Lithium battery enclosure production-grade FDM.
Case study: production-grade FDM 3D printing of a 6S lithium battery enclosure for an electric watercraft manufacturer — flame-retardant nylon with integrated cable routing, mounting bosses and seal channels.
Project overview
ASTCAD designed and printed a production-grade battery enclosure for a Gold Coast-based electric watercraft manufacturer. The enclosure houses a 6S lithium pack with integrated cable routing, mounting bosses for the BMS, and channels for an EPDM gasket seal. The customer required FDM 3D printing for low-volume production (under 200 units annually).
The challenge
Marine applications demand both salt-water resistance and battery-safety compliance. The customer’s volume didn’t justify injection-mould tooling, but the part still had to be production-acceptable — dimensional accuracy, surface finish and material compliance to UL 94 V-0 flame retardancy.
Our approach
- Material selection — flame-retardant nylon meeting UL 94 V-0
- Print orientation analysis for water-tight surfaces and load paths
- Integrated cable channels and snap-fit BMS mounts
- Gasket groove design with appropriate tolerance for EPDM seal
- Post-processing protocol for marine environment
Deliverables
- Production-ready FDM-printed enclosures (200 units annual capability)
- Manufacturing dossier with print parameters
- Quality control protocol with go/no-go gauges
- Material test certificates for UL 94 V-0 compliance
- Design files in STEP and 3MF formats
Outcome
The enclosure entered production in early 2024. The customer reports zero field failures over 180 units shipped. Production cost per unit is approximately 60% lower than the equivalent injection-moulded part at this volume.