S.Korea’s SK On launches domestic battery safety evaluation center

South Korean battery maker SK On has unveiled its state-of-the-art "SK On Battery Safety Evaluation Center" in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province.

The facility, occupying a total floor area of 3,392 square meters, underscores the company's commitment to advancing safety quality evaluations in the ever-expanding battery industry.

SK On Battery Safety Evaluation Center is South Korea's first and largest such facility, offering a comprehensive one-stop solution for safety evaluation. With capabilities ranging from non-destructive analysis using computed tomography to structural analysis via battery dismantling, the center represents a significant step forward in the sector.

"From the stage of checking product safety to self-research and development for improvement through in-depth analysis, everything is carried out at once," SK On stated.

The establishment of this dedicated center is expected to significantly improve research efficiency. Before its inception, safety testing required batteries to be shipped to an external company for CT analysis, a process that necessitated subsequent recovery, dismantling, and further examination.

The company is now consolidating major test facilities into the center, aiming to complete the move by October this year. This will enable safety tests for a wide array of scenarios for electric vehicle battery cells, modules, packs, and Energy Storage System racks.

In a notable highlight, SK On plans to continuously conduct a durability evaluation that pushes batteries far beyond their usual limits, including exposure to extreme temperatures.

The center is also equipped to carry out tests for thermal runaway, overcharge, external short circuits, and reproduction tests simulating various electric vehicle accident environments such as fire, vibration, and shock.

Write to Nan-Sae Bin at binthere@hankyung.com