Leading smartphone-maker Samsung on Monday (January 23) announced the findings of the company’s internal inquiry on the Galaxy Note7 catching fire in Seoul.
Following on months of in-depth investigation, Samsung has found defect in the battery assembly as the prime reason for the Galaxy Note7’s explosion while charging and sometimes when dropped on the floor.
So, here’s what happened inside Galaxy Note7 that caused the battery to burst:
Samsung’s own R&D engineers and third party researchers numbering 700 conducted simulation on 200,000 Galaxy Note7 units with 30,000 different batteries and found two factors originating in two different batteries used in Galaxy Note7 models.
In the first instance, there was electrode deflection, an incorrect positioning of negative electrode tip in the upper right corner of the battery.
In the second occurrence, an abnormal high-weld burrs on the positive electrode resulted in the penetration of the insulation tape and separator, which then caused a direct contact between the positive tab with the negative electrode, causing the fire.
Samsung sets up new and enhanced quality-assurance measures to improve product safety
Having learnt valuable lessons from Galaxy Note7’s battery defect, Samsung has decided to set up a broad range of internal quality and safety measures to improve the product safety, including 8-Point Battery Safety Check (BSC) and additional protocols like multi-layer safety measures.
Further, Samsung has also formed a Battery Advisory Group consisting of external advisers, academic and research experts to ensure that the company maintains a clear and objective perspective on battery safety and innovation.
