Ishikawa Case Study
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EELitihumIonEmailExchange.docxLithium-Ion Electronics Team Communication
Note: To get a full picture of the communication process throughout the project, pay close attention to dates and times of the emails below and how they interact with the other email threads in the project. In other words, you want to determine what Peter and the various key members of the team knew and when they knew it, as well as what significant information they were missing at any given time.
Also, as you analyze the communications, pay particularly close attention to communication styles among technical and non-technical employees as you apply the knowledge gained from the textbook about mindset, motivations, and assumptions.
You will also be analyzing the ethical concerns at the intersection of business, society, and engineering.
From: Peter.Q.Robin <[email protected]>
Date: Friday, October 9, 2015 at 11:12 AM
To: Carolyn.D.Energy < [email protected] >
Subject: Re:: Battery Volt Limits
Thanks Carolyn,
At the basic level, Harold did corroborate your findings. We don’t have the budget to make multiple physical models. I’ll talk with Harold to see what other options exist for him.
Keep your team focused on this new line.
Appreciate it,
Pete
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From: Carolyn.D.Energy < [email protected] >
Date: Thursday, October 8, 2015 at 4:12 PM
To: Harold.I.Janu < [email protected] >
Subject: Re:: Battery Volt Limits
Hi Harold,
I’m glad you were able to get similar results compared to our work. We don’t normally make physical models of our units beyond millimeter laboratory scales. If your results match our test model, why do you need more information from us?
- Carol
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From: Carolyn.D.Energy < [email protected] >
Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 1:55 PM
To: Peter.Q.Robin <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Battery Volt Limits
Hi Pete,
Harold did some tests. He wants to do several more and also wants some physical prototypes before giving the green light. However, his earlier simulations do show that the new Li-Ion composition did give the voltage and temperature that we predicted based on our electronic measurements. If we are to generate some preliminary physical prototypes for the mechanical group, then I need a separate charge number for it. My budget doesn’t allow for such a request. It will also take us a week if we’re going to run tests at 110% maximum load conditions, and I need another technician at minimum to replace some of my missing staff if you want the results by then.
Carolyn
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From: Harold.I.Janu < [email protected] >
Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 8:30 AM
To: Carolyn.D.Energy < [email protected] >
Subject: RE: Battery Volt Limits
Hi Carolyn,
We’ve run some standard test simulations on your new Li-Ion composition. As you’ve stated, the simulations corroborate your set point. However, you should really use 110% maximum load drainage and recharge rates to verify that the composition is stable under those conditions. The simulations for those set of loads is not reliable at the current resolution. We’d need much greater resolution to address that. I think this composition is on the border of causing Lithium Plating and breaking down the SEI layer. We will run some additional simulations as best we can. If you can provide a few physical prototypes, we can subject them to more intense load testing. Can you work with Pete to get that implemented?
Harold
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From: Carolyn.D.Energy < [email protected] >
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at 4:30 PM
To: Harold.I.Janu < [email protected] >
Subject: Battery Volt Limits
Hi Harold,
I’ve told you we’ve gotten reliable reproducibility of a Li-Ion mixture with set points at 4.1V and 92 deg C steady-state dissipation temperature. We haven’t looked at the microstructure yet. Our recharge rate was overnight and our loads were at 20% of maximum load. My staff is short by 2, one on jury duty and another is out with the flu for the week. We will continue to perform more tests and gather more data. However, the system does create the 4.1V at 92oC and that is within the acceptable range.
See you,
Carolyn
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From: Harold.I.Janu < [email protected] >
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at 3:17 PM
To: Carolyn.D.Energy < [email protected] >
Subject: RE: Battery Volt Limits
Yikes Carolyn,
Do we really want to operate there? What do your chemist findings reveal about the Li-Plating growths under prolonged energy drainage or charging about that set point? How long have you operated at this set point? What were your deviations? How much of a recharge voltage were you applying? I think we need to know how stable your new design is at that set point before we see if we can dissipate the heat loads with that configuration.
Harold
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From: Carolyn.D.Energy < [email protected] >
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at 2:35 PM
To: Harold.I.Janu < [email protected] >
Subject: Battery Volt Limits
Hi Harold,
My team has gotten reliable reproducibility of a Li-Ion mixture with more free lithium ions. It reaches 4.1V at 92 deg C steady-state dissipation temperature. Can your team work up a packaging unit for it so that it can work with power drills and portable skill saws? I’ve attached the compound mixture formulation for your simulation parameters.
See you,
Carolyn
===========
From: Peter.Q.Robin <[email protected]>
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at 9:17 AM
To: Carolyn.D.Energy < [email protected] >
Subject: Battery Volt Limits
Hi Carolyn,
I’m excited that you’ve pushed the electronics to output 4.1 volts per cell. This will really extend the power duration of our battery line. You mentioned that the repeatability of the voltage was very good, but that it was on the margin of the thermal and voltage limits. Can you send Harold the development information so they can work on new heat venting designs?
Pete
