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Structural Frames CNC Machining for EV Battery Modules
At Zintilon, we take pride in advancing the standard of CNC Machining. We use the most refined techniques of extrusion, welding, and machining to integrate qualitatively how well structures absorb crash energy, how well structures dissipate heat, and how accurately they adhere to dimensions for passenger EVs, commercial vehicles, and energy Storage Systems. This also includes Battery Modules, along with the other pack assemblies that form the assemblies for Integrated Lithium-Ion Cell Rectangle and array Assemblies.
- Machining for complex frame geometries and cell mounting interfaces
- Tight tolerances up to ±0.008 in
- Precision milling, welding & thermal-conductive finishing
- Support for rapid prototyping and full-scale production
- ISO 9001-certified EV battery component manufacturing
Trusted by 15,000+ businesses
Why New Energy Companies
Choose Zintilon
Increased Productivity
Engineers get time back by not dealing with immature supply chains or lack of supply chain staffing in their company and get parts fast.
10x Tighter Tolerances
Zintilon can machine parts with tolerances as tight as+/ - 0.0001 in -10x greater precision compared to other leading services.
World Class Quality
Zintilon provides aerospace parts for leading aerospace enterprises, verified to be compliant with ISO9001 quality standard by a certified registrar. Also, our network includes AS9100 certified manufacturing partners, as needed.
From Prototyping to Mass Production
Zintilon provides CNC machining for structural frames and related battery module support components for EV manufacturers, battery system integrators, and automotive suppliers worldwide.
Prototype Structural Frames
Get ready for prototypes of battery module frames to be made to close tolerances of your final design. We then test for structural integrity and thermal management, and holding cells for retaining full-scale production.
Key Points:
Key Points:
- Rapid prototyping with high precision
- Tight tolerances (±0.008 in)
- Test design, cell alignment, and thermal performance early
EVT – Engineering Validation Test
Iterate quickly to test and for prototypes of structural frames so that they can pass all mechanical and thermal tests. Identify potential problems early to for seamless full-scale EV battery production.
Key Points:
Key Points:
- Validate prototype functionality
- Rapid design iterations
- Ensure readiness for production
DVT – Design Validation Test
Use various materials to confirm the dimensional accuracy and crash performance of structural frames to ensure design accuracy and optimal protection before mass production.
Key Points:
Key Points:
- Confirm design integrity and impact resistance
- Test multiple materials and configurations
- Ensure production-ready performance
PVT – Production Validation Test
Assess the structural frames to gauge if they will be feasible for mass production, and highlight likely production challenges and before full production to ensure consistency.
Key Points:
Key Points:
- Test the large-scale production capability
- Detect and fix process issues early
- Ensure consistent part quality
Mass Production
Each month, we produce structural frames that have undergone crash tests and are certified. We guarantee reliable battery protection and on-time delivery for Electric vehicle manufacturers and battery system suppliers.
Key Points:
Key Points:
- Consistent, high-volume production
- Precision machining for automotive quality
- Fast turnaround with strict quality control
Simplified Sourcing for
the New Energy Industry
Our aviation industry parts manufacturing capabilities have been verified by many listed companies. We provide a variety of manufacturing processes and surface treatments for aerospace parts including titanium alloys and aluminum alloys.
Explore Other New Energy Components
Browse our complete selection of CNC machined components for new energy applications, crafted for precision and long-term reliability. From turbine housings and mounting brackets to battery enclosures and thermal management components, we deliver solutions tailored to the evolving needs of renewable energy and clean technology industries.
EV Battery Modules Structural Frames Machining Capabilities
We have designed and fabricated Structural Frames CNC Machining for EV Battery Modules using CNC machining centers, friction stir welding equipment, and designed for other modules and designed integrated machining thermal interfaces for automotive battery modules. We have designed compression plates, modular cell retention assemblies with integrated cooling interfaces, and stamped steel compression plates. All other components can be extruded, and frames can be designed and integrated with extruded frames to optimize load distributions and thermal management.
We have designed and fabricated friction stir-welded compression plates, CNC milled, stamped thermal interfaces for ideal cell alignment, thermal balancing for compression testing, and structural frames to ensure thermal coupling with interfaces and elements to be tested for calibrated thermal cycling. We have ensured compliance with FMVSS 305, UN 38.3, and IS 12405 battery safety standard on structures made of exotic materials (high-strength steel, fiber reinforced composites) and aluminum extrusions (6061-T6, 6082-T6), aluminum sheet (5052), and designed for ideal specific strength.
