Method for on-line quality adjustment of coated separator
By using servo closed-loop drive and online monitoring of CCD vision system, the problem of inconsistent coating thickness in lithium battery separator coating was solved, and real-time dynamic compensation of coating thickness and morphology was achieved, improving production efficiency and consistency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SINOMA LITHIUM BATTERY SEPARATOR CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing lithium battery separator coating methods rely on manual experience, resulting in inconsistent coating thickness. They cannot compensate for coating offset caused by scraper wear and mechanical vibration in real time, affecting production efficiency and consistency.
Servo closed-loop drive and CCD vision system are used for online monitoring and dynamic compensation. By automatically adjusting the doctor blade gap and the distance between the rubber roller and the back roller, the coating thickness and morphology can be controlled in real time.
It improves the production efficiency and consistency of coated diaphragms, reduces manual intervention, and achieves precise control of coating thickness fluctuation ≤ ±0.2μm and dot coating morphology.
Smart Images

Figure CN121232702B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to a method for online adjustment of the quality of coated separators, belonging to the field of regular coating technology for lithium battery separators. Background Technology
[0002] In the regular coating of lithium battery separators, existing coating methods have significant drawbacks, limiting process efficiency and consistency. Specifically, in gravure coating thickness control methods, the current doctor blade gap setting after replacement relies entirely on operator experience and requires multiple offline measurements for calibration, resulting in low efficiency. Furthermore, traditional mechanical locking structures set the doctor blade gap to a fixed static parameter, which cannot cope with the gradual expansion of the slurry channel caused by wear on the doctor blade working surface, leading to continuous fluctuations in coating thickness and forcing frequent shutdowns for adjustment. In regular dot coating morphology control methods, the adjustment of the back roller distance relies on manual trial coating iterations and offline observation, which is time-consuming and generates a large amount of waste film. Moreover, existing methods completely lack online sensing and real-time compensation capabilities for dynamic distance offsets caused by mechanical vibration, roller thermal expansion, and other factors during the coating process, leading to dot matrix defects.
[0003] The shortcomings of these methods have become the main bottleneck in achieving large-scale production of highly consistent regular coated diaphragms. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an online method for adjusting the quality of coated diaphragms. This method reduces manual intervention through dual-system automatic control and improves the consistency of coated products through dynamic compensation. In the gravure coating thickness control system, servo closed-loop drive is used to achieve automatic calibration of the gap between the material box and the gravure roller, and real-time wear compensation, ensuring coating thickness fluctuations are ≤±0.2μm. In the regular dot coating morphology control system, a digital rangefinder monitors the distance between the glue roller and the back roller in real time, and an online CCD vision system captures the morphology of the coating dots in real time, automatically triggering millisecond-level dynamic compensation to eliminate dot diameter / spacing deviations.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an online adjustment method for the quality of coated diaphragms, characterized in that it includes gravure coating thickness control and regular dot coating morphology control;
[0006] The method for controlling the thickness of the gravure coating is as follows: First, the optimal gap value is automatically matched according to the process formula. Then, the gap is adjusted in real time by online dynamic compensation based on the tested coating thickness. At the same time, the service life of the scraper is predicted by monitoring the amount of displacement adjusted, and an early warning is given before the scraper completely fails, prompting it to be replaced.
[0007] The method for controlling the morphology of the regular dot coating is as follows: First, the servo motor is manually operated to fine-tune the distance between the back roller and the glue roller, and the distance value at this time is detected by a digital rangefinder. Then, the machine is turned on for trial coating, and the dot morphology after coating is monitored online, continuously, and in real time by a CCD system. The collected images are analyzed in real time to determine whether the morphology of the trial coated film roll meets the requirements. If it meets the requirements, the distance parameter is set, and the dot coating operation is performed based on the set distance value. If the morphology is abnormal and does not meet the requirements, the distance is readjusted until the requirements are met.
[0008] Furthermore, in the control of the gravure coating thickness, a process formula database of key parameters associated with the coating is pre-established through testing and practical experience. After the doctor blade is replaced, the system automatically extracts and matches the preset optimal gap parameters from the formula database based on the input doctor blade parameters.
[0009] Furthermore, in the control of the gravure coating thickness, a high-precision online thickness gauge is integrated to continuously detect the thickness of the coated diaphragm in real time.
