A method and apparatus for welding of battery terminals to an interconnect includes: juxtaposing two or more battery cell terminals to each other to create a terminal stack including an innermost terminal and an outermost terminal; juxtaposing a battery cell interconnect with the innermost terminal of the stack; positioning an anvil in contact with the interconnect; directing an air stream against the outermost terminal so that the air stream compresses the terminal stack and urges the innermost terminal into contact with the interconnect; positioning a sonotrode horn in contact with the outermost terminal; and energizing the sonotrode horn to vibrate the terminal stack and thereby make an ultrasonic weld between the stacked terminals of the terminal stack and the interconnect. The air stream is directed at the terminal below the sonotrode horn to capture any debris and a suction removes the debris.