Method for storing roll map and method for extracting roll map

Abstract

According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, provided is a method for storing a roll map. The method comprises the steps of: transmitting compressed measurement data to a server, wherein the compressed measurement data is generated by processing measurement data collected by measuring an electrode sheet; modifying the compressed measurement data to generate modified measurement data; and storing the modified data. The compressed measurement data includes a first measurement start coordinate, a first measurement end coordinate, a first representative value of a first section defined by the first measurement start coordinate and the first measurement end coordinate, a second measurement start coordinate, a second measurement end coordinate, and a second representative value of a second section defined by the second measurement start coordinate and the second measurement end coordinate, wherein the first measurement start coordinate and the second measurement start coordinate are the same.

Description

How to save a roll map and how to extract a roll map

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for storing a roll map and a method for extracting a roll map. This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 10-2023-0102249, filed August 4, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries can be charged and discharged multiple times. They are widely used as a power source for various wireless devices, including handsets, laptops, and cordless vacuum cleaners. Recently, improved energy density and economies of scale have dramatically reduced the per-unit manufacturing cost of secondary batteries. Furthermore, as the range of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) has increased to match that of fuel-powered vehicles, the primary use of secondary batteries is shifting from mobile devices to mobility.

[0003] Secondary batteries are manufactured through electrode processes, assembly processes, and activation processes. Among these, the electrode process is the most critical process in determining the yield and performance of the battery cell. The electrode process may include a coating process, a roll-pressing process, and a slitting process. In the coating process, active and insulating materials may be applied to the surface of the current collector. In the roll-pressing process, the electrode may be pressed by pressure rolls. The roll-pressing process may determine the density, performance, and surface quality of the electrode. In the slitting process, the electrode may be cut into multiple electrodes depending on the battery cell design.

[0004] The technical idea of ​​the present invention aims to solve a problem by providing a secondary battery manufacturing system capable of searching for historical data of electrode manufacturing and a method for manufacturing a secondary battery.

[0005] According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention for solving the above-described problem, a method for storing a roll map is provided. The method comprises the steps of transmitting compressed measurement data to a server, wherein the compressed measurement data is generated by processing measurement data collected by measurement of an electrode sheet; modifying the compressed measurement data to generate modified measurement data; and storing the modified data, wherein the compressed measurement data includes a first measurement start coordinate, a first measurement end coordinate, a first representative value of a first section defined by the first measurement start coordinate and the first measurement end coordinate, a second measurement start coordinate, a second measurement end coordinate, and a second representative value of a second section defined by the second measurement start coordinate and the second measurement end coordinate, wherein the first measurement start coordinate and the second measurement start coordinate are identical.

[0006] Modification of the above compressed measurement data is performed by the server.

[0007] Modification of the compressed measurement data replaces the first measurement end coordinate with the second measurement end coordinate.

[0008] Modification of the compressed measurement data replaces the first representative value with the second representative value.

[0009] According to exemplary embodiments, a method of extracting a roll map is provided. The method comprises the steps of merging coordinate-associated cell ID data and compressed measurement data to extract merged data, wherein the compressed measurement data includes measurement start coordinates, measurement end coordinates, and representative values ​​of measurements of electrode sheet portions defined by the measurement start coordinates and the measurement end coordinates, and the coordinate-associated cell ID data includes cell IDs and cell ID coordinates that are coordinates of electrodes matched to the cell IDs, the electrodes being formed by cutting of the electrode sheet, and the coordinate-associated cell ID data and the compressed measurement data are merged by outer merging.

[0010] The above outer merge is a left merge based on the cell ID data associated with the above coordinates.

[0011] The above external merge is a right merge.

[0012] The compressed measurement data includes a missing portion, and in the merged data, the measurement start coordinate and the measurement end coordinate of the missing portion of the compressed measurement data are null values.

[0013] The method further comprises a step of modifying the merged data to generate the modified data.

[0014] Modifying the above merged data compares the above measurement start coordinates and the above measurement end coordinates with the cell ID coordinates of the coordinate-associated cell ID data, which are not null.

[0015] The step of modifying the merged data to generate the modified data comprises finding a first measurement start coordinate and a first measurement end coordinate defining a first interval including a first cell ID coordinate corresponding to a missing portion of the compressed measurement data.

[0016] The first cell ID coordinate is included in the cell ID coordinates, the first measurement start coordinate is included in the measurement start coordinates, and the first measurement end coordinate is included in the measurement end coordinates.

[0017] The step of modifying the merged data to generate the modified data includes matching the first measurement start coordinate and the first measurement end coordinate to the first cell ID coordinate.

[0018] The first representative value of the first section matches the first cell ID coordinates, and the first representative value is included in the representative values ​​of the compressed measurement data.

[0019] According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, traceability between the roll map generated in the electrode process and semi-finished products such as monocells can be improved. Accordingly, the reliability of secondary battery manufacturing can be enhanced.