[0010] Furthermore, if the detected coating thickness is within the required range, the equipment continues to produce stably; if the detected coating thickness is not within the required range, the deviation between the current thickness and the target value is calculated based on the real-time thickness data, and then the gap between the material box and the gravure roller is dynamically adjusted to ensure that the coating thickness always meets the requirements.
[0011] Furthermore, the gap between the material box and the gravure roller is adjusted by a gravure roller-material box adjusting servo motor in conjunction with a slide rail. Dynamic adjustment is achieved by generating compensation commands to the servo motor through a coating thickness compensation algorithm model. The coating thickness compensation algorithm model is defined as follows:
[0012] The coating thickness y(t) is dominated by the slurry channel gap h(t):
[0013] y(t)=k*h(t)+d(t)
[0014] in,
[0015] k - Slurry transfer coefficient;
[0016] h(t) - Dynamic gap, i.e., the distance between the material box and the gravure roller, in μm;
[0017] d(t) - external disturbance;
[0018] The scraper wear δw(t) causes a time-varying expansion of the gap h(t):
[0019] h(t) = h0 + u(t) + δw(t)
[0020] in,
[0021] h0 - Initial gap setting;
[0022] u(t) - Servo motor compensation displacement;
[0023] δw(t) - wear depth, a monotonically increasing function, δw(t)≥0;
[0024] Set the target thickness γ, and the real-time deviation is:
[0025] e(t) = γ - y(t)
[0026] Using a proportional-integral (PI) control law:
[0027]
[0028] K p -Proportional gain;
[0029] K i -Integral gain;
[0030] Combining the above models, we obtain the expression for the thickness dynamic compensation model:
[0031]
[0032] in:
[0033] k*h0 - The reference thickness determined by the initial set gap;
[0034] k*K p *(γ-y(t))-Proportional control: Real-time countermeasure against thickness fluctuations;
[0035] -Integral control: progressively compensates for systematic deviations caused by scraper wear δw(t);
[0036] k*δw(t) - Thickness drift caused by scraper wear.
[0037] Furthermore, by continuously monitoring and recording the dynamic displacement of the servo motor to compensate for scraper wear, a safe threshold for the displacement is set based on the scraper life and process requirements. When the monitored displacement approaches or reaches the preset threshold, the system automatically triggers an audible and visual alarm signal, proactively providing a warning and prompting replacement before the scraper completely fails.
[0038] Furthermore, in the rule-based dot-matrix morphology control, if the morphology is abnormal and does not meet the requirements, the spacing is readjusted by manual dot-matrix operation or by feedback dynamic compensation.
[0039] Furthermore, the acquired images are analyzed in real time. When a morphological defect or key parameter exceeds the allowable range, a compensation command is generated in real time. The compensation command instantly triggers the rubber roller-back roller pitch adjustment servo motor to finely adjust the distance between the rubber roller and the back roller.
[0040] Furthermore, one servo motor for adjusting the distance between the rubber roller and the back roller is installed on each of the left and right sides of the frame, and together with the slide rail, the left and right sides of the rubber roller and the back roller can be adjusted independently.
[0041] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:
[0042] (1) Regarding the gravure coating thickness control system:
[0043] 1) Solves the waste of materials and time caused by repeated trial coatings after blade replacement: Completely replaces the method of multiple trial coating iterations and offline measurement that relies on operator experience, and realizes "one-click" accurate initial setting of gap parameters, significantly improving blade replacement efficiency and reducing material waste.
[0044] 2) Solving the problem of thickness drift caused by scraper wear: ① Integrating an online thickness gauge to detect thickness in real time, and feeding back to the servo motor of the material box to dynamically compensate for scraper wear, ensuring thickness fluctuation ≤ ±0.2μm, improving product consistency. ② Actively preventing scraper failure by monitoring the servo motor displacement to reach a safety threshold. When the limit value is reached, an audible and visual alarm is automatically triggered and a replacement scraper is prompted, achieving predictive maintenance.
[0045] (2) Regarding the rule-based dot painting morphology control system:
[0046] 1) Upgrading existing equipment solution with servo-driven distance adjustment and human-machine interaction: A contact digital rangefinder replaces the dial indicator to improve the distance adjustment test error, and a servo motor replaces the existing mechanical crank to achieve precise adjustment of the roller gap. This enables precise control of the servo motor, real-time display and storage of operating data to build a complete quality traceability and process optimization database.
