Delayed scanning of a moving sheet

Abstract

An example method for delayed scanning of a moving discontinuous patch material during a manufacturing process includes initiating a first scan with a scanning sensor to scan a first path across a patch; after completing the first scan, initiating a second scan with the scanning sensor to scan a second path across the patch; calculating a delay time to position a third scan path within a threshold distance from the first scan path, the second scan path, or both the first scan path and the second scan path; and delaying initiation of a third scan with the scanning sensor by the calculated delay time; and after the delay time has elapsed, initiating the third scan.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to sheet fabrication control systems, and more specifically to sheet fabrication control systems in which measuring devices scan across a moving or traveling sheet. Specifically, this disclosure relates to delayed scanning of moving sheets (e.g., moving discontinuous electrode patch sheets) during the manufacturing process. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacture of sheet materials, scanning sensors are often used during production to measure and control various properties. These sensors typically traverse back and forth across the moving sheet to detect characteristics such as basis weight and coating thickness. The scanning process generates measurement data that can be analyzed to understand variations in material properties across both the machine orientation and the transverse dimension. Typically, sheet materials (such as paper or multilayer materials) are expected to have a uniform profile, for example, in both the machine orientation and the transverse dimension.

[0003] However, some manufactured materials are expected to have discontinuous or non-uniform profiles. For example, patch coating (also known as intermittent coating) is a common form of production for roll-to-roll lithium-ion battery electrodes. This process involves applying discrete coatings to a continuous roll of substrate material (e.g., metal foil or another substrate material). The result is multiple discontinuous patches (e.g., spaced apart in the machine orientation and transverse direction) forming the electrode. In other words, electrode patches consist of discrete coated areas of a sheet separated by uncoated or substantially uncoated areas of the sheet.

[0004] Each patch is expected to have the same shape, size, and coating density as every other patch (e.g., the same uniform dimensions (including thickness) and the same uniform weight per unit area). In other words, each electrode or electrode patch is expected to have a uniform thickness and weight profile, although gaps or regions of reduced material exist between each electrode in a given patch. Due to the discontinuous arrangement of the electrodes (e.g., gaps between each electrode in the electrode), determining the presence of manufacturing defects (e.g., non-uniform thickness) in the electrodes and therefore the patches can be challenging. However, obtaining accurate thickness and weight measurements and thereby identifying any defects (e.g., deviations in electrode thickness or weight) is a key criterion for achieving optimal battery performance with electrodes. For example, accurate coating thickness measurements can be used to control coating in the transverse (CD) and machine orientation (MD) directions, as well as subsequent calendering processes.

[0005] While some non-uniformities can be mitigated by adjusting the alignment of steady-state actuators (such as the size of the slot die opening), others occur on a faster timescale and are caused by the dynamics of the intermittent coating process (such as pressure waves caused by the on / off process in a slurry coating system) or by inertial effects from calendering rolls that interact with the edges of the coated patch.

[0006] The coating process employs precision sensors mounted on a support frame that extends across the manufacturing line. These sensors work in conjunction with a profile analyzer and control system to collect and process measurement data. The scanning sensors typically operate at a uniform speed of approximately 150 mm / s to 350 mm / s relative to the sheet movement of approximately 20 m / min–100 m / min. Modern scanning systems, such as those described herein, utilize various measurement techniques, including nucleometers, X-ray sensors, and optics, to detect properties such as basis weight and thickness.

[0007] For example, sensors (e.g., a first sensor located above the sheet of material being manufactured and a second sensor located below the sheet of material being manufactured) can be mounted on a frame that allows the sensors to traverse across the sheet while maintaining accurate measurement capabilities. Particularly important is the production of electrode sheets with uniform coatings on both the top and bottom sides of the material. Sensor data helps the operator understand the uniformity and quality of the manufactured material, for example, from both the top and bottom sides, allowing the operator to make necessary adjustments to process parameters to maintain product specifications. For example, defects in the machine direction and in the lateral direction can be remedied via different remedial mechanisms, such as changing the actuator and / or changing the calendering conditions.

[0008] Therefore, the desired system and method are one that can easily detect manufacturing defects (e.g., periodically occurring system defects) in discontinuous manufactured products (such as roll-to-roll lithium-ion battery electrodes), distinguish between machine orientation defects and lateral defects, and minimize the total number of scans required to detect the presence of such manufacturing defects. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This disclosure relates generally to sheet fabrication control systems, and more specifically to sheet fabrication control systems in which measuring devices scan across moving or traveling sheets. Specifically, this disclosure relates to delayed scanning of moving sheets (e.g., moving discontinuous electrode patch sheets) during a manufacturing process. While various embodiments are described herein in the context of roll-to-roll lithium-ion battery electrodes, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, this disclosure is applicable to other discontinuous and continuous (e.g., papermaking) manufacturing processes.

[0010] As detailed herein, this disclosure relates to delayed scanning of moving sheets, such as delayed scanning of moving, discontinuous electrode patch sheets. For example, effective scanning of representative patches allows for easy identification of various defects, such as systemic or recurring defects (e.g., defects that appear multiple times along the machine direction in a representative patch). Desiredly, such delayed scanning can reduce the amount of unscanned areas between adjacent scan paths on a representative patch, and thereby facilitates the easy detection of manufacturing defects in discontinuous manufactured products (such as roll-to-roll lithium-ion battery electrodes) in both the machine direction and the lateral direction. Additionally, such delayed scanning can reduce the total number of scans required to identify defects in moving sheets.

[0011] For example, such delayed scanning is performed by determining or calculating the ideal amount of delay time between subsequent scans and previous scans (e.g., between a third scan and a second scan) to avoid overlap between subsequent scans (e.g., a third scan) and one or more previous scans (e.g., a first scan and a second scan), thereby ensuring effective and timely scanning and a reduction in the amount of unscanned area on the moving sheet. For example, subsequent scans can be strategically timed (delayed) so that their scan paths are positioned (e.g., equidistantly positioned) between the scan paths of previous scans (such as a first scan and a second scan). This positioning minimizes the amount of unscanned area between scan paths, resulting in a substantially uniform distribution of unscanned areas, thereby enhancing the accuracy of defect detection in both the machine orientation and lateral directions.

