Short answer: stamped nickel strips are thin conductive strips used as battery pack interconnects, welding tabs, and busbar links in lithium-ion battery assemblies. They are available as pure nickel, nickel-plated steel, or nickel-clad copper. The main RFQ factors are material type, conductivity, thickness, burr condition, weld surface preparation, and packaging for automated assembly.
This guide is for battery pack designers, procurement teams, and cell manufacturers who need to specify stamped nickel strips for spot-welded or soldered battery connections. Small differences in material purity, strip width, thickness, and edge quality affect weld consistency, electrical resistance, and pack-level reliability.
Send your strip drawing, material specification, thickness, width, and welding requirements through the RFQ form. For related battery parts, see EV battery stamping parts and busbars and the battery contact plate stamping guide.
Nickel strip material options
| Material type | Conductivity | Cost | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure nickel 200/201 | ~25% IACS | Highest | High-reliability battery packs, medical, aerospace |
| Nickel-plated steel | ~10-15% IACS | Lowest | Consumer power tools, e-bikes, hobby packs |
| Nickel-clad copper | ~60% IACS | Moderate | High-current packs, EV modules, power walls |
| Nickel-plated copper | ~80% IACS | Moderate | High-current, cost-sensitive applications |
Pure nickel has lower conductivity than copper but better corrosion resistance and easier spot welding to steel cell cans. Nickel-plated steel is cheaper but has higher resistance, which causes more heat during discharge. For high-current packs, nickel-clad or nickel-plated copper provides a better balance of weldability and conductivity. For more on battery-related stampings, see the EV battery stamping parts overview.
Strip dimensions and tolerances
Typical nickel strip dimensions vary by pack design and cell type:
- Thickness: 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm for common battery packs. 0.15 mm and 0.2 mm are the most common thicknesses for 18650 and 21700 cell interconnects.
- Width: 5 mm to 50 mm depending on current and pack layout. Wider strips carry more current but are harder to spot weld reliably due to shunting.
- Length: cut to individual tab length, or supplied as continuous coil for automated assembly.
- Tolerance on thickness: ±0.01 mm for precision, ±0.02 mm standard.
- Tolerance on width: ±0.10 mm for blanked strips, ±0.20 mm for slit coil.
For precision thin-part tolerances, see precision small ಮೆಟಲ್ ಸ್ಟ್ಯಾಂಪಿಂಗ್ for electronics.
Edge quality and burr
Nickel strip edges should be clean and burr-free on the weld side. Burr on the weld surface creates inconsistent current paths during resistance spot welding, leading to weak welds, expulsion, or electrode sticking. For stamped strips, specify burr on one side (typically the non-weld side) and a maximum burr height of 0.03 mm.
For high-volume automated welding, consider deburred or edge-conditioned strips. Progressive stamping with precision clearance produces the cleanest edges. For related edge quality standards, see ಮೆಟಲ್ ಸ್ಟ್ಯಾಂಪಿಂಗ್ tolerances guide.
Weld surface preparation
The nickel strip surface must be clean and free of oil, oxide, or contaminants for consistent spot welding. Key considerations:
- Stampers typically use a small amount of stamping lubricant. Specify low-residue or evaporative lubricant if the strip will be welded without cleaning.
- For nickel-plated steel strips, the plating thickness and uniformity affect weld consistency. Too thick plating can cause high initial contact resistance, while thin spots may create inconsistent nugget formation.
- For nickel-clad copper, the cladding layer must be continuous across the weld zone. Any exposed copper corrodes differently and changes the weld schedule.
- Specify surface roughness if the welding process requires a specific contact resistance range.
For material surface guidance, see nickel strip stamping guide and the compare ಮೆಟಲ್ ಸ್ಟ್ಯಾಂಪಿಂಗ್ quotes guide.
Packaging for automated assembly
Nickel strips for automated battery assembly are typically supplied in one of these forms:
- Coil / reel-to-reel — continuous strip wound on reels for high-volume automated welding lines. Reel width, inner diameter, outer diameter, and splice frequency must be specified.
- Cut-to-length strips — individual strips cut to a specific length, supplied in trays or tubes for semi-automated or manual assembly.
- Stamped tab-on-strip — pre-formed strips with weld tabs and bridge features for specific cell spacings. The tabs may include narrowed sections for controlled weld current shunting.
- Tape-and-reel — for pick-and-place assembly of individual small tabs.
Each packaging method affects tooling, unit price, and assembly speed. Discuss with your stamper the best packaging format for your line. For more on packing requirements, see ಮೆಟಲ್ ಸ್ಟ್ಯಾಂಪಿಂಗ್ packaging and shipping guide.
Design considerations for nickel strips
Strip pattern. The most common nickel strip design is a ladder-type pattern with weld tabs at each cell position connected by continuous strips. The tab width, tab pitch, and bridge width must match the cell layout and welding electrode shape. Tab width typically ranges from 4 mm to 10 mm, with a narrowed section near the bridge to reduce weld current shunting.
Fuse features. Planned narrow sections or slots in the nickel strip can act as fuses, protecting individual cells from overcurrent without external fuses. This is common in high-series-count battery packs. If fuse features are required, the geometry must be designed to open at a specific current and time, and confirmed through testing.
Fold or formed tabs. For packs where the strip must transition between cell rows or layers, the strip may require formed bends or offset features. These formed features need corner radii to avoid stress concentration and cracking in nickel or nickel-plated materials.
For more on forming and DFM, see ಮೆಟಲ್ ಸ್ಟ್ಯಾಂಪಿಂಗ್ DFM review before tooling.
RFQ checklist for nickel strips
- Drawing with strip dimensions, tab pattern, tab pitch, bridge width, and any formed features.
- Material: pure nickel (grade), nickel-plated steel (base steel grade + plating thickness), nickel-clad copper (clad ratio), or nickel-plated copper.
- Thickness and width tolerance requirements.
- Annual volume, order quantity, and delivery schedule.
- Weld method: resistance spot welding, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, or soldering.
- Burr direction and max burr height.
- Packaging: coil, cut strip, tape-and-reel. For coil, specify inner/outer diameter and max splice count.
- Quality: surface inspection, dimensional check frequency, material certificate requirement.
- Fuse requirements if applicable: target current and response time.
Submit your nickel strip drawing through the RFQ form. For broader RFQ preparation, see the ಮೆಟಲ್ ಸ್ಟ್ಯಾಂಪಿಂಗ್ RFQ checklist.