[0047] 2) Online visual closed-loop control and dynamic compensation improve the consistency of coating point morphology: The CCD vision system captures the morphology of coating points in real time, automatically identifies abnormal point diameter, spacing deviation, adhesion, and missing coating defects, and instantly triggers dynamic interference compensation of servo motors to improve the consistency of coating point morphology. Attached Figure Description
[0048] Figure 1 Flowchart of the online adjustment method for coating diaphragm quality.
[0049] Figure 2 Left view of the online diaphragm coating quality adjustment device;
[0050] In the diagram, 1-coating unit; 2-online thickness gauge; 3-CCD vision inspection instrument; 4-transition unit.
[0051] Figure 3 A front and side view of an online equipment for adjusting the quality of coated diaphragms.
[0052] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the coating unit;
[0053] In the diagram, 101-back roller drive motor; 102-back roller coupling; 103-frame; 104-pass roller; 105-back roller; 106-rubber roller; 107-gravure roller; 108-material box mechanism; 109-contact digital rangefinder; 110-dial indicator; 111-back roller drive motor; 112-rubber roller-back roller gap adjustment servo motor; 113-rubber roller mechanism moving slide rail; 114-gravure roller material box mechanism moving slide rail; 115-material box mechanism forward cylinder; 116-gravure roller-material box gap adjustment servo motor; 117-receiving tray; 118-gravure roller material box mechanism support; 119-rubber roller mechanism support; 120-rubber roller drive motor.
[0054] Figure 5 This is a diagram of the interface for adjusting the distance between the rubber roller and the back roller. Detailed Implementation
[0055] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
[0056] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, an online method for adjusting the quality of a coated diaphragm includes gravure coating thickness control and regular dot coating morphology control.
[0057] The implementation steps of the gravure coating thickness control system are as follows:
[0058] First, the system automatically matches the optimal gap value based on the set process formula: A process formula database with associated key parameters (doctor blade type, slurry characteristics, gravure roller type, etc.) is pre-established through testing and practical experience. After changing the doctor blade, the system automatically extracts and matches the preset optimal gap parameter from the formula database based on the input doctor blade type and other key parameters. The optimal gap is related to the doctor blade type, slurry characteristics, gravure roller type, etc., and the relationship is not linear. This was verified through extensive on-site process debugging records. The table below shows some process formula data:
[0059]
[0060] Then, based on the online dynamic compensation of the tested coating thickness, the gap is adjusted in real time: an integrated high-precision online thickness gauge is used to continuously detect the thickness of the coated diaphragm. If the product thickness is within the required range, the equipment will continue to produce stably. If the liquid volume changes due to wear of the scraper, causing the product to approach the thickness deviation range, the system will calculate the deviation between the current thickness and the target value (e.g., ±0.2μm) in real time based on the thickness data, and then generate a compensation command to the servo motor to fine-tune the position of the material box mechanism (i.e., the gap between the material box and the gravure roller), achieving dynamic adjustment so that the coating thickness always meets the quality requirements.
[0061] Simultaneously, displacement monitoring is used to predict the lifespan of the scraper: the dynamic displacement (cumulative compensation) of the servo motor to compensate for scraper wear is continuously monitored and recorded. A safe displacement threshold is set based on scraper lifespan and process requirements. When the monitored cumulative displacement approaches or reaches the preset threshold, the system automatically triggers an audible and visual alarm signal, proactively warning and prompting replacement before the scraper completely fails, thus avoiding quality accidents or equipment damage and downtime caused by sudden failure. Currently, the 30mm wide scrapers used in the field typically have a safe length threshold of 5mm from the gravure roller to the inner wall of the material box.