[0012] In other words, minimizing the unscanned areas between scan paths on the representative patch offers several benefits. It reduces the total number of scans required to obtain the complete scan CD and MD profiles of the representative patch of the moving sheet, thereby improving interpolation accuracy between scan paths when generating a complete visualization of the moving sheet. By using scans with fewer strategically delayed scans, the system can update measurement results faster and more comprehensively than traditional scanning methods that ignore patch placement.

[0013] The delayed-start scanning algorithm further ensures uniform patch coverage while minimizing redundant scanning of previously measured areas. This is achieved by positioning subsequent scans equidistantly between previous scan paths until a minimum unscanned width threshold is reached. Additionally, the system and method described herein can completely replace previous scan data or apply a filtering factor based on detected changes, allowing for efficient updates to the patch representation without requiring a full rescan. By minimizing unnecessary scans and using interpolation for patch representation, the system maximizes scan resource efficiency while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capabilities.

[0014] As detailed in this article, the above improvements collectively enhance system performance, efficiency, and accuracy.

[0015] Furthermore, delayed scanning of patches on a moving, discontinuous sheet facilitates easy visualization of the presence of any defects. For example, delayed scanning of patches on a moving, discontinuous sheet provides separate machine orientation and lateral profiles, allowing for easy identification of defects in either or both of the machine orientation and lateral direction. Alternatively or additionally, the complete scan profile can be displayed as a three-dimensional diagram (e.g., including different colored areas to indicate the presence of defects, such as different weights of material located on the moving sheet), as detailed herein. Conversely, without this technique, repeating coating defects with MD periodicity can be misidentified as non-repeating CD defects, and vice versa. This technique offers significant advantages because the remedies for different (CD or MD) type defects differ.

[0016] Specific examples of this disclosure include an exemplary method for performing delayed scanning of a moving, discontinuous patch sheet during manufacturing, the method comprising: initiating a first scan using a scanning sensor to scan a first path across the patch; after completing the first scan, initiating a second scan using the scanning sensor to scan a second path across the patch; calculating a delay time to position a third scan path within a threshold distance from the first scan path, the second scan path, or both the first and second scan paths; and using the delay time calculated by delaying the initiation of the third scan using the scanning sensor; and after the delay time has elapsed, initiating the third scan.

[0017] Another example of this disclosure includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: initiate a first scan at an initial position using a scanning sensor to scan a first scan path across a moving, discontinuous patch sheet; calculate a first delay time to position a second scan path of a second scan at a threshold distance from the first scan path; after completing the first scan and elapsed after the first delay time, initiate a second scan to position the second scan path within the threshold distance from the first scan path; calculate a second delay time to position the second scan path of the second scan at the threshold distance from the first scan path; and after completing the second scan and elapsed after the second delay time, initiate a third scan to position the third scan path within the threshold distance from the second scan path.

[0018] Another example of this disclosure includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: initiate a first scan at an initial position using a scan sensor to scan a first path across a moving, discontinuous patch sheet; after completing the first scan, initiate a second scan using the scan sensor to scan a second path across the patch, wherein the second scan is initiated after completing the first scan; calculate a delay time to position a third scan path of the scan sensor between the first scan path and the second scan path; and calculate the delay time calculated using the scan sensor to delay the initiation of the third scan; and initiate a third scan after the delay time has elapsed, wherein the third scan is initiated a second time interval after completing the second scan.

[0019] Another example of this disclosure includes a system for scanning an electrode patch, the system comprising: a scanning sensor configured to traverse a moving discontinuous electrode patch sheet; and a controller configured to: initiate a first scan at an initial position using the scanning sensor to scan a first path across the moving discontinuous electrode patch sheet; after the first scan is completed, initiate a second scan using the scanning sensor to scan a second path across the moving discontinuous electrode patch sheet, wherein the second scan is initiated after a first time interval following the completion of the first scan; and calculate a delay time to equidistantly position a third scan path of the scanning sensor between the first scan path and the second scan path. And a delay time calculated using the scanning sensor for the initiation delay of the third scan; initiating the third scan immediately after the delay time, wherein the third scan is initiated after a second time amount following the completion of the second scan, wherein the second time amount is greater than the first time amount; interpolating between scan paths including the first scan path, the second scan path, and the third scan path to generate a complete visualization of the moving discontinuous electrode patch sheet; and displaying: a visual representation of the complete visualization of the electrode patch, the visual representation including a visual representation of one or more manufacturing defects in the electrode patch; a machine orientation profile of one or more electrode patches in the electrode patch; a lateral profile of one or more electrode patches in the electrode patch; or any combination thereof.

[0020] The foregoing description is provided to facilitate understanding of the innovative features unique to this disclosure and is not intended as a complete description. A full understanding of this disclosure can be obtained by considering the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole. Attached Figure Description

[0021] This disclosure can be more fully understood by taking into account the following description of various examples in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 This shows a portion of the sheet manufacturing line;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of an exemplary scanner used in sheet manufacturing;

[0024] Figure 3 This demonstrates how a scanner can pass through and scan a moving sheet of material while performing a delayed scan;

[0025] Figure 4 This is an example of a flowchart for a method of delayed scanning for moving sheets; and

[0026] Figure 5 It is a view of the representative machine orientation profile and lateral profile consistent with the delayed scan of the moving sheet.

[0027] While this disclosure is subject to various modifications and alternatives, its details have been shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and will be described in detail. However, it should be understood that this disclosure is not intended to limit it to the specific examples described. Rather, it is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the substance and scope of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The following description should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar elements in different drawings are numbered in a similar manner. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and depict examples that are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. While examples of various elements are illustrated, those skilled in the art will recognize that many of the examples provided have suitable alternatives that can be utilized.

