BB, BFK, BE: The requirements of OEMs and major customers when dealing with (ev) high voltage batteries seem to be growing for many partners along with their spread in vehicles and industrial applications, as does the responsibility of those who work with these energy storage systems: Whether in production, development assembly or logistics. Terms such as battery assessor (BB), battery specialist (BFK) and battery expert (BE) are cropping up more and more frequently – but what exactly distinguishes them from one another?

Battery diagnostics – the basis for battery specialists

Battery diagnostics is a one-day course that forms the basis for all further qualifications in the battery sector. It covers the thermal and thermochemical hazards of a battery in detail – in other words, those aspects that go beyond purely electrical safety.

Participants learn to assess batteries professionally, particularly with regard to transportability and possible risks following mechanical damage. This makes battery assessment the essential basis for working as a battery specialist later on. The content is in the name: it is about the diagnosis, i.e. the professional assessment of the battery’s condition.

Battery specialist – decision-making competence in handling batteries

Anyone wishing to qualify as a battery specialist completes an additional day of training. Together with battery diagnostics, this results in a two-day course that builds on sound prior knowledge – either directly as a two-day battery specialist course or as a single training day on top.

Another prerequisite is a level 2E SHV qualification in accordance with DGUV Information 209-093 (Specialist high voltage (ev) ev). Only with this pre-qualification can a person become a battery specialist.

The battery specialist then has the expertise and competence to safely assess batteries – in particular to decide whether a battery is OK (OK) or not OK (not OK). Battery specialists are therefore required for the professional and proper handling of HV (ev) batteries in logistics alone. They therefore form the crucial link between technical analysis and operational decision-making.

Battery expert – the highest level of expertise

The battery expert goes one step further. He or she can not only assess the battery to determine whether it is in order (OK and not OK), but also how to proceed with a defective or abnormal battery.

This role requires an adequate understanding of not only electrical hazards (by the SHV) but also chemical and thermal hazards (by the BFK and the BE). In particular, this involves safety-related contexts and practical experience in dealing with different types of batteries. Battery experts are therefore in many cases the central point of contact for questions regarding risk assessment, storage, disposal or reuse of batteries.

Why does the TCS catalog only include battery diagnostics, even though TCS offers both battery diagnostics and battery specialist training?

Technology Consulting Solutions GmbH employs its own battery experts and also offers full training in battery expertise.

However, the public training catalog only includes battery diagnostics. The reason: To qualify as a battery specialist, detailed background knowledge of the respective battery is required – information that only the customer can and must provide.

In many cases, this knowledge is confidential and is only shared following confidentiality agreements (NDA). Some companies therefore take on the second part of the training internally or have it carried out by TCS after concluding appropriate agreements.

With the inclusion of battery diagnostics in the catalog, TCS remains true to its policy of only offering what can be implemented without restrictions and in the highest quality.

BB, BFK & BE competence allocation at a glance

Qualification Level Competence focus Typical task
Battery diagnosis Basis for diagnosis Fundamentals, thermal and chemical risks Preparation for assessing the battery for transportability and condition
Battery specialist Practical findings Decision-making competence, O.K./n. O.K. O. assessment Assessment of the battery for transportability and condition and documentation of the battery condition
Battery expert Decision Further expertise and case-specific decision-making competence Decision on further measures for defective batteries

Conclusion

The battery diagnosis forms the basis, the battery specialist the decisive authority – and the battery expert ultimately the highest level of competence in the battery sector.

Anyone who works in the field of (ev) high voltage systems bears responsibility for the safety of people, the environment and operations. Solid training – for example in battery diagnostics and as a specialist for (ev) high voltage at TCS – is the first step.

PS: Our recommendation: Our free(REALLY free, even WITHOUT having to provide an email address!) paper “6 things you need to know in advance about the high-voltage qualification of your employees” is available here (click).