TradVolt › Process & SOP Library › LFP Cell OCV & Capacity Grading SOP
Scope: Standard operating procedure template for incoming-quality grading of vertical-format (prismatic, vertical orientation) lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, with logistics and customs references for a China→Great Britain shipment corridor. Vertical LFP refers to the prismatic format oriented with terminals on the top face for cabinet/stack integration.
Scope limitation: This document is a generic SOP template. It does not name a specific cell model, cell family, or OEM. All numeric limits (charge/discharge C-rate, OCV window, acclimatisation parameters, UN packaging instruction, AQL level, torque) must be confirmed against the OEM product manual and datasheet for the specific cell lot before grading starts. See Section 11 — Sources for citation policy.
Document type: Process / SOP (generic template) · Reviewed: 2026-09-21 · Owner: TradVolt Quality Engineering
Define a repeatable method to grade incoming LFP cells by open-circuit voltage (OCV) and discharge capacity, apply an acceptance sampling plan, and document the shipment from a China (CN) consolidation point to a Great Britain (GB) consignee under ICC Incoterms 2020 and applicable transport of dangerous goods rules.
| Step # | Action | Owner | Input doc | Output doc | Done-when |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Receive batch in quarantine area; reconcile physical count to packing list and supplier lot code. | Goods-In Operator | Packing list, supplier CoC | Goods-In Receipt Note (GIRN) | GIRN signed; lot physically moved to quarantine cage. |
| 2 | Record cell bar-codes, format (vertical LFP), and declared nominal capacity into grading register. | Goods-In Operator | GIRN, supplier CoA | Cell Identification Log (CIL) | 100% of received cells scanned and logged. |
| 3 | Confirm storage temperature log; acclimatise cells to 25 ± 5 °C test ambient for a minimum dwell of 60 minutes. [Src 9: generic practice; confirm against OEM manual] | Quality Technician | Storage temperature log | Acclimatisation Record | Dwell time and ambient temperature logged; cells at test ambient. |
| 4 | Measure OCV per cell using a calibrated DMM with input impedance ≥ 1 GΩ; record in volts (V) to 3 decimal places. [Src 10: generic metrology practice] | Quality Technician | CIL | OCV Register | 100% OCV recorded; values within OEM-datasheet window (model assumption — confirm). |
| 5 | Perform a controlled charge/discharge cycle on the cycler at the OEM-stated charge/discharge rate (illustrative example used in this template: 0.5C charge / 0.5C discharge) within datasheet limits; record discharge capacity in Ah and Wh. Do not exceed the C-rate and voltage window stated in the OEM product manual and datasheet for the specific cell family. [Src 11 — model assumption; Src 12 — confirm against OEM manual] | Test Engineer | Cell OEM manual & datasheet, OCV Register | Capacity Grading Report | Cycle complete; capacity recorded for every logged cell. |
| 6 | Apply ISO 2859-1 AQL sampling to OCV and capacity results at the agreed inspection level and AQL; record accept/reject. [Src 1: ISO 2859-1:1999] | Quality Engineer | OCV Register, Capacity Grading Report | AQL Inspection Decision | Decision recorded as Accept / Conditional / Reject with rationale. |
| 7 | Apply grade labels (Grade A / B / Hold / Reject) and physically segregate lots in the finished-goods area. | Goods-In Operator | AQL Inspection Decision | Grade Label Register, segregation layout | Every cell labelled; lot physically segregated. |
| 8 | Prepare customs and shipping documentation for the CN→GB corridor under the agreed ICC Incoterms® 2020 rule, including commercial invoice, packing list, SDS, and any required declarations. [Src 5: ICC Incoterms 2020] | Documentation Clerk | Commercial invoice draft, SDS | Final commercial invoice, packing list, customs declaration | Documentation pack complete and signed by consignor. |
| 9 | Pack cells to the applicable lithium battery packaging instruction for the chosen mode (UN3480 standalone, or UN3481 packed with equipment), per IATA DGR (air) / IMDG (sea) / ADR (road) as relevant. [Src 6 — IATA DGR; Src 7 — ADR/IMDG/ADN; Src 4 — UN 38.3 test basis] — confirm packing instruction edition against the carrier and modal code in force at shipment date. | Packaging Operator | Packing instruction (modal), SDS | Packing declaration, shipper's declaration (if air) | Package marked, labelled, and photographed per instruction. |
| 10 | Hand over consignment to appointed freight forwarder; record waybill / CMR reference; archive grading records. | Logistics Coordinator | Waybill, CMR, archived grading records | Dispatch Confirmation, archived file | Waybill/CMR filed; grading records stored for the retention period. |
Indicative end-to-end duration: approximately 10 working days from receipt of goods to dispatch (P10D), subject to AQL outcomes, customs clearance windows, and carrier sailing schedules.
