K.P. Meagher
The BESSt Company,
United States
Keywords: REDOX, DFM and ZnI2
Summary:
As long-duration energy storage (LDES) technologies advance toward commercialization, the central challenge is transitioning from laboratory prototypes to certifiable products with predictable scaling. The BESSt Company (TBC) is tackling the traditional critical and essential approach of predictable manufacturing at scale through an early adoption of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles and a deep integration of AI tools in the early development. to ensure manufacturability as we transition from TRL4 to TRL9 and beyond. This presentation describes how concurrent product and process design shortens the path from R&D to production while meeting cost and quality targets. TBC’s modular redox flow battery engineering is tightly coupled with the engineering of its manufacturing process, enabling subsystem-level contract manufacturing and future hybrid or in-house production as volumes increase. Algorithmic discovery strategies combined with full-stack integration of AI tools and methods into development, operation, and test monitoring shortened a years-long projected development cycle to just a few months. Digital simulation of fluid dynamics and thermal behavior informs tooling, sealing, and material selections. By integrating digital simulation, modular system design, and supplier-aligned standardization during early prototyping, TBC reduces risk, accelerates certification readiness, and builds the foundation for cost-efficient scale-up. This forward-looking approach positions TBC to achieve early compliance with UL 1973 and UL 9540 standards while maintaining flexibility in supplier engagement and IP protection. The strategy demonstrates how design for manufacturability at the R&D stage can de-risk capital requirements and accelerate the path to commercialization. Key Takeaways: • How DFM planning de-risks LDES scale-up and mitigates supply chain and local content. • Why concurrent design and simulation are critical to early manufacturability. • How modularity and supplier collaboration reduce future cost and time to market.