[0029] This document assumes that all numbers are modified by the term “about” unless otherwise explicitly stated. Expressions of numerical ranges using endpoints include all numbers contained within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5).

[0030] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless otherwise expressly stated. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” is generally used in its meaning to include “and / or” unless otherwise expressly stated.

[0031] It should be noted that references to "implementation schemes," "some implementation schemes," or "other implementation schemes" in the specification indicate that the described implementation schemes may include specific features, structures, or characteristics; however, each implementation scheme may not necessarily include that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, these phrases do not necessarily refer to the same implementation scheme. Additionally, when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an implementation scheme, it is assumed that the feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with that implementation scheme is applicable to other implementation schemes, whether explicitly described or not, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

[0032] This document makes various references to different scans and their resulting scan paths, such as first scan, second scan, third scan, etc. However, unless otherwise stated, such references are not necessarily intended to indicate a specific timing or sequence of these scans and their resulting scan paths. In-line measurement is used to detect the properties of sheet material during manufacturing, enabling real-time control of the sheet preparation process and thus ensuring sheet quality while reducing the amount of defective sheet material produced. One of the main complicating factors in performing in-line measurement during sheet preparation is that the physical properties of the sheet material typically vary along the machine direction (MD) and along the transverse direction (CD). MD refers to the direction in which the sheet material travels during manufacturing, and CD refers to the direction perpendicular to MD across the sheet surface.

[0033] To detect changes in the sheet material, a scanning sensor is used. This sensor periodically traverses the sheet being processed laterally back and forth, detecting values ​​for selected sheet properties (such as basis weight or caliper thickness) along each scan. Typically, during each scan, the produced sheet is traversed from edge to edge. The time required for a typical scan is usually between several seconds and tens of seconds, depending on the lateral length, which can be several meters. Therefore, the rate at which such scanners provide measurement readings is typically adjustable; a typical rate is approximately one measurement reading per millisecond.

[0034] In practice, the measurement information provided by the scanning sensor is typically aggregated after each scan to provide a "profile" of the detected sheet properties in the lateral direction. In other words, each profile consists of a series of sheet measurements at adjacent locations in the lateral direction. The purpose of the profile is to allow for easy detection of lateral variations in sheet properties. Based on the detected lateral variations in the detected sheet properties, appropriate control adjustments can be made to the sheet preparation machine to reduce profile variations in both the lateral and machine directions.

[0035] A scanning sensor that periodically traverses a sheet at a roughly constant speed cannot measure the selected sheet properties at a position precisely aligned perpendicular to the sheet's longitudinal edge. Due to the finite sheet speed, the scanning sensor actually travels obliquely across the sheet surface, resulting in a zigzag pattern of continuous scan paths relative to the direction perpendicular to the sheet's longitudinal edge. In practice, the average of the profile measurements from each scan is typically calculated.

[0036] In the manufacture of anode or cathode electrodes, metal foil from a metal roll is continuously coated with a mixture of active materials. To achieve and maintain the quality of continuous, roll-to-roll production of the electrodes, constant, online measurements of quality factors strongly correlated with battery performance are required. A cutting machine cuts the finished coated metal foil into electrode sheets, which are then assembled into the battery cells and batteries.

[0037] Figure 1 A portion of a sheet manufacturing line is shown. The line is described in terms of coating metal webs or sheets used to manufacture electrodes for lithium-ion electrochemical cells and batteries. However, the manufacturing line can be used in any manufacturing process that utilizes sheet materials, including fabrics, other metal sheets, etc.

[0038] If the electrode for the battery is manufactured using this production line, the electrode coating comprises an anodic active material such as graphite to prepare the anode, and a cathode active material such as lithium metal oxide to prepare the cathode. The electrode comprises a current collector metal foil coated with an electrode slurry on one or both sides, the electrode slurry potentially containing carbon black, a binder, and a solvent. After the electrode slurry is applied to one side of the foil, the wet-coated foil is heated in a dryer to remove the solvent, leaving a solid layer of electrode material adhered to the metal foil. Copper foil is a preferred anode current collector material, and aluminum foil is a preferred cathode current collector material. Parameters and materials can vary considerably, and this concept is not limited to this specific context.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, roll 2 is unwound by a dewinder and supplied as a continuous sheet or sheet 30 of material, which is coated with an electrode paste layer on its top (or first) surface by a coater 4, which may include a casting coating apparatus. The basis weight, thickness, and other properties of the metal web sheet 30 from roll 2 are generally known. In some systems, a scanner may also be positioned to measure the properties of the sheet emerging from the roll; that is, for the battery manufacturing process, the properties of the bare foil prior to coating can be measured and determined.

[0040] Some systems (such as those disclosed in U.S. Pre-license Publication 2023 / 0391571) may include a marker that applies a reference marker to sheet 30, and readers at various points for accurately determining the sheet's MD by reading the reference marker. Such reference marking and reading systems can be expensive and consume space in the manufacturing line. Space is highly valuable in a manufacturing environment, and using less equipment reduces complexity and upfront, maintenance, and other ongoing costs. Applying the reference marker may sometimes be impossible because there may not be enough space on the sheet to place the marker; that is, the coating process may utilize the entire width of the sheet material.

[0041] This system and method do not depend on reference points from markers and their scanning, but can be used in conjunction with such systems as needed.

[0042] The coater 4 includes an actuator that controls the doctor blade to regulate the amount of slurry extruded onto the sheet 30. The dryer 10 removes excess solvent and cures the slurry on the moving coated sheet 32 ​​to form an electrode layer on the sheet. Several coaters 4 and / or dryers 10 may be included.

[0043] Scanner 8 measures one or more properties of the moving coated sheet entering dryer 10. Downstream of the manufacturing line, scanner 12 measures one or more properties of the moving coated sheet leaving dryer 10. In some examples, as part of monitoring the processes and conditions inside dryer 10, the measurements at scanner 8 may be compared with those at scanner 12. Scanners 8 and 12 may be O-frame and / or C-frame scanners, such as those commercially available from Honeywell Inc., as well as other possible types of scanners.