Goods-In Receipt Note (GIRN).pdfCell Identification Log (CIL).xlsxAcclimatisation Record.xlsxOCV Register.xlsxCapacity Grading Report.pdfAQL Inspection Decision.pdfGrade Label Register.xlsxCommercial Invoice (final).pdfPacking List (final).pdfSafety Data Sheet (SDS).pdfPacking Declaration / Shipper's Declaration (DGR).pdfDispatch Confirmation & Waybill (CN→GB).pdfSOP-LFP-OCV-CAP-001 (this document).pdfOEM Cell Datasheet & Product Manual (revision as supplied) — required, not held by this SOP.UN 38.3 test summary for the cell family — required for transport classification, not held by this SOP. [Src 4]| Day | Activity | Depends on |
|---|---|---|
| D+0 | Goods receipt & GIRN (Step 1) | Physical arrival at consolidation point. |
| D+0 | Cell identification logging (Step 2) | GIRN signed. |
| D+0 to D+1 | Acclimatisation (Step 3) | Cells logged and cage released to test area. |
| D+1 to D+3 | OCV measurement (Step 4) | Acclimatisation complete; DMM calibrated. |
| D+3 to D+5 | Capacity grading cycle (Step 5) | Cycler channels free; OEM datasheet parameters confirmed. |
| D+5 | AQL decision (Step 6) | OCV and capacity datasets complete. |
| D+5 to D+6 | Labelling and segregation (Step 7) | AQL decision issued. |
| D+6 to D+7 | Customs & shipping docs (Step 8) | Accepted grade quantities confirmed. |
| D+7 to D+8 | Packing to DGR (Step 9) | Documentation pack complete; UN 38.3 summary available for the cell family. |
| D+9 to D+10 | Forwarder hand-over & archive (Step 10) | Forwarder booking confirmed. |
| Item | HS code (commodity classification) | UK import duty rate | VAT | Reference portal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spent LFP cells (secondary lithium iron phosphate, electric accumulators) | 8507.60 (electric accumulators — lithium-ion) | PENDING — lookup at https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/ for HS 8507.60 at the time of shipment. [Src 8: UK Trade Tariff lookup] | 20% (standard rate, subject to relief) | UK Trade Tariff service — https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/ [Src 8] |
| Lithium-ion cells packed with equipment (UN3481) | 8507.60 (with equipment) — classification depends on configuration | PENDING — lookup at UK Trade Tariff service for HS 8507.60 at the time of shipment. [Src 8] | 20% (standard rate, subject to relief) | UK Trade Tariff service — https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/ [Src 8] |
Disclaimer: The HS codes above are indicative starting points. The applicable UK import duty rate, VAT treatment, and any reliefs (for example, customs special procedures) must be confirmed against the official UK Trade Tariff lookup [Src 8] and the importing consignee's customs declaration at the time of shipment. TradVolt does not provide duty or tax advice; consult a licensed customs broker.
| Cost slot | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|
| OCV measurement labour | Per-cell time, technician rate | indicative |
| Capacity grading cycler time | Cycle hours, channel-day rate | indicative |
| AQL inspection overhead | Engineer hours per lot | indicative |
| Packing materials (UN-spec) | Per shipment | indicative |
| CN→GB freight (ocean/road) | Per consignment | UNCERTAIN — subject to carrier schedule |
| UK import duty | Per HS code, customs value | UNCERTAIN — PENDING — lookup at UK Trade Tariff for HS 8507.60 [Src 8] |
| UK VAT | 20% standard rate (subject to relief) | UNCERTAIN — confirm at declaration |
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This SOP is a generic template. It does not name a specific cell model, cell family, OEM, certificate number, or certificate issuer. No certificate — including but not limited to UL 1973 [Src 2], IEC 62619 [Src 3], UN 38.3 [Src 4], CE/UKCA, or any transport-of-dangerous-goods approval — is held, asserted, or implied for any cell or lot described by this SOP. Before any cell/lot is graded, packed, or shipped, the consignor must hold and supply: (a) the OEM product manual and datasheet for the specific cell family, (b) a valid UN 38.3 test summary for the cell family, and (c) any certificate required by the importing jurisdiction.
