When a cell vents, ignites, or fails in the field, the cause can decide a recall, a lawsuit, or a plant's future. We find it — independently, and on the evidence.
A lithium-ion failure is rarely random. By the time a cell reaches thermal runaway, a chain of events has already played out — and that chain leaves physical evidence. Our work is to read it: what initiated the failure, whether it was a defect, a misuse, or a design margin, and what that means for the people now asking who is responsible.
Most catastrophic failures end the same way — thermal runaway — but they start in very different places. Identifying the initiating mechanism is the whole question.
A self-sustaining exothermic reaction once a cell passes its onset temperature — the common end-state, not the root cause.
Lithium dendrites, electrode burrs, or debris bridging the separator and discharging energy locally.
Thinning, pinholes, contamination, or shutdown-layer failure that lets anode and cathode meet.
Metallic particles, moisture, or coating defects introduced in cell production driving latent shorts.
BMS, charger, or balancing faults pushing cells outside their safe voltage window.
Crush, puncture, vibration, or external heat — including adjacent-cell propagation in a pack.
The conclusion comes from the cell, the pack, and the data around them — not from a description. A typical examination draws on:
A single battery failure can put any of these in motion at once:
Do not discard, charge, clean, or disassemble a failed cell — it can destroy the proof and the case. Our free checklist walks first responders and counsel through it.
Almost all fires end in thermal runaway, but the trigger varies — an internal short, separator breakdown, overcharge, external heat, or mechanical damage. Which one applies to a specific failure is exactly what a forensic examination determines.
Yes — through imaging, teardown, microscopy, materials analysis, and the cell's charge history. The answer is built from that evidence, which is also what makes it defensible.
Don't discard, disassemble, charge, or clean it. Store it safely away from heat and moisture, document its condition, and preserve the chain of custody. Altering it can amount to spoliation.
Tell us what happened. We'll triage it and connect you with the right expert — usually within one business day.