[0044] Each scanner 8, 12 may have a tachometer nearby, such as those shown at 40, 42. As the sheet 30 passes by, the tachometer rotates and generates a pulse train, the periodicity or frequency of which indicates the speed of the sheet material. If, for example, the system includes one or more floating rollers (not shown) that can change the length of the sheet material between the tachometers 40, 42 and thus between the sensors 8, 12, then a difference in tachometer speed may be generated from one location to another.

[0045] Figure 1A very simple manufacturing line is shown; a specific implementation may include several coaters 4, dryers 10, and other devices or systems. Several layers of coating can be applied, dried, cured, etc., and the coating can be applied to both sides of the sheet. More than two scanners 8, 10 may be present. Further operations can be performed, including cutting or slicing the sheet. In some examples, floating rollers may be included, as detailed below. System controller 20 may be configured as a master controller for the various components in the system and can be connected via, for example, but not limited to, a data bus, Ethernet or other wired coupling, fiber optic cable, and / or wireless communication systems (including Bluetooth). ™ It can be coupled to each of the manufacturing line systems (2, 4, 40, 8, 10, 42, 12, etc.) via WiFi or other 802.11 communication or other standards for data communication and control signal communication, the specific coupling method depending on the given facility, plant, terrain, etc.

[0046] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of an exemplary scanner used in sheet fabrication. Scanner 60 is configured to measure the properties of a moving sheet of material. Scanner 60 includes scanning heads 70, 72, which may, for example, enclose or house a radiation source and a radiation detector, respectively. The radiation source emits radiation, such as beta rays, directed toward an area on a coated sheet 90 moving on the MD. The intensity of the radiation transmitted through the coated sheet from head 70 is sensed by the radiation detector in head 72. The detector senses the amount of radiation absorbed by the coated sheet, which gives a direct indication of the material's basis weight. In this example, the radiation source emits beta radiation for measuring weight or thickness (caliper thickness). Either or each of the scanner heads 70, 72 may house an infrared sensor that detects the radiation and generates a sheet temperature profile. Another technique is optical translation for moving the interrogation point, as described in U.S. Patent No. 7,528,400, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0047] Each scanning head 70, 72 may include a radiation source and / or a radiation detector, or both. Therefore, measurements can be performed by causing radiation to pass from one scanning head through the sheet 90 and reach a detector in another scanning head. If desired, measurements can also be performed by reflection by generating radiation directed at the sheet 90 at the scanning head and measuring the radiation reflected back to a detector in the same scanning head.

[0048] Dual scanner heads 70 and 72 face each other and define a measurement gap that accommodates a sheet 90 (with and / or without a coating) moving on the MD. One or more motors in the scanner 60 control the movement of heads 70 and 72, respectively. The lateral movement of the dual scanner heads is synchronized in speed and direction to keep the dual scanner heads 70 and 72 aligned. As the dual scanner heads 70 and 72 move, tachometer readings are captured by the system so that the position of the scanner heads relative to the sheet can be maintained as the sheet 90 moves on the MD.

[0049] Weight, caliper thickness, and temperature are just examples of properties that can be measured using a scanning head. Scanning may include searching for specific chemical markers, such as detecting the presence, absence, or concentration of a material in a sheet and / or its coating by scanning with one or more wavelengths of light. Scanning can be performed for any suitable or desired property to suit a particular implementation. Different scanners and / or different scanner settings may be used throughout a given manufacturing line.

[0050] In some examples, the various components of the manufacturing system include controllers and / or processors that manage the operation of the individual components. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the entire system can be managed by system controller 20. System controller 20 can take many forms, including, for example, a microcontroller or microprocessor coupled to memory that stores readable instructions for performing the methods described herein and provides configuration for the controller for various examples. Some examples use a computer as the system controller.

[0051] System controller 20 may include one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) to provide additional or dedicated functionality, such as, but not limited to, signal processing ASICs that can use digital filtering techniques to filter signals received from one or more sensors. It may also include logic circuits, state machines, and discrete or integrated circuit components. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many different hardware implementations can be used for the controller.

[0052] In an exemplary configuration, for example, one or more buses, fiber optic networks, Ethernet, other hardware links, and / or wireless communication links or other communication links are provided between the various components and the system controller 20. The system controller 20 can issue commands to the various elements of the system and receive data and other feedback from each component. Thus, the system controller 20 is operable to synchronize the operation of various parts of the manufacturing line (including scanners, coaters, dryers, and drive motors) for moving sheet through the system from roll 2 to, for example, an end roll (not shown) or a cutting device.

[0053] System controller 20 can be with Figure 1 The rest of the system shown are separate components. Alternatively, the system controller 20 may be implemented on a controller associated with one of the various components shown in the system, for example, but not limited to, by providing a machine-readable instruction set on a non-transitory medium operatively linked to a scanner, dryer, coater, etc., operably linked to the system. The system controller may also be implemented alternatively as a cloud-based system, such as on a remote server.

[0054] Figure 3 This illustrates how a scanner, according to an embodiment of this document, passes through and scans a moving sheet of material. Using Figure 1 The system shown is for reference and can be used to perform scanning at the first scanner 8, wherein the scanning head of the first scanner 8 travels back and forth on the material sheet 90.

[0055] In this example, sheet 90 has a coating material applied in the form of patches (such as patches 91-1, 91-2, 91-3…91-4, collectively referred to as patches 91), wherein discontinuities or gaps exist on each of MD and CD. If desired, the coating material may alternatively be applied in strip form, such that gaps exist on CD but not on MD. Material 90 may also include one or more splices (not shown).

