Quality Digest Bio Metrology In-Line Testing Solutions for EV Lithium Battery Production Designed to help avoid scrap and rework, improve quality, and save money Published: Monday, January 31, 2022 - 12:59 Comment Rss Send Article (Must Login) Print Author Archive (Marposs: Auburn Hills, MI) -- Marposs, with more than 60 years’ experience in developing solutions for quality control during the production process, has announced its solutions for monitoring the roll-to-roll (R2R) production process of electrode foils (cathode and anode) used in lithium-ion batteries (LIB) critical to the electric vehicle industry. These solutions incorporate several of Marposs’ noncontact measurement and inspection technologies to provide fast, high-resolution film thickness and width gauging across the electrode production process, helping to avoid scrap and rework to improve quality and save money. Confocal measurement during electrode coating and calendaring For electrode formation, copper or aluminum foil and slurry are mixed with a solvent and coated roll-to-roll on the metal substrate as a liquid film. During the drying process, it’s critical to control the homogeneity and uniformity of the coated electrode. Once dried, the films go through a calendaring process where the electrode coil is passed through a roll press to decrease the film thickness and the porosity to increase energy density and flatten its surface. If compressed too much, the electrode porosity could be reduced to a level where the electrolyte can’t penetrate in its structure, so deviations in the electrode thickness must be carefully controlled. Marposs’ STIL Chromatic Confocal technology enables high-frequency sampling by providing geometrical measurement and inspection during these critical process steps to measure and identify any film width or thickness aberrations. Confocal uses white light and reflected optical beams from surfaces of the object being measured, which are sent to a spectrometer for electronic processing to determine the thickness values of the web. Laser micrometer inspection during electrode slitting After film production, the electrode mother roll is split into smaller daughter rolls using ceramic blades. Geometric measurement is required to identify the wrong position of the blade or the electrode being slit. Marposs’ AEROEL laser scanners can be used to provide quick, accurate, and efficient measurement of the daughter roll width during this R2R process. These laser gauges feature patented technologies that make them accurate and reliable because they are impervious to variations in temperature, vibration, product movement, dust, and other environmental conditions that would normally influence measurement results. In-line machine vision inspection during electrode notching To produce the pouch cell requires separating the anode, cathode, and separator sheets from the roll material. This process, also known as notching, is usually performed with a shear cut (punching tool) or laser cut in a continuous process. Marposs’ patent-pending in-line machine vision system identifies the existence of burrs, folds, and delamination of the electrode profile during this process. This system uses a high-resolution linear camera that frames the edge of the electrode to acquire a series of digital images, which are analyzed to check for the possible presence of metal burrs. The system also includes a matrix camera, which detects a change in distance between the edge of the electrode and the linear camera. Complete information about measurement, inspection, and test solutions for R2R can be found at here or by contacting Marposs Corp. by phone at (248) 370–0404 or by emailing marposs@us.marposs.com. Quality Digest does not charge readers for its content. We believe that industry news is important for you to do your job, and Quality Digest supports businesses of all types. However, someone has to pay for this content. And that’s where advertising comes in. Most people consider ads a nuisance, but they do serve a useful function besides allowing media companies to stay afloat. They keep you aware of new products and services relevant to your industry. All ads in Quality Digest apply directly to products and services that most of our readers need. You won’t see automobile or health supplement ads. Our PROMISE: Quality Digest only displays static ads that never overlay or cover up content. They never get in your way. They are there for you to read, or not. So please consider turning off your ad blocker for our site. Thanks, Quality Digest Discuss ( 0 ) Hide Comments Comment About The Author Quality Digest For 40 years Quality Digest has been the go-to source for all things quality. Our newsletter, Quality Digest, shares expert commentary and relevant industry resources to assist our readers in their quest for continuous improvement. Our website includes every column and article from the newsletter since May 2009 as well as back issues of Quality Digest magazine to August 1995. We are committed to promoting a view wherein quality is not a niche, but an integral part of every phase of manufacturing and services.

(Marposs: Auburn Hills, MI) -- Marposs, with more than 60 years’ experience in developing solutions for quality control during the production process, has announced its solutions for monitoring the roll-to-roll (R2R) production process of electrode foils (cathode and anode) used in lithium-ion batteries (LIB) critical to the electric vehicle industry. These solutions incorporate several of Marposs’ noncontact measurement and inspection technologies to provide fast, high-resolution film thickness and width gauging across the electrode production process, helping to avoid scrap and rework to improve quality and save money.

For electrode formation, copper or aluminum foil and slurry are mixed with a solvent and coated roll-to-roll on the metal substrate as a liquid film. During the drying process, it’s critical to control the homogeneity and uniformity of the coated electrode. Once dried, the films go through a calendaring process where the electrode coil is passed through a roll press to decrease the film thickness and the porosity to increase energy density and flatten its surface. If compressed too much, the electrode porosity could be reduced to a level where the electrolyte can’t penetrate in its structure, so deviations in the electrode thickness must be carefully controlled.

Marposs’ STIL Chromatic Confocal technology enables high-frequency sampling by providing geometrical measurement and inspection during these critical process steps to measure and identify any film width or thickness aberrations. Confocal uses white light and reflected optical beams from surfaces of the object being measured, which are sent to a spectrometer for electronic processing to determine the thickness values of the web.

After film production, the electrode mother roll is split into smaller daughter rolls using ceramic blades. Geometric measurement is required to identify the wrong position of the blade or the electrode being slit. Marposs’ AEROEL laser scanners can be used to provide quick, accurate, and efficient measurement of the daughter roll width during this R2R process. These laser gauges feature patented technologies that make them accurate and reliable because they are impervious to variations in temperature, vibration, product movement, dust, and other environmental conditions that would normally influence measurement results.

To produce the pouch cell requires separating the anode, cathode, and separator sheets from the roll material. This process, also known as notching, is usually performed with a shear cut (punching tool) or laser cut in a continuous process. Marposs’ patent-pending in-line machine vision system identifies the existence of burrs, folds, and delamination of the electrode profile during this process. This system uses a high-resolution linear camera that frames the edge of the electrode to acquire a series of digital images, which are analyzed to check for the possible presence of metal burrs. The system also includes a matrix camera, which detects a change in distance between the edge of the electrode and the linear camera.

Complete information about measurement, inspection, and test solutions for R2R can be found at here or by contacting Marposs Corp. by phone at (248) 370–0404 or by emailing marposs@us.marposs.com.

Quality Digest does not charge readers for its content. We believe that industry news is important for you to do your job, and Quality Digest supports businesses of all types.

However, someone has to pay for this content. And that’s where advertising comes in. Most people consider ads a nuisance, but they do serve a useful function besides allowing media companies to stay afloat. They keep you aware of new products and services relevant to your industry. All ads in Quality Digest apply directly to products and services that most of our readers need. You won’t see automobile or health supplement ads. Our PROMISE: Quality Digest only displays static ads that never overlay or cover up content. They never get in your way. They are there for you to read, or not.

So please consider turning off your ad blocker for our site.

For 40 years Quality Digest has been the go-to source for all things quality. Our newsletter, Quality Digest, shares expert commentary and relevant industry resources to assist our readers in their quest for continuous improvement. Our website includes every column and article from the newsletter since May 2009 as well as back issues of Quality Digest magazine to August 1995. We are committed to promoting a view wherein quality is not a niche, but an integral part of every phase of manufacturing and services.

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