---
title: "Report a cell instance as failed, or clear the report"
method: PATCH
path: "/cell_instances/{cell_instance_id}/failure"
tags: ["Cell Instances"]
---

# Report a cell instance as failed, or clear the report

`PATCH /cell_instances/{cell_instance_id}/failure`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://api.ionworks.com`
- URL: `https://api.ionworks.com/cell_instances/{cell_instance_id}/failure`
- Auth: none declared

Mark a whole cell as failed; every one of its measurements counts as failed.

For an organization linked to Uncountable, the verdict is also written to the
cell's recipe ("Failed", or "Passed" when cleared). ``lims`` in the response
says whether that write happened; the verdict is saved either way.

## Path parameters

- `cell_instance_id` string, uuid, required

## Request body

- ReportFailureRequest: Mark a cell or a measurement as failed, or clear that verdict.
  - `failed` boolean, required: True to report the failure, False to clear it.
  - `reason` string, nullable: Why it failed, e.g. 'sat at open circuit for 30 h'. Ignored when clearing.

## Response `200`

Successful Response

- CellInstanceFailureResponse: The cell after its verdict changed, and what the LIMS was told.
  - `cell_instance` CellInstance, required: Model representing a cell instance as returned by the API.
    - `is_failed` boolean: Whether it was reported as failed.
    - `failure_reason` string, nullable: Why it failed.
    - `failed_at` string, date-time, nullable: When it was reported.
    - `failed_by` string, nullable: User who reported it.
    - `name` string, required: Name of the cell instance (serial number)
    - `batch_id` string, uuid, nullable: Manufacturing lot (cell batch) this cell came from. Must be a batch of the same cell specification.
    - `date_manufactured` string, date, nullable: Date of manufacture
    - `measured_properties` object, nullable: Measured (not designed) properties of this specific cell, grouped by component. Numeric values use the Quantity format. Example: {'cathode': {'loading': {'value': 7.06, 'unit': 'mg.cm-2'}}, 'cell': {'initial_capacity': {'value': 1.08, 'unit': 'A.h'}}}. Designed properties (target loading, rated capacity) belong on the cell specification.
    - `notes` string, nullable: Free-text notes about the cell instance
    - `id` string, required: Unique identifier for the cell instance
    - `cell_specification_id` string, required: Foreign key to the cell specification
    - `organization_id` string, required: Organization this cell instance belongs to.
    - `project_id` string, required: Project this cell instance belongs to
    - `created_by` string, nullable: User ID of the user who created this instance
    - `created_by_email` string, nullable: Email of the user who created this instance
    - `created_at` string, date-time, required: Timestamp when the instance was created
    - `updated_at` string, date-time, required: Timestamp when the instance was last updated
    - `batch_name` string, nullable: Name of the batch ``batch_id`` points at. Read-only.
    - `measurement_ids` object[], nullable: List of measurement IDs associated with the cell instance
  - `lims` LimsPush, required: Outcome of mirroring a cell's verdict to Uncountable.
    - `status` 'sent' | 'skipped' | 'error', required: What became of the verdict in the organization's LIMS.
    - `value` string, nullable: Value written to the cell failure output, when sent.
    - `message` string, nullable: Why it was skipped, or what went wrong.

## Other responses

- `422`: Validation Error

## Changes

- **2026-10-24** `f4c74e855466`: 1 info
  - endpoint added

[Operation history](https://skmtc.dev/ionworks/apis/ionworks-api/changes/cell_instances/:cell_instance_id/failure/patch.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/ionworks/apis/ionworks-api.md) - [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/ionworks/apis/ionworks-api/llms.txt) - [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/ionworks/apis/ionworks-api/revisions/abebbbc5f60a?raw)