[0056] As the scanner travels back and forth along a scanning path (e.g., the first scanning path 68), the edges of the patch 91 and the seam (where present) can be detected independently by the scanning head. For example, this disclosure provides several ways to determine the patch position. For instance, a camera system (such as the camera system described herein) can be mounted at a given location, such as between the coater and the scanner, to detect the patch position and, when combined with machine speed data, allows for precise tracking and prediction of the patch position on the sheet 90. The coating system itself can provide a direct signal indicating patch timing information, which can be integrated with machine speed data to calculate the precise patch position and allow for coordination between coating and scanning operations. Additionally, the system of this invention can be processed to identify machine-oriented coating edge transitions to detect the boundary between coated and uncoated areas, thereby allowing the patch position to be determined from these detected transitions. For lateral measurements, patch position requirements may be less critical because the channel edges remain relatively fixed. Patch position can be determined from formulation information, manual user input, and / or by a vision and edge detection system. In the machine orientation, for example, since the relative distance and web speed are known, the arrival of the patch can be accurately calculated. This comprehensive patch position detection method provides redundancy and flexibility in implementing delayed-start scanning algorithms, while ensuring optimal scan coverage of the patch being manufactured. The system's ability to accurately determine the patch position using one or more of a variety of methods facilitates the precise timing of scan start and / or the calculation of delay time amounts, and / or otherwise helps achieve the core objective of minimizing unscanned areas while maintaining an effective production speed (e.g., 20 m / min–100 m / min).

[0057] The scanner will be moved to an "outside the sheet" position, allowing it to measure the reference material without interfering with the sheet's movement. In such embodiments, the individual sensor profile of the scan path 68 may extend between edges 54 and 52. However, in some embodiments, one or more additional sensors may be added, for example, at the midpoint of scanner 8. That is, the method and system described herein are applicable to any number of sensors.

[0058] While such patterns in the form of scan measurement paths or contours 68, 78 may be useful, the method described herein offers improvements thereto. For example, the first scan or scan measurement path 68 and the second scan or scan measurement path 78 may have a relatively large amount of unscanned area located between them. For example, the distance (e.g., the distance obtained in the normal direction relative to the first scan path 68 and the second scan path 78) may be equal to or greater than about 5 mm. This relatively large amount of unscanned area located between adjacent (e.g., closely adjacent) scan paths (which are not covered by the scan paths) may lead to inaccurate defect detection, such as the inability to easily detect the occurrence of system defects (e.g., those occurring on substantially the same coordinate axis, such as having substantially the same lateral position, although at different machine orientation positions on the substrate surface). Moreover, even if a defect is detected, the relatively large amount of area may make it particularly difficult to deconvolve machine orientation defects from lateral defects. Therefore, it may be difficult to visualize the defect (e.g., in terms of machine orientation contours or lateral contours), and / or it may be difficult to determine the corresponding remedies (e.g., adjusting actuators, etc.) to remedy the defect.

[0059] Therefore, as Figure 3 As shown, the scan path 85 of the third scan can be positioned substantially equidistantly between the scan path 68 of the first scan and the scan path 78 of the second scan, as described herein. For example, the third scan can be initiated from the same edge (e.g., edge 54) as each of the first and second scans, but the third scan is initiated from a position substantially between the initiation and end points of the first scan path 68 (e.g., in the machine direction), as... Figure 3 As shown, and other possibilities.

[0060] Figure 4Another example of a method 400 for delayed scanning of a moving, discontinuous patch sheet during manufacturing is illustrated. At 402, method 400 includes initiating a first scan using a scanning sensor (such as the scanning sensor described herein) to scan a first path across the patch. As described above, the patch may be an electrode patch formed on a substrate (such as a foil substrate). The first path may be a combination of a scan performed as the scanning sensor moves in a first direction and a scan performed as the scanning sensor moves in a second direction opposite to the first direction. That is, the individual scans and the resulting scan path described herein may be formed from data obtained from an initial scan performed by the scanning sensor laterally across the moving sheet or substrate and data obtained from a return scan performed by the scanning sensor (e.g., returning to the initial starting position). The initial scan and the return scan may be performed at the same scan speed and acceleration rate. Thus, a scan (such as the first scan) caused at least by movement of the substrate sheet in the machine direction may exhibit a substantially V-shaped scan profile (e.g., as shown in the image). Figure 3 (As shown).

[0061] At 404, method 400 includes initiating a second scan using a scanning sensor to scan a second path across the patch. The second scan can be performed at substantially the same scan speed as the first scan. Therefore, the second scan can have the same relatively V-shaped scan profile as the first scan.

[0062] In some implementations, a second scan can be initiated without delay or immediately after the completion of the first scan. Therefore, the initial position of the second scan (e.g., the initial position of the second scan path) can coincide with the final position of the scanner after the completion of the first scan (e.g., the final position of the first scan path).

[0063] However, in some implementations, a second scan may be initiated after a calculated delay time. For example, in some implementations, as detailed herein, a delay time may be calculated to allow the sheet or substrate to advance in the machine direction, thereby placing the scan path (such as a second scan path) within a threshold distance from the previous scan (such as a first scan). In such implementations, each subsequent scan (e.g., a third scan, a fourth scan, etc.) may be delayed by the same amount of delay time to maintain uniform spacing between scan paths and / or ensure that each scan path is within a threshold distance from one or more adjacent scan paths.

[0064] At 406, method 400 may include: calculating a delay time, as described herein. For example, in some embodiments, method 400 may include: calculating a delay time to position a third scan path of the scanning sensor between a first scan path and a second scan path. For example, a delay time may be calculated to position the third scan equidistantly between the second scan path (of the second scan) and the first scan path (of the first scan).

[0065] Alternatively, method 400 may include: calculating a delay time to position a subsequent scan (e.g., a second scan, a third scan, etc.) within a threshold distance from one or more adjacent scans (e.g., at least one previous scan immediately adjacent to it). For example, method 400 may include: calculating a delay time to position a third scan within a threshold distance from the first scan, the second scan, or both the first and second scans. For example, the threshold distance may be a distance extending along the machine direction from the previous scan path of the first scan, among other possibilities.