We have designed and fabricated friction stir-welded compression plates, CNC milled, stamped thermal interfaces for ideal cell alignment, thermal balancing for compression testing, and structural frames to ensure thermal coupling with interfaces and elements to be tested for calibrated thermal cycling. We have ensured compliance with FMVSS 305, UN 38.3, and IS 12405 battery safety standard on structures made of exotic materials (high-strength steel, fiber reinforced composites) and aluminum extrusions (6061-T6, 6082-T6), aluminum sheet (5052), and designed for ideal specific strength.
Aerospace
Materials & Finishes
Materials
We provide a wide range of materials, including metals, plastics, and composites.
Finishes
We offer superior surface finishes that enhance part durability and aesthetics for applications requiring smooth or textured surfaces.
Specialist Industries
You are welcome to emphasize it in the drawings or communicate with the sales.
Materials for Structural Frames
For Structural Frames Machining for EV Battery Modules, our CNC shop has a variety of materials to choose from. We have over 10 lightweight structural metals and composites, which allows us to offer rapid prototyping, precision manufacturing, and automotive safety and thermal management-focused components for EV batteries comprised of lightweight metals and composites.
High machinability and ductility. Aluminum alloys have good strength-to-weight ratio, high thermal and electrical conductivity, low density and natural corrosion resistance.
Price
$ $ $
Lead Time
< 7 days
Tolerances
Down to ±0.003 mm
Max part size
3000*2200*1100 mm
Min part size
2*2*2 mm
Steel is a strong, versatile, and durable alloy of iron and carbon. Steel is strong and durable. High tensile strength, corrosion resistance heat and fire resistance, easily molded and formed. Its applications range from construction materials and structural components to automotive and aerospace components.
Price
$ $ $ $ $
Lead Time
< 10 days
Tolerances
Down to ±0.001 mm (routing)
Max part size
3000*2200*1100 mm
Min part size
2*2*2 mm
Stainless steel alloys have high strength, ductility, wear and corrosion resistance. They can be easily welded, machined and polished. The hardness and the cost of stainless steel is higher than that of aluminum alloy.
Price
$ $ $
Lead Time
< 7 days
Tolerances
Down to ±0.005 mm
Max part size
3000*2200*1100 mm
Min part size
2*2*2 mm
Titanium is an advanced material with excellent corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, and strength-to-weight characteristics. This unique range of properties makes it an ideal choice for many of the engineering challenges faced by the medical, energy, chemical processing, and aerospace industries.
Price
$$$
Lead Time
< 10 days
Tolerances
Down to ±0.005 mm
Max part size
3000*2200*1100 mm
Min part size
2*2*2 mm
Highly resistant to seawater corrosion. The material’s mechanical properties are inferior to many other machinable metals, making it best for low-stress components produced by CNC machining.
Price
$ $ $ $ $
Lead Time
< 10 days
Tolerances
Down to ±0.005 mm
Max part size
3000*2200*1100 mm
Min part size
2*2*2 mm
Brass is mechanically stronger and lower-friction metal properties make CNC machining brass ideal for mechanical applications that also require corrosion resistance such as those encountered in the marine industry.
Price
$$$
Lead Time
< 10 days
Tolerances
Down to ±0.005mm
Max part size
3000*2200*1100 mm
Min part size
2*2*2 mm
Few metals have the electric conductivity that copper has when it comes to CNC milling materials. The material’s high corrosion resistance aids in preventing rust, and its thermal conductivity features facilitate CNC machining shaping.
Price
$$$
Lead Time
< 10 days
Tolerances
Down to ±0.005 mm
Max part size
3000*2200*1100 mm
Min part size
2*2*2 mm
Due to the low mechanical strength of pure magnesium, magnesium alloys are mainly used. Magnesium alloy has low density but high strength and good rigidity. Good toughness and strong shock absorption. Low heat capacity, fast solidification speed, and good die-casting performance.