[0062] In this embodiment, the gap between the material box and the gravure roller is adjusted by a gravure roller-material box adjusting servo motor in conjunction with a slide rail. Dynamic adjustment is achieved by generating compensation commands to the servo motor through a coating thickness compensation algorithm model. The coating thickness compensation algorithm model is defined as follows:
[0063] The coating thickness y(t) is dominated by the slurry channel gap h(t):
[0064] y(t)=k*h(t)+d(t)
[0065] in,
[0066] k - Slurry transfer coefficient (related to slurry viscosity, gravure roller mesh depth, etc.);
[0067] h(t) - Dynamic gap (distance between the material box and the gravure roller, in μm);
[0068] d(t) - External disturbances (environmental fluctuations, changes in substrate tension, etc.);
[0069] The scraper wear δw(t) causes a time-varying expansion of the gap h(t):
[0070] h(t) = h0 + u(t) + δw(t)
[0071] in,
[0072] h0 - Initial gap setting (set according to the above process formula, obtained through experience accumulation);
[0073] u(t) - Servo motor compensation displacement;
[0074] δw(t) - wear depth (monotonically increasing function, δw(t)≥0);
[0075] Set the target thickness γ, and the real-time deviation is:
[0076] e(t) = γ - y(t)
[0077] Employing a proportional-integral (PI) control law (balancing response speed and steady-state accuracy):
[0078]
[0079] K p - Proportional gain (for fast response to current deviation);
[0080] K i - Integral gain (eliminating historical accumulated bias);
[0081] Combining the above models, we obtain the theoretical expression for the thickness dynamic compensation system:
[0082]
[0083] in:
[0084] k*h0 - The reference thickness determined by the initial set gap;
[0085] k*K p *(γ-y(t))-Proportional control: Real-time countermeasures against thickness fluctuations (such as sudden disturbances like vibration);
[0086] -Integral control: Gradually compensates for systematic deviations caused by scraper wear δw(t);
[0087] k*δw(t) - Thickness drift caused by scraper wear (actively canceled by the integral term).
[0088] The implementation steps of the rule-based dot-matrix morphology control system are as follows:
[0089] First, the servo motor is manually jogged to fine-tune the distance between the back roller and the glue roller. The distance value is then detected by a digital rangefinder. After that, a trial coating is performed, and the morphology of the coated dots is monitored online, continuously, and in real time by a CCD system. The acquired images are analyzed in real time to determine whether the morphology of the trial coated film roll meets the requirements. If it does, the distance parameter is set, and the dot coating operation is performed based on the set distance value. If the morphology is abnormal and does not meet the requirements, the distance is readjusted until the requirements are met.
[0090] In this embodiment, if the morphological abnormalities do not meet the requirements, the spacing can be fine-tuned manually or through feedback dynamic compensation. The feedback dynamic compensation method involves real-time identification and analysis of the acquired images. When morphological defects or key parameters exceeding the allowable range are detected, a compensation command is generated instantly. This compensation command immediately triggers the rubber roller-back roller spacing servo motor to fine-tune the spacing between the rubber roller and the back roller.
[0091] In this embodiment, one servo motor for adjusting the distance between the rubber roller and the back roller is provided on each of the left and right sides of the frame, and together with the slide rail, the left and right sides of the rubber roller and the back roller are adjusted separately.
[0092] like Figure 5 The coating spacing can be adjusted via the user interface, including functions such as left and right spacing adjustment, manual movement, spacing setting, and spacing change data.
[0093] "Servo Enable" - "ON" means servo control is on, "OFF" means servo control is off;
[0094] "Displacement sensor", "left and right distance" - Real-time displacement data is detected through contact displacement sensors;
[0095] "Manual Movement" - Manually adjust the distance between the rubber roller and the back roller by "Forward" and "Backward";
[0096] "Gap Setting" - Manually move and adjust. Set after the morphology of the test coating roll meets the requirements. This position indicates that it is the initial position of the process.
[0097] "Servo Adjustment" - ON means that the servo motor adjusts the spacing in real time through the CCD feedback signal, and OFF means that no feedback signal is received.
[0098] "Spacing Set" - This button returns the machine to the initial process position after shutdown operations such as equipment cleaning or film cutting. The spacing set function enables one-click automatic calibration of coated film rolls of the same specification.
[0099] "Spacing Change Data" - This data can be stored and viewed in real time, allowing relevant personnel to trace product quality and optimize process parameters.
[0100] In summary, this method systematically solves the shortcomings of traditional methods that rely on manual, offline, and static adjustments, and realizes intelligent setting of process parameters, online dynamic compensation, and predictable maintenance, thereby significantly improving the efficiency, consistency, and intelligence level of regular coating.
[0101] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention in any way, and all technical solutions obtained by equivalent substitution or other means fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Parts not covered in this invention are the same as or can be implemented using existing technology.
