Nail Penetration and Crush Testing

ioKinetic can identify hazards and design safety measures for large-scale battery applications via the nail penetration and crush testing method used in the EV Accelerating Rate Calorimetry (ARC). Nail penetration and crush testing creates a deliberate internal short in a charged cell by driving a hardened steel nail through a specified location at a controlled speed. The test is performed inside an adiabatic battery-abuse enclosure with integrated control and data capture. Typical settings include nail diameter and tip type, penetration speed, travel distance, hit temperature, and an optional retract distance; a rigid support plate stabilizes the cell during the event.

High-rate channels record temperature and voltage on a single timeline to show short initiation, rapid temperature rise, voltage collapse, venting behavior, and any ignition. Key outputs include onset time and temperature, peak temperature, maximum dT/dt, time to visible vent or flame (if any), total event duration, and photographs/notes on visible outcomes (smoke, ejecta, deformation). No chamber pressure is measured in this configuration.

The same fixture can run a flat-plate crush as a companion mechanical-abuse case under matched data capture. Deliverables typically include a report with methods, side-by-side plots of temperature and voltage versus time, a comparison table across cells or test conditions, and raw data files for further analysis.

Instrument

Thermal Hazard Technology EVx ARC^® with Nail Penetration Setup

The EVx Accelerating Rate Calorimeter (ARC^®) is a specialized safety testing device used to study the thermal runaway behavior of large-format electric vehicle (EV) batteries, modules, and small packs. It simulates a self-heating scenario by raising the temperature of a battery until it starts to self-heat, then operates in a near-adiabatic mode to accelerate the reaction and collect data on temperature and pressure rise.

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The professionals at ioKinetic will work with you to determine what is required for your particular needs. Request your free quote today or call us at 1-844-ioKinetic.