The year 2024 had a lot happen, and sometimes even we neglect to take a step back and look at what was achieved. We often “feel” like it’s quiet, however our efficiency has skyrocketed with better systems throughout the process. It goes to show that careful planning provides consistent results to better a business. We’re in it for the long run so we plan for exactly that.
After the hectic move into the new factory late 2023, we found our feet again and production was in full swing by the start of 2024. This included an additional 4 test rigs (to the existing 8), so we could run 24 batteries through in one batch.
The last of the “Lid Extender” style battery cases was used and that design was fully retired. This means less glueing and 3D printing, simpler assembly, better strength, and a neater looking battery.
We contracted a new courier (Allied Express) to handle our freight needs now that we had the quantities to do this. It meant better pricing, better timing, and pickups happened right here at the factory. Customers have seen up to 75% reduction in freight costs. It’s still a big country, so getting things across it takes a lot of energy, but we do it as economically as possible.
The test rigs also went through several upgrades. From new cables (which turned out to be not great being made elsewhere), tweaked DC-DC converters to bring up efficiency, voltage controllers to prevent over-discharge, and a hell of a lot of work to bring up the accuracy. Ultimately these tweaks ended up being in vain as once the Victron Orion XS’s were available, we rebuilt them all to be much MUCH better. In the end we have shortened testing time by more than 50%, and increased electrical efficiency which has saved approximately 75% of the wasted energy.
We also released a major software upgrade to the Daly BMS, and later to the 24v version too. This meant that customers can get significantly more accurate SOC readings, and stability in some systems is further enhanced by modifying how it handles full charge scenarios. The upgrade was immediately done to all batteries in stock, and can even be done to batteries in the field so a customer doesn’t have interruptions, and no freight costs. The reception to this has been excellent and has solved the niggling issue of BMS and Shunt SOC differences.
https://powerpaul.com.au/powerpaul-battery-daly-software-upgrade/
Pallet racking was installed to make space for the many heavy pallets of cells we get (sometimes over 1000kg each). This provided out of the way safe space and opened up more than 20sqm of floor. With easy access in a well laid out space, the productivity increase was amazing.
Solar was in stalled on the roof of the factory to offset the cost of the energy we use. While this was a necessity with the earlier setup, the test rig upgrade means we how have excess energy to export, or to just ensure the factory is comfortable during those hot days. It also does well at keeping the place warm when it’s cold outside, and this helps with consistency of testing.
Air Conditioning was installed right after the solar was, and as mentioned above, this helps keep us, the batteries and the equipment warm and cool to enhance productivity. Shivering during the cold days or sweating it out on the hot ones, is a thing of the past.
We launched the website to enable people who dislike Facebook to access our products, information and more. While it’s an ongoing process to make it more useful, all the basics are there and even Trade customers can log in and order online if they wish. Online payments were also integrated to streamline the process for customers who wish to pay by Credit Card.
New packing boxes were implemented to reduce the risk of damage during freight. While these were expensive, they provide significantly more padding and safety overall. It also saves us a good chunk of time and effort.
We have linked up with new suppliers to reduce costs and middle-man handling. This is an ongoing effort and while it increases our workload, the offset of reduced cost more than covers it.
We released the “Lite” versions of several batteries. While the regular BMS is still the choice for the majority of customers, the Lite variety are often a slight cost and space saving option for specific situations. Not everyone requires or wants all the bells and whistles of a full Smart BMS, and for those customers, the Lite version is a good option.
The new MB31 cells went into our Scout range late in 2024 to further boost the capacity and quality of our flagship batteries. These cells offer better capacity and performance, while keeping the same physical size. Several other improvements also happened inside the battery at the same time, such as new bus bars, bus bar covers, and replacing the internal cable with a flexible bus bar.
Late in the year we had the mezzanine installed, providing about 40% extra floor space to store bulky items and other parts that are irregularly used. This cleaned up the ground floor to further enhance production efficiency and workflow. At the same time we put a lot of thought into the floor layout. A complete new layout was set up based on the previous year of production experience. We now have production capability ready for taking on many more customers in 2025. This setup allows us to complete over 100 batteries per week if need be, so we’re ready for anything.
Flexible bus bars for connecting batteries in parallel were introduced, these have been a big hit especially with our professional installers. They save a lot of valuable time and provide a simple, neat and low profile connection system between batteries. Custom designed caps also help ensure systems are safe from accidental short circuits from tools and comply with regulations.
https://powerpaul.com.au/bus-bar-terminal-caps/
In 2025 we will be using the website more, and Facebook less (more on that soon). We’re also setting up LinkedIn to provide a social media platform that’s a little more appropriate for business, however we will see how that pans out. There are some new products we’re working on in the background and we’ll be adding some higher profile customers to our client base. With 4 years of experience under our belt, and an excellent reputation, we’re now one of the leading battery manufacturers who’s genuinely building and testing the battery right here in Melbourne. Be wary of the many that just do a final assembly in Oz and have very little to do with the major component assembly and development.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/powerpaul-australia-pty-ltd/
What a year. Onwards and upwards.