Claims
1. A method for online adjustment of the quality of a coated diaphragm, characterized in that, Including the control of gravure coating thickness; The method for controlling the gravure coating thickness is as follows: First, the optimal gap value is automatically matched according to the process formula. Then, the gap is dynamically compensated online based on the tested coating thickness and adjusted in real time. At the same time, the service life of the scraper is predicted by monitoring the adjusted displacement, and an early warning is issued before the scraper completely fails, prompting it to be replaced. The system integrates a high-precision online thickness gauge to continuously and in real time detect the thickness of the coated diaphragm. If the detected thickness of the coated diaphragm is within the required range, the equipment continues to produce stably. If the detected thickness of the coated diaphragm is not within the required range, the deviation between the current thickness and the target value is calculated based on the real-time thickness data, and then the gap between the material box and the gravure roller is dynamically adjusted to ensure that the thickness of the coated film always meets the requirements. The gap between the material box and the gravure roller is adjusted by a gravure roller-material box adjusting servo motor in conjunction with a slide rail. Dynamic adjustment is achieved by generating compensation commands to the servo motor through a coating thickness compensation algorithm model. The coating thickness compensation algorithm model is defined as follows: The coating thickness y(t) is dominated by the slurry channel gap h(t): in, Slurry transfer coefficient; The slurry channel gap, i.e. the distance between the slurry box and the gravure roller, is measured in μm. External disturbances; The scraper wear δw(t) causes a time-varying expansion of the slurry channel gap h(t): in, Initial setting gap; Servo motor for displacement compensation; Wear depth, a monotonically increasing function. The target thickness γ is set, and the real-time deviation is: Using a proportional-integral (PI) control law: Proportional gain; Integral gain; Combining the above models, we obtain the expression for the thickness dynamic compensation model: in: The reference thickness is determined by the initial set gap; Proportional control: Real-time countermeasures against thickness fluctuations; Integral control: progressive compensation for scraper wear The resulting systematic bias; Thickness drift caused by scraper wear.
2. The method for online adjustment of the quality of a coated diaphragm according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes the control of the shape of the dotted surface; The method for controlling the morphology of the regular dot coating is as follows: First, the servo motor is manually operated to fine-tune the distance between the back roller and the glue roller, and the distance value at this time is detected by a digital rangefinder. Then, the machine is turned on for trial coating, and the dot morphology after coating is monitored online, continuously, and in real time by a CCD system. The collected images are analyzed in real time to determine whether the morphology of the trial coated film roll meets the requirements. If it meets the requirements, the distance parameter is set, and the dot coating operation is performed based on the set distance value. If the morphology is abnormal and does not meet the requirements, the distance is readjusted until the requirements are met.
3. The method for online adjustment of the quality of a coated diaphragm according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the control of gravure coating thickness, a process formula database of key parameters is pre-established through testing and practical experience. After changing the doctor blade, the system automatically extracts and matches the preset optimal gap parameters from the formula database based on the input doctor blade parameters.
4. The method for online adjustment of the quality of a coated diaphragm according to any one of claims 1, characterized in that, By continuously monitoring and recording the dynamic displacement of the servo motor to compensate for scraper wear, and setting a safe threshold for the displacement based on scraper life and process requirements, the system automatically triggers an audible and visual alarm signal when the monitored displacement approaches or reaches the preset threshold, proactively providing a warning and prompting replacement before the scraper completely fails.
5. The method for online adjustment of the quality of a coated diaphragm according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the rule-based dot-matrix morphology control, if the morphology is abnormal and does not meet the requirements, the spacing is readjusted by manual dot-matrix operation or by feedback dynamic compensation.
6. The method for online adjustment of the quality of a coated diaphragm according to claim 5, characterized in that, The acquired images are analyzed in real time. When a morphological defect or key parameter exceeds the allowable range, a compensation command is generated in real time. The compensation command instantly triggers the rubber roller-back roller pitch adjustment servo motor to finely adjust the distance between the rubber roller and the back roller.
7. The method for online adjustment of the quality of a coated diaphragm according to claim 6, characterized in that, One servo motor for adjusting the distance between the rubber roller and the back roller is installed on each of the left and right sides of the frame, and together with the slide rail, the left and right sides of the rubber roller and the back roller can be adjusted independently.