections, protected solder joints help large-format flex circuits translate advances in battery design into reliable pack operation.
At PICA Manufacturing Solutions, we welcome the challenges that come with new technology and the opportunity to help shape the future of battery storage. We enjoy working with engineering teams to bring new designs to life through custom flex circuits and reliable electronic assemblies. If you have questions about your next battery project or how we can support your design, please feel free to reach out.