Price
$ $ $ $
Lead Time
< 7 days
Tolerances
Down to ±0.005 mm
Max part size
3000*2200*1100 mm
Min part size
2*2*2 mm
Iron is an indispensable metal in the industrial sector. Iron is alloyed with a small amount of carbon – steel, which is not easily demagnetized after magnetization and is an excellent hard magnetic material, as well as an important industrial material, and is also used as the main raw material for artificial magnetism.
Price
$ $ $ $ $
Lead Time
< 10 days
Tolerances
Down to ±0.005 mm
Max part size
3000*2200*1100 mm
Min part size
2*2*2 mm
Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed.
Price
$ $ $ $ $
Lead Time
< 10 days
Tolerances
Down to ±0.005 mm
Max part size
3000*2200*1100 mm
Min part size
2*2*2 mm
Let’s Build Something Great, Together
FAQs: Structural Frames for EV Battery Module Applications
In battery packs of 20kWh to over 100kWh total capacity, structural frames provide mechanical support, retain 2 to 8kWh module cell arrays, and also manage and isolate heat in the modules. These frames include aluminum extrusion frames, which create modular enclosures for prismatic cells 50 to 300 Ah, stamped steel compression plates that maintain uniform pressure of 0.2 to 0.5 MPa across pouch cell surfaces, and injection-molded separator plates, which isolate cells providing over 500 volts of electrical isolation. Other frames, including liquid cooling plates that dissipate 100 to 300 watts per module, cylindrical cell holders for 18650 or 4680 format cells, structural battery frames that are load-bearing vehicle members, and cell-to-pack designs that eliminate traditional module packaging, are also considered advanced specialty designs.
When it comes to handling compressive loads of 5 to 20 kN, aluminum 6061-T6 and 6082-T6 extrusions are unparalleled performers and can decrease frame mass by 50% compared to steel. Their thermal conductivity of 167 to 200 watts per meter-Kelvin and the elevation of temperature elevation of 2allow5°C allow for optimal heat removal during charging and discharging of cells. They also resist corrosion from electrolyte leakage, and the numerous profiles available for aluminum extrusions allow for great design flexibility. For compression plates and end plates, aluminum 5052 sheet is also used. During a side impact, high-strength steel DP590 protects the cells by absorbing maximum crash energy due to its yield strength of 350 MPa, elongation of 20%, and the relative position of its fibers. For structural battery applications, fiber reinforced composites are used due to having the utmost specific strength, electrical isolation, and lightweight.
Cooling channels and cell pockets are CNC milled on aluminum extrusions to ±0.008-inch tolerances. Friction stir-welded aluminum sections are tightly sealed and dimensionally accurate. Stamped steel compression plates are formed to within ±1 degree of the specified bend angle. Drill coordinates are adjusted to position coolant line connections and mount holes within ±0.006 inch of the specified location. Laser cutters are used to shape and finish steel and aluminum sheets. Tapped threads are used for mounting. Surface mills are used to keep contact cell surfaces flat to within ±0.010 inch for balanced compression of the thermal interface material. Injection-molded, electrically insulating cell separators are used for high-voltage use manufactured from plastic.
We do rapid prototyping. Battery modules go through finite element analysis validation, battery drop testing, and UN 38.3 validation. We do low-volume production for specialty vehicles and pilot programs, as well as production in the range of 100 to 5000 frames. For mass-market electric vehicles, we do high-volume production, producing tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of frames every year. We do production with full CMM dimensional inspection, compression testing, and validation of uniform pressure distribution within 10% variation. We do thermal resistance measurement of the junction to coolant within 0.5°C per watt, and do vibration testing as per ISO 12405-2. We do tensile strength testing and thermal conductivity to test other material certifications.
All the components are manufactured under ISO 9001 quality management systems. We also take traceability of the material and complete dimensional verification against the design specifications. Battery safety standards including ISO 12405 for lithium-ion traction battery packs, UN 38.3 for transport testing, FMVSS 305 for electric vehicle safety, SAE J2464 for rechargeable energy storage systems, and UL 2580 for batteries in electric vehicles, and also ensure structural integrity supporting cell compression loads, thermal management maintaining temperature uniformity within ±5°C across cells, and service life exceeding 10 years or 150,000 miles.
