Prismatic Cell Can
Prismatic Cell Can
5052 aluminium battery can — 0.15 mm wall, multi-stage draw.
| Material | 5052 aluminium |
|---|---|
| Wall thickness | 0.15 mm |
| Draw depth | up to 110 mm |
| Tolerance | ±0.05 mm |
| Forming route | Multi-stage draw + inter-stage anneal |
| Measured LDR | 1.80–1.95 |
The challenge
Ultra-thin aluminium at 0.15 mm wants to wrinkle in the flange and ear at the rim, and a can that is a few tenths short or long will not fit the cell stack. The wall has to stay uniform around the full perimeter while the height stays consistent from part to part.
Work-hardening is the limiting factor: each draw stiffens the wall, and without an inter-stage anneal the next draw would split instead of flow. We schedule the anneals from the stage reduction, so the can reaches 110 mm without the wall tearing at a corner.
Downstream, the can nests into a cell stack or module, so height and wall uniformity decide whether it fits. A can that is right on average but off at one corner will not seat in the stack.
How AUNOV draws it
5052 is the grade that makes this possible — a 5xxx alloy that draws deeply; a 6xxx grade would crack in a shell this thin and deep, or only work after T6, which is wrong for a battery can.
- 5052 selected as the deep-draw grade (5xxx draws; 6xxx does not for deep shells)
- Multi-stage draw within the measured LDR of 1.80–1.95, with inter-stage anneal where the stage reduction demands it
- Trim to final height and hold the can wall to ±0.05 mm
- Wall-thickness and height sampling across the run
Process control and inspection
Wall and height are sampled across the run, not only on a first article, because the cell stack tolerance is the real limit; a can a few tenths long or short will not nest in the module.
We schedule the inter-stage anneal from the reduction at each stage, so the wall does not work-harden to the point of splitting before the final draw sets the 0.15 mm wall.
What this means for your part
If your cell can is thin-wall aluminium in this size range, 5052 plus multi-stage drawing is the proven route. Send the can drawing and annual volume and we confirm the stage count.
Because the wall is sampled across the run and not just on a first article, a full production lot stays within the cell-stack envelope instead of drifting as the tool wears.
- Send the cell drawing and annual volume; both set the stage count and tool life.
- Hold the can height as a controlled feature, since the stack envelope depends on it.
- If the can is welded or tabbed, tell us where, so we keep the wall uniform there.
Frequently asked questions
Why 5052 aluminium for a deep drawn battery can?
Direct answer: 5052 is a 5xxx alloy that deep-draws well; 6xxx aluminium tends to crack in deep shells and is only suitable for shallow forms or after T6. AUNOV specifies 5052 for thin-wall prismatic cans to reach 0.15 mm without splitting.
How thin can a deep drawn aluminium can wall go?
Direct answer: AUNOV draws aluminium can walls down to 0.15 mm, holding ±0.05 mm. Below that, the wall becomes very sensitive to earing and handling damage, so 0.15 mm is the practical floor for production cans.
Why anneal between draws on a cell can?
Direct answer: Annealing between stages softens the work-hardened wall so the next draw can flow instead of split. AUNOV schedules the inter-stage anneal from the reduction at each stage, which is what lets a 0.15 mm wall reach 110 mm depth without tearing at the corners.
Have a similar part?
Send the drawing and material — AUNOV returns a DFM review and a quote within 24 hours.
Request a quoteReferences & Further Reading
The specifications and process steps in these examples follow the test methods and classifications published by the bodies below. Every example is drawn from a real production run, not a catalogue figure.
- ASTM E517 — Standard Test Method for Plastic Strain Ratio (r) of Sheet Metal. The r-value predicts earing in drawn cups.
- ASTM E646 — Standard Test Method for Tensile Strain-Hardening Exponents (n) of Metallic Sheet Materials. The n-value sets how much a wall can thin before necking.
- DIN 8584 — Manufacturing processes, forming: classification of deep drawing operations and their subgroups.
- ISO 20482 — Metallic materials: Erichsen cupping test, a formability measure complementary to LDR.
- Wikipedia: Metal forming — the broader process family these limits sit within.