[0066] In some implementations, the delay time (e.g., the time by which one or more scans are delayed after the first scan) may be equal to or greater than about 50 milliseconds. For example, the delay time may be 250 milliseconds or less (e.g., a time range from about 0 milliseconds to about 250 milliseconds or from about 50 milliseconds to about 250 milliseconds), and other possible values. These are merely examples, and the amount of delay assigned varies depending on the specific application, such as the size of the sheet, the size of the patch, the scan speed and / or the speed of the sheet (in the machine orientation), and other factors.

[0067] The delay time can be calculated based on: the speed of the moving discontinuous patch sheet, the shape or size of the moving discontinuous patch sheet, the shape or size of the patch, the scanning frequency of the scanning sensor, the distance between the first and second scan paths; or any combination thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the distance between adjacent scan paths (such as the first and second scan paths) can be determined (e.g., based on the speed of the medium or substrate in the machine direction, based on the scanning speed of the scanner, and / or based on the time associated with one or more scans (such as the first and second scans) (e.g., initiation time or completion time). In such cases, the delay time can be calculated to allow the medium to advance in the machine direction, thereby placing subsequent scan paths between previous scan paths (e.g., between the first and second scan paths) and / or within a threshold distance from the previous scan. For example, the distance (e.g., 10 mm) between the first scan path and the second scan path (from the previous first and second scans, respectively) may be equal to or greater than a threshold distance (e.g., 5 mm), and therefore a subsequent scan path (e.g., a third scan patch of a third scan) may be positioned between the first and second scan paths (e.g., 5 mm from each of the first and second scan paths). Alternatively or additionally, a delay time may be calculated to keep the scan within a threshold distance from another scan. For example, a delay time may be calculated to keep the second scan and / or the first scan within a threshold distance from the previous scan path of the first scan, as detailed herein.

[0068] At 408, method 400 may include: delaying the initiation of a scan. For example, method 400 may include: delaying the initiation of a second scan and / or a third scan by a calculated delay time. For example, method 400 may include: delaying a third scan by a calculated delay time. Due to the delay, the initial position of the third scan does not coincide with the final position of the scanner after the second scan is completed. When the delay is imposed, the scanning sensor (e.g., the scanner) may remain in a given position (e.g., it may remain positioned adjacent to the edge of the moving sheet or substrate at the same relative position after the completion of the previous scan (e.g., the second scan)). In any case, the method of this paper can be expected to delay one or more scans to minimize the amount of unscanned areas between adjacent previous scan paths until the distance between adjacent scan paths is less than a threshold distance (e.g., equal to or less than 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, etc.) to facilitate aspects of this paper, such as easily detecting manufacturing defects (e.g., periodically occurring system defects) in discontinuous manufactured products (e.g., in roll-to-roll lithium-ion battery electrodes), distinguishing machine orientation defects and lateral defects, and also minimizing the total number of scans used to detect the presence of such manufacturing defects (e.g., by interpolating between scan data from adjacent scan paths that are less than the threshold distance apart).

[0069] At 410, method 400 may include initiating a scan after a delay time. For example, one or more motors in the motors described herein may receive signals from a controller or other type of computing device to initiate a scan (e.g., a third scan) after a delay time, among other possibilities. For example, method 400 may include initiating a third scan after a delay time. The third scan may be performed at substantially the same scan speed as the first and second scans. Therefore, the third scan may have the same relatively V-shaped scan profile as the first and second scans.

[0070] In some implementations, a second scan may be initiated after a first time interval following the completion of the first scan, and a third scan may be initiated after a second time interval following the completion of the second scan. For example, the first time interval may be approximately 0 milliseconds or a non-zero time interval. In other words, in some implementations, the second scan may be initiated immediately after the completion of the first scan. However, in some implementations, the second scan may be delayed by a time interval (e.g., to keep the second scan path within a threshold distance from the first scan path), as described herein. In such cases, the first time interval may be approximately 50 milliseconds to approximately 250 milliseconds, and other possible values. In some implementations, the time interval may be optimized to bisect the largest remaining unscanned area on the sheet after one or more previous scans. For example, the first time interval may be optimized to bisect the largest remaining unscanned area on the sheet (e.g., the largest amount of unscanned area on a representative patch of the sheet) after the first scan. For example, in some implementations, a first scan may be initiated at an initial position using a scanning sensor to scan a first scan path across a moving, discontinuous patch sheet. A delay time can be calculated to position the second scan path of the second scan within a threshold distance from the first scan path (e.g., this threshold distance is configured to bisect the largest unscanned area on a representative patch of the sheet). In such embodiments, after the first scan is completed and a first instance of the delay time has elapsed, a second scan can be initiated to position the second scan path within the threshold distance from the first scan path. In such embodiments, each subsequent scan after the first scan can be delayed. For example, after the second scan is completed and a second instance of the delay time has elapsed, a third scan can be initiated to position the third scan path within the threshold distance from the second scan path, and so on, such that each scan in the scan is positioned at substantially the same threshold distance. Therefore, the first instance of the delay time and the second instance of the delay time can be equal.

[0071] In some implementations, the second time amount (i.e., the delay time) that delays the initiation of the third scan after the completion of the second scan can be greater than about 50 milliseconds. For example, the second time amount can be a value in the range of about 50 milliseconds to about 250 milliseconds.