For machining of structural frames, pocket dimensions on the cells are ±0.008 inch, with associated clearances of 0.5 to 2 mm for thermal expansion and assembly, mounting surfaces are flat within 0.010 inch for pressure and thermal interface equilibrium, channels are sealed with interfaces of ±0.006 inch for compression and leak proof operation, mounting holes are positioned to within ±0.008 inch for assembly alignment of module and pack, the frame is ±0.012 inch in 4 specified dimensions for battery pack, and the walls are uniform in thickness within ±0.008 inch for structured performance with all round specified dimensions.
We offer various finishes, such as anodizing the aluminum surface achieving an insulating, anodized layer of 10 to 25 microns, and protection against corrosion of anodized aluminum to electrolytes (electrolytic corrosion), 10 to 100 microns of powder coating which will also provide isolation of an anodized surface, surface preparation for a thermal interface where the roughness average (Ra) is below 3.2 microns to achieve thermal pad contact resistance of less than 0.02°C-cm² per watt, adding nickel plating on steel for corrosion resistance, and advanced engineered electrolytic and steam primed corrosion control systems which will reduce the 15% of cell contact surface heat transfer plasma treated to improve bonded adhesion of dissimilar surfaces to 15% steam primed below 1000 hour salt spray per ISO 9227.
After processing the stamped aluminum extrusion frames for prismatic cell modules, the time is 12–18 business days, which includes machining, welding, and finishing. In comparison, the advanced stamped steel assemblies with the need for tool development take 8–14 weeks. You can achieve rapid thermal validation and crash testing because prototype frames using CNC machining from billet can be completed in 10–14 days.
Yes. We create ultra-lightweight frames, which focuses on reducing mass by 30%, for vehicle range extenders, high compression frames for pouch cells sustaining 0.3 to 0.5 MPa for 3000 charge cycles, preventing cells from swelling, integrated liquid cooling frames with serpentine channels achieving thermal resistance of less than 0.3 °C per watt, structural battery frames that also serve as vehicle floor structure reducing total vehicle mass by 10%, and custom quick-disconnect modular frames for 10 minute battery swap for fleet applications, cylindrical cell frames for 4680 format cells with integrated fusing, cell-to-pack designs that eliminate housing modules which reduce parts by 40%, and second-life stationary storage frames using repurposed automotive modules.
Accurate cell pocket dimensions within ±0.008 inches maintain proper clearance, 0.5 to 2 millimeters, allowing thermal expansion while preventing excessive movement during vibrations, where cell displacement exceeding 3 millimeters causes interconnect fatigue and electrical failures. Flat contact surfaces within 0.010 inches ensure uniform compression plate pressure distribution within 10 percent variation, preventing local stress concentration exceeding 0.8 MPa that damages pouch cell casings, causing electrolyte leakage. Precise cooling channel interfaces within ±0.006 inches enable O-ring seal compression, achieving leak-free operation at pressures 2 to 5 bar, maintaining coolant flow rates 2 to 8 liters per minute. Strategic frame stiffness prevents deflection exceeding 2 millimeters under 10 kN assembly loads, maintaining cell alignment and electrical contact integrity. Quality thermal interface preparation with Ra below 3.2 microns minimizes contact resistance below 0.02°C-cm² per watt, facilitating heat removal, a l where 5°C cell temperature reductiothat n extends battery life by 20 percent. Lightweight construction reduces frame mass 50 to 70 percent versus steel, improving vehicle range 5 to 8 percent while maintaining crash protection.
Good manufacturing lets us confidently say we can provide reliable battery support for EVs. Consider modules with voltages ranging between 50 to 120V with 8 to 24 cells. We provide battery packs with 40 to 100 kWh capacities, which give a maximum 200 to 400-mile driving range. We maintain a 5°C temperature range for the cells to manage their thermal imbalance. We ensure batteries have a service life of 150,000 miles, which is 1500 to 3000 charge cycles, and are used in battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, commercial electric trucks and buses, and stationary energy storage systems.
Good manufacturing lets us confidently say we can provide reliable battery support for EVs. Consider modules with voltages ranging between 50 to 120V with 8 to 24 cells. We provide battery packs with 40 to 100 kWh capacities, which give a maximum 200 to 400-mile driving range. We maintain a 5°C temperature range for the cells to manage their thermal imbalance. We ensure batteries have a service life of 150,000 miles, which is 1500 to 3000 charge cycles, and are used in battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, commercial electric trucks and buses, and stationary energy storage systems.
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