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Toshiba Battery Quality Assurance
Source: Ome/TEG
Generally, the main batteries for Toshiba mobile computers are designed for the specific needs of the model range they are used with.
During the design and specification process Toshiba co-operates with the main battery manufacturers (Sanyo, Yuasa, Sony) where the Toshiba guidelines are part of the specifications. As of today Sanyo, Yuasa and Toshiba Battery Corp. are not certified according to ISO 9000 (EN 29000 / BS 7550). Sony Corp. obtained ISO 9002 December 1992.
To ensure that Toshiba's specification are fulfilled, the following battery QA is performed:
A) At the battery manufacturer
The battery manufacturer performs QA tests according to Toshiba's requirements. To ensure that these tests are equivalent to Toshiba's specification, Toshiba personnel attend the tests of the first production lot. The following tests are usually performed and reported:
-open circuit voltage test
-internal impedance test
-drop test
-vibration test
-internal construction test
-visual & dimension test
The long term tests(e.g. number of possible charge cycles, capacity tests) are completed before first mass production starts.
With each lot delivered to Toshiba, a test report provided by the manufacturer of the batteries is carried out.
B) At Toshiba manufacturing
During FAT (Final Assembly and Test) and Customisation in Toshiba factories very basic tests are performed to ensure a complete chain of quality control.
-the T&D (Test & Diagnostics) verifies the correct type of battery and checks whether the battery is correct inserted.
-a further line test is performed in Regensburg as well as
in Ome works which is described as follows:
-Unit test without AC-adapter to verify that the PC runs in battery mode
-connecting the AC-adapter to check whether the battery will be charged and respectively whether the 'charge LED' or the 'charge display' is working.
Josef Krautkraemer, June 1994