I had an experience like this in a past life.  We found out that the battery was intialized when installed.  We changed the process to add the battery at the last possible production step.  

We also modified our handling proceudres for the following issues: 

1) Material staging for the assembly line had the parts being removed from the orignal packaging and then put into a bin for use on the line.  We had to change this to maintain the use of the original egg carton. 
2) Boards carried had to minimized to one at a time.  I saw several operators who might hold two boards and then the batteries were allowed to short to another assembly.  
3) Racking ethods allowed the battery leads to touch the rails.  We had to go to flat foams.  We tried a vertical rack but the assemblies were pretty long and had a high risk of touching when 10 or more were put onto a rack.  

Hope this helps.  Good luck
Kathy 

>>> [log in to unmask] 05/24/01 03:06PM >>>

Hello Technetters,
 
Is there any knowledgeable person that can tell me the do's and the don't of soldering
a lithium battery on a PCB?  Is there any manipulation that could shorten the life
of the battery (other than the obvious leads short....)
 
We assemble a PCB with such a battery on it and it seems that some of them die
after 50% to 75% of their expected life span.  The board are coated with silicone coating
after assembly, and their does not seem to be any leaking according to the tests perform
before shipping.
 
Thank for any input
 
JF


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