04/04/2014
Somerset has partnered with LCB Energy to provide the very best small sealed lead acid batteries on the planet! They have even been approved by APC/Schneider Electric for OEM use, and by Bosch Germany in motorcycle applications.
LCB has made large investments in personnel, plant and equipment in order to provide our customers with world class products. The improvements are ongoing, and the products we are shipping today, as well, in the future offer substantial advantages for you and your customers. Below is a brief explanation of what we have accomplished to date, along with plans for near term improvements.
TS16949 Quality System Certification
In order for LCB to sell Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), third party certification of our plant and manufacturing processes is critical. In October 2013, LCB hired a third party to train and implement
TS16949 (this quality system includes APQP, PPAP, MSA, FMEA, SPC). We are on schedule to have certification in May 2014.
General Manager with Industry Expertise
Charlie Lee, who was Vice President of GS Taiwan was added as our new General Manager in the 4th quarter of 2013. Charlie worked with GS Taiwan and GS Japan for over 30 years before his retirement.
Charlie was brought in the 4th quarter to implement TS16949, as well as, institutionalize the plant.
Improvements to Shelf Life and Battery to Battery Tolerances
We began in case formation on the following factory activated motorcycle batteries in October 2013: 4L-BS, 5L-BS, 7L-BS, 7A-BS, 9-BS 12-BS, 14-BS, 16-BS
In January 2014 we began in case formation with the remainder of our motorcycle battery line such as 16-BS, 16CL-BS, 20HL, 30L…etc.
• The change over from an in tank formation to in case formation has decreased self-discharge from .0014 volts per day to .0006 volts per day, an improvement of over 100%
• Battery tolerance, per high rate testing, were lowest recorded at world’s large industrial battery user (APC).
• In case is environmentally friendly, with a closed loop system, and LCB’s is so unique, it has been patented
Addition of Double Separator to High Performance Batteries
Double separators were added the end of the 1st quarter of 2014 for the following batteries
STZ5S
STZ7S
STZ10ST
STZ14ST
STX12A-BS
STX7B-4
STX9B-4
STX12B-4
STX14B-4
Double AGM separators for 30L, 16CL, 20HL will be added in April 2014.
• Eliminates most micro shorts
• Reduces acid stratification from shipping
• Decreases vibration failures
Redesigned Covers on High Rate Copper Terminal Batteries
Design change made during March 2013
• Prevent corrosion at copper terminal
Flame Arrestor System added to Batteries
Addition of Tetrabasic Lead Sulfate (4BS)
Batteries produced for in case formation have 4BS added to the positive oxides.
• Increased battery life (Long Life)
• Increased cycle life
Redesigned STZ and STX plates to increase Cold Cranking Amps
The motorcycle battery industry, like the automotive battery industry 50 years ago, has moved away from 10 and 20 hour ratings. Old heavy inefficient motorcycle battery designs are being replaced by high surface area plates that deliver the required CCAs to start todays bikes.
• Upon review of our CCAs last year, LCB has been redesigning our motorcycle plates to increase performance. CCA performance of LCB batteries was recently verified through East Penn testing.
Addition of Manufacturing Equipment
1. Automatic double sided plate cutting machines
• Eliminates burs that cause micro shorts
• Reduced lead waste by 2 – 3%
2. Automatic double sided pasting machines
• Increases performance by compressing the oxide paste
• Improves grid to oxide contact
• Reduces micro shorts in high performance batteries
• Increases battery life
3. Automated Curing Ovens
• Increases performance
• Increase battery life
• Improves shelf life
3. Automatic Cast on Strap (COS) machines
• Improved consistency in COS welds
• Longer battery life
The factory you started doing business with and the factory today are completely different. The Chairman made a commitment to me to improve our quality so we could sell OEM. Based on the audit by Groupe Schneider, (APC) two week ago, we are at the OEM level.
LCB improvements have been made to both the industrial and motorcycle VRLA (SLA) product line. The changes to our factory were led by the industrial products first followed by the motorcycle products. The feedback we are getting from the field has been very positive.
Last week we received a letter from Bosch Germany adding LCB as a worldwide supplier for motorcycle and industrial batteries.
