Inseto, a leading technical distributor of equipment and materials, has supplied and installed a Kulicke & Soffa (K&S) Asterion EV wedge bonder at Steatite’s Power Business Unit. Steatite specialises in the creation of custom battery packs, which often need to be of a particular size and shape, and the company has been designing and manufacturing lithium battery packs, COTS battery modules, and portable power and energy storage systems for more than 30 years.

The Asterion EV gives Steatite the ability to establish electrical connections using wire bonding in up to half the time spot welding would take, in many cases. In addition, wire bonding makes possible the creation of battery packs with high discharge capabilities and improved performance, as a result of the very low resistance of the bond wire.

“Wirebonding complements our other manufacturing capabilities,” comments Dave Carlton, Head of Technical Sales at Steatite’s Power Business Unit, “and the Asterion EV was selected for its large bondable area [300 x 860mm], high resolution [0.1μ] and its ability to perform non-destructive bond wire pull tests whilst bonding. Also, the support from Inseto – from their recommendation of the Asterion EV through to operator training – has been excellent.”

Carlton goes on to say that power failure is not an option in many of the critical applications for which Steatite designs and manufactures battery packs. Steatite battery packs can, for example, be found in products and equipment used in medical, industrial, oceanographic, energy and transport applications.

“With the Asterion EV we have the peace of mind that every cell leaving our factory having been wire bonded is safe, reliable and robust,” concludes Carlton. “This is enabling us to maintain our reputation for battery pack performance quality, a reputation we’ve secured over decades in the power business.”