[0072] The delay time depends on the linear velocity, patch periodicity, and scan speed (for simplicity, it is assumed here that the scan speed is constant). As a non-limiting example, if the machine-directed length (Lp) between the first edge of the first patch and the first edge of the second patch is 500 mm and the linear velocity is vline = 1000 mm / s, and the patches are repeated at given intervals, then every Lp / vline = 0.5 seconds = 500 ms, the same relative position of each patch passes the scanner. Figure 3As can be seen, since the time between these equivalent scan positions is 500ms, it is desirable to place the next scan in the middle of the unscanned area, i.e., 250ms from the first scan position. Scanner periodicity can also be considered. For example, if the scanning speed is nominally 200mm / s and the sheet width is 1400mm, then forward and reverse traversal would require 2×1400 / 200=14s. In practice, it may take longer because the scanner typically scans a certain distance outside the sheet, and the scanning sensor may take some time to accelerate and decelerate. If a scanner without an added delay completes the traversal within 15.95s, it will be ready to scan again 500-mod(15.95,0.5)=50ms before the equivalent scan position. Therefore, as shown in the figure, the added delay would be 50ms+250ms=300ms. In one implementation, the algorithm in this paper would allow scanning to the middle of the next largest unscanned area until a threshold is reached. For example, if the threshold is 5mm, which is equivalent to 5mm / 1000mm / s = 5ms, then the entire sheet can be scanned at least 500ms / 5ms = 100 times. In this example, after one scan, the maximum unscanned MD distance will be Lp / 2 = 250mm. Two more scans will be performed to scan these unscanned areas, leaving four 125mm areas. These areas can be scanned with four additional scans, leaving 67.5mm areas, and so on, until the threshold is reached (e.g., 5mm between adjacent scan paths). Figure 3 As shown, the scan path can cover substantially the same relative positions on successive patches (in the machine direction) (e.g., when considering manufacturing tolerances, etc.). For example, the scan path is positioned at substantially the same relative positions on each of patches 91-2 and 91-4.

[0073] After the entire sheet has been initially scanned to within a threshold distance, one implementation rescans from the first scan position in the same order. Note that in the processing of the displayed 2D contours (i.e., color maps), the first scan can be erased, or a filter can be applied, for example, allowing the calculated contour at that scan position to pass through an exponential filter (1 / 2:1 / 2 for 2 scans, 1 / 3:2 / 3 for 3 scans, 1 / 4:3 / 4 for 4 scans, until the filter factor is reached. If the filter factor is 0.2, then all subsequent contours can be filtered through a new contour, which is 0.2 = 1 / 5 of the new scan + 4 / 5 of the previously calculated scan).

[0074] In another implementation, the next scan can be triggered once the expected unscanned area exceeds a threshold. Using the same variables as in the previous implementation, the scanner can perform a scan with zero delay if it is ready to scan 50ms before the next scan path. At the end of each scan, the scanner can wait until the next area exceeding the threshold reaches the scanner's MD position before initiating a subsequent scan. This method continues until full scan coverage is achieved, after which scans are replaced in the same order as previously described. This implementation can quickly scan the entire area, but if the goal is to visualize potential defects as quickly as possible, starting at a low resolution and filling the scan to increase resolution, the first algorithm mentioned herein can be used.

[0075] In some implementations, the second scan may be performed after the first scan (without any intermediate scans), and the third scan may be performed after the second scan (without any intermediate scans). However, in some implementations, one or more intermediate scans may be present.

[0076] In some implementations, method 400 may include performing additional scans on the moving sheet or substrate (in addition to the first, second, and third scans). These additional scans may be located further along the moving substrate sheet (e.g., further in the machine direction than each of the first, second, and third scans). For example, a series of three additional scans (e.g., a fourth, fifth, and sixth scan) may be performed using the same parameters and relative timing as the previous scans (e.g., the first, second, and third scans, respectively). That is, the method herein may include continuing to scan the moving sheet or substrate until a threshold distance between adjacent scan paths is less than a threshold distance, thereby allowing accurate interpolation of defect data between scan paths.

[0077] For example, method 400 may include: after completing a third scan, initiating a fourth scan using a scanning sensor to scan a third path across the patch, wherein the fourth scan may be initiated at a third time interval after the completion of the third scan; and the third time interval may be less than the second time interval. In such embodiments, the third time interval may be substantially equal to the first time interval. In some embodiments, the fourth scan may be initiated from the location where the scanner completes the second scan.

[0078] Method 400 may include: initiating a fifth scan using a scanning sensor after completing a fourth scan, wherein: the fifth scan may be initiated at a fourth time interval after the completion of the fourth scan; and the fourth time interval may be less than a second time interval. The fourth time interval may be substantially equal to the first time interval. The fifth scan may be initiated immediately after the completion of the fourth scan. For example, the fifth scan may be initiated immediately from the location where the fourth scan was completed. Method 400 may include: initiating a sixth scan after the delay time calculated using a scanning sensor for the initiation delay of a sixth scan (e.g., the delay time may be the same as or different from the delay time associated with the third scan), and scanning a sixth scan path across a moving, discontinuous patch sheet after the delay time has elapsed, to scan a sixth scan path. For example, the calculated delay time for the third scan may be equal to the calculated delay time for the sixth scan. Thus, similar to the third scan path (which is located between the first and second scan paths), the sixth scan path may be located between the fourth and fifth scan paths. In such embodiments, each scan in the scans (e.g., the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth scan paths) may be performed at the same scan rate. Each scan (e.g., the first scan, the second scan, the third scan, the fourth scan, the fifth scan, and the sixth scan, etc.) may have the same V-shaped profile produced by the scans that occur at their respective known scan speeds and acceleration rates.

[0079] As mentioned, the method described herein may include: continuing to scan the moving sheet or substrate until a threshold distance between adjacent scan paths is less than a threshold distance, thereby allowing accurate interpolation of defect data between scan paths. For example, Figure 5 An example of a scanning moving sheet or substrate 90 is illustrated, wherein the distance taken in the machine direction between adjacent scanning paths (e.g., as shown in the figure) Figure 3 The element 86 in the table represents a distance less than the threshold. For example... Figure 3 As shown, each scan path in the corresponding scan path can be spaced by the same distance. Spacing each scan path in the corresponding scan path by the same distance and less than a threshold distance can facilitate various aspects of this paper, such as facilitating accurate interpolation of defect data between scan paths, distinguishing machine-oriented defects and lateral defects, and / or minimizing the total number of scans (e.g., reducing the amount of time and / or cost associated with scanning moving sheets or substrates).