All numeric limits in this template (charge/discharge C-rate, OCV window, voltage limits, temperature limits, dwell time, torque, SOC) are placeholders. They must be set against the OEM product manual and datasheet for the specific cell family, with the manual's revision or issue date recorded in the Capacity Grading Report (Step 5).
Send your cell datasheet (with manual revision), lot size, target HS code, and target ICC Incoterms® 2020 rule for a fixed grading and corridor quote. TradVolt will name the OEM, model, manual revision, and any certificates on the resulting quote.
Each numbered source below is cited in-line above. URLs are the exact document pages (not homepages) verified on 2026-09-21 against the publisher. Where a publisher only exposes a catalogue or search page, that page is cited together with the full designation (number : year / edition) in the source text.
| # | Source | Designation (number : year / edition) | URL (exact document / lookup page) | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ISO — Sampling procedures for inspection by attributes | ISO 2859-1:1999 (Part 1: Sampling schemes indexed by acceptance quality limit (AQL) for lot-by-lot inspection) | https://www.iso.org/search.html?q=2859 (ISO catalogue search; cite designation in text) | AQL sampling plan (Step 6). |
| 2 | UL Standards & Engagement — Batteries for Use in Stationary and Motive Auxiliary Power Applications | UL 1973 (current edition) | https://www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productid=UL1973 | Referenced standard only. Not held for any cell/lot described here; see §8.2. |
| 3 | IEC Webstore — Secondary lithium cells for industrial applications | IEC 62619:2022 (edition 2.0) | https://webstore.iec.ch/en/products/?q=62619 (IEC catalogue query; cite designation in text) | Referenced standard only. Not held for any cell/lot described here; see §8.2. |
| 4 | UNECE — Manual of Tests and Criteria (UN 38.3 lithium battery provisions) | ST/SG/AC.10/11/Rev.7 (UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, 7th revised edition; UN 38.3 Section 38.3) | https://unece.org/transport/dangerous-goods/un-manual-tests-and-criteria | Transport classification / UN 38.3 test summary (Step 9). |
| 5 | ICC — Incoterms® 2020 (official rules) | ICC Publication No. 723E — Incoterms® 2020 | https://iccwbo.org/business-solutions/incoterms-rules/incoterms-2020/ | Incoterms 2020 rule for CN→GB (Steps 8, 9). |
| 6 | IATA — Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) | IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (current edition; lithium battery provisions incl. Section II / Section IB for UN3480 / UN3481) | https://www.iata.org/en/programs/cargo/dgr/ | Air-mode lithium battery shipping (Step 9). Replaces the earlier mis-citation to fiata.org (a freight-forwarding body, not the regulator). |
| 7 | UNECE — international and modal dangerous goods codes (ADR / IMDG / ADN) | UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods — Model Regulations (UN3480 / UN3481), implemented by ADR (road), IMDG Code (sea), ADN (inland waterways) | https://unece.org/transport/dangerous-goods | Road / sea dangerous goods packing instructions (Step 9). |
| 8 | HM Government — UK Trade Tariff (look up HS 8507.60) | UK Global Tariff, commodity code 8507.60 (lithium-ion accumulators) | https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/ | Duty / HS reference (Step 8, §6). Replaces the earlier link to the generic gov.uk landing page; use the Trade Tariff lookup for HS 8507.60 at the time of shipment. |
| 9 | Generic metrology / battery-test practice — acclimatisation to 25 ± 5 °C, ≥ 60 min dwell | Generic acceptance practice; confirm against OEM manual. | Model assumption — confirm against OEM product manual for the specific cell family. | Acclimatisation default (Step 3). |
| 10 | Generic metrology practice — DMM input impedance ≥ 1 GΩ for cell OCV measurement | Generic metrology practice; confirm against DMM manufacturer's specification. | Model assumption — confirm against DMM calibration certificate. | DMM specification (Step 4). |
| 11 | Generic test practice — illustrative 0.5C charge / 0.5C discharge | Generic test practice; confirm against OEM datasheet. | Model assumption — replace with the OEM-stated C-rate and voltage window. | Capacity cycle C-rate (Step 5). |
| 12 | OEM product manual & datasheet (specific cell family) | To be supplied by the consignor; record manual revision / issue date in the Capacity Grading Report. | Required per lot — not held by this SOP. | Cell-specific limits (Steps 4, 5). |