[0080] In some implementations, method 400 may include generating a complete visualization of the moving, discontinuous electrode patch sheet. For example, the complete visualization may be generated based on data from the scan and interpolated data (e.g., data interpolated for unscanned areas located between scan paths).

[0081] In some embodiments, method 400 may include: displaying a visual representation of the complete visualization of the electrode patch, and displaying a visual representation of one or more manufacturing defects in the electrode patch. For example, method 400 may include: displaying (e.g., simultaneously displaying) a visual representation of the complete visualization of a moving sheet, and a corresponding visual representation of each of the machine orientation profile and lateral profile of one or more patches on the moving sheet.

[0082] For example, Figure 5 This is a view 500 of a complete visualization 502 of the moving sheet and a view 504 of representative machine orientation profiles 504 and representative lateral profiles 506 of the moving sheet at relative MD and CD positions, respectively. The machine orientation profiles 504 and lateral profiles 506 may be generated based on scan data from a delayed scan of the moving sheet and interpolated data interpolated between scans (e.g., using linear interpolation, etc.). The complete visualization 502 of the moving sheet (e.g., each electrode patch in the electrode patch) may be displayed as a color map (e.g., where different measurements are represented by different colors, shadings, different markings, or different identifiers (such as different numeric identifiers)), and other possibilities, such as a contour map. For example, the complete visualization 502 may be represented as a three-dimensional map, etc. In any case, the complete visualization 502 may represent the different mechanical properties or profiles of different regions 503 of the moving sheet (e.g., regions of the moving sheet with different thicknesses, different weights, and other types of inhomogeneities (i.e., defects)).

[0083] The MD and CD positions of the MD and CD profiles can be adjusted by the machine operator or engineer to obtain detailed information about potential defects.

[0084] One or more visual representations of the machine orientation profile and / or lateral profile can be displayed. For example, each of the machine orientation profile and lateral profile of one or more patches can be displayed (e.g., the average profile of each patch in the patch, etc.). The machine orientation profile and / or lateral profile can represent different thicknesses, different weights, and / or otherwise represent any non-uniform areas (e.g., defects) of one or more patches on a moving sheet or substrate. As mentioned, providing both the lateral profile 506 and the machine orientation profile 504 facilitates various aspects of this document, such as allowing easy identification of machine orientation defects and lateral defects, and implementing corresponding types of remedial measures to mitigate or eliminate such defects.

[0085] It is important to note that various system functions can be implemented in a distributed manner across multiple similar computing platforms, thereby distributing the processing load to enhance performance and scalability. Alternatively, depending on the specific requirements of the implementation, the system can be implemented through appropriate programming of a single computing hardware platform.

[0086] Although several exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have been described thus, those skilled in the art will readily understand that other embodiments can be made and used within the scope of the appended claims. However, it should be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative in many respects. Changes may be made to details, particularly those relating to shape, size, arrangement of parts, and exclusion and sequence of steps, without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure is, of course, defined by the language expressed in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for performing delayed scanning of a moving, discontinuous patch sheet during manufacturing, the method comprising: A first scan is initiated using a scanning sensor to scan a first path across the patch; After the first scan is completed, a second scan is initiated using the scanning sensor to scan a second path across the patch; Calculate the delay time to position the third scan path within a threshold distance from the first scan path, the second scan path, or both the first scan path and the second scan path; The delay time will be calculated using the initiation delay of the third scan by the scanning sensor. as well as After the aforementioned delay period, the third scan is initiated.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The second scan is initiated in the first time interval after the first scan is completed; and The third scan is initiated at a second time interval after the second scan is completed.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: The delay time is calculated to position the third scan path between the first scan path and the second scan path.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second time duration is greater than about 50 milliseconds; and optionally, wherein the second time duration is 250 milliseconds or less.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The delay time is calculated to position the third scan path equidistantly between the first scan path and the second scan path.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: The delay time is calculated based on the following: The speed of the moving discontinuous patch sheet; The shape or size of the moving, discontinuous patch sheet; The shape or size of the patch; The scanning frequency of the scanning sensor; The distance between the first scan path and the second scan path; or Any combination of them.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: After the third scan is completed, a fourth scan is initiated using the scanning sensor to scan a fourth scan path across the patch, wherein: The fourth scan is initiated at a third time interval after the completion of the third scan; and the third time interval is less than the second time interval. Optionally, the third time amount is substantially equal to the first time amount.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: Interpolation is performed between the scan paths, including the first scan path, the second scan path, and the third scan path, to generate a complete visualization of the moving, discontinuous patch sheet; and The complete visual representation of the patch is displayed.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: Generate machine orientation profile and lateral profile from the scan path including the first scan path, the second scan path and the third scan path; as well as Display the corresponding visual representations of the machine's directional profile and lateral profile.

10. A system for scanning electrode patches, the system comprising: A scanning sensor configured to traverse a moving discontinuous electrode patch sheet; and The controller is configured to: A first scan is initiated at the initial position using a scanning sensor to scan a first path across the moving discontinuous electrode patch sheet; After the first scan is completed, a second scan is initiated using the scanning sensor to scan a second path across the moving discontinuous electrode patch sheet, wherein the second scan is initiated in a first time interval after the first scan is completed; Calculate the delay time to position the third scanning path of the scanning sensor equidistantly between the first scanning path and the second scanning path; The delay time will be calculated using the initiation delay of the third scan by the scanning sensor. The third scan is initiated immediately after the aforementioned delay time, wherein the third scan is initiated after a second time interval following the completion of the second scan, and wherein the second time interval is greater than the first time interval. Interpolation is performed between the scan paths, including the first scan path, the second scan path, and the third scan path, to generate a complete visualization of the moving, discontinuous electrode patch sheet; and show: The complete visual representation of the electrode patch, the visual representation including a visual representation of one or more manufacturing defects in the electrode patch; Machine orientation profile of one or more electrode patches in the electrode patch; The lateral contour of one or more electrode patches in the electrode patch; or Any combination of them.

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