[0020] The effects that can be obtained from the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly derived and understood by those skilled in the art to which the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure pertain from the following description. In other words, unintended effects resulting from practicing the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can also be derived by those skilled in the art from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 1 illustrates a secondary battery manufacturing system according to exemplary embodiments.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a data storage method according to exemplary embodiments.

[0023] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a data joining method according to exemplary embodiments.

[0024] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, it should be noted that the terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their conventional or dictionary meanings. Based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concepts of terms to best explain his or her invention, they should be interpreted in a way that aligns with the technical spirit of the present invention.

[0025] Accordingly, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modified examples that can replace them at the time of filing this application.

[0026] In addition, when describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description is omitted.

[0027] Since the embodiments of the present invention are provided to more fully explain the present invention to those skilled in the art, the shapes and sizes of components in the drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or schematically illustrated for clearer explanation. Accordingly, the sizes and proportions of each component do not fully reflect the actual sizes or proportions.

[0028]

[0029] (Example 1)

[0030] Figure 1 illustrates a secondary battery manufacturing system (10) according to exemplary embodiments.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 1, a secondary battery manufacturing system (10) may include an electrode process facility (100), an assembly process facility (200), and a roll map generator (300).

[0032] The electrode process equipment (100) may be configured to perform a process for manufacturing a secondary battery. In the electrode process equipment (100), an electrode process may be performed on an electrode sheet unwound from an electrode roll by an unwinder, and the electrode sheet may be wound back onto an electrode roll by a rewinder. Accordingly, the electrode process may be a roll-to-roll process.

[0033] The electrode process equipment (100) may include a first rotary encoder configured to detect an input amount of the electrode sheet based on the rotation amount of the unwinder and a second rotary encoder configured to detect an exhaust amount of the electrode sheet based on the rotation amount of the rewinder. The first rotary encoder may generate an input amount signal and may be configured to transmit the input amount signal to the controller (110). The first rotary encoder may generate an exhaust amount signal and may be configured to transmit the exhaust amount signal to the controller (110).

[0034] The electrode sheet can be processed by a processing device. For example, the processing device can include a coater, and electrode slurry can be coated on the electrode sheet. As another example, the processing device can include a pressure roll, and a roll pressing process can be performed on the electrode sheet coated with the electrode slurry. As another example, the processing device can include a splicing die and a scrap port, and a portion of the electrode sheet can be scraped. As another example, the processing device can include a slitting knife, and the electrode sheet can be separated into a plurality of electrode sheets.

[0035] The coating process is a process of applying a coating material, such as electrode slurry, onto an electrode sheet. The electrode slurry may include an electrode active material, a conductive agent, a binder, and a solvent. The electrode slurry may be provided by dissolving the electrode active material, the conductive agent, the binder, etc. in a solvent. In the coating process, an insulating layer may be further coated on the boundary of the support lane of the electrode sheet. Here, the support lane is a portion of the electrode sheet coated with the electrode slurry.

[0036] The roll pressing process involves passing an electrode sheet coated with electrode slurry between opposing press rolls. The press rolls can smooth the electrode surface and enhance the bonding strength between the active material and the current collector.

[0037] To increase the production capacity (e.g., GWh) per line of a secondary battery production facility, a coating process and a roll pressing process are performed on wide electrode sheets (ES). Subsequently, in a slitting process, the wide electrode sheets (ES) can be cut to the specifications of the battery cell.

[0038] The electrode process equipment (100) may include a controller (110) configured to control an unwinder, a rewinder, and a processing mechanism. The controller (110) and a controller (210) described below may be a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). A PLC is a special type of microprocessor-based controller that uses programmable memory to store commands and implement functions such as logic, sequencing, timing, counting, and arithmetic to control machines and processes. PLCs are easy to operate and program.

[0039] The controllers (110, 210) may include a power supply, a central processing unit (CPU), an input interface, an output interface, a communication interface, and memory devices. For the operation of the controller (210), the controller (210) may be configured to supply power to other elements of the controllers (110, 210), such as the CPU, the input interface, the output interface, the communication interface, and the memory devices. The memory devices may include a read-only memory (ROM) configured to store a system program, such as an operating system, and a random access memory (RAM) configured to store data, such as user programs and status information of input and output devices, timers, counters, and other internal device values. The CPU may be configured to control communication between modules that implement logic and convert input signals into output operation signals. The CPU may operate based on the system program and the user program stored in the memory devices. The CPU may be configured to write or read inspection data and measurement data to or from the data area of ​​the memory devices based on the system program and the user program. Conditions or data of industrial devices and production processes may be transmitted to the CPU through the input module. The results processed by the CPU can be transmitted to the actuator via the output module. The communication interface can be configured to transmit and receive data between the controllers (110, 210) and the servers (310, 350).

[0040] However, the controllers (110, 210) are not limited thereto, and may include any one of simple controllers, complex processors such as microprocessors, CPUs, GPUs, processors configured by software, dedicated hardware, and firmware. The controllers (110, 210) may also be implemented by, for example, general-purpose computers or application-specific hardware such as digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and application specific integrated circuits (ASICs).

[0041] The controller (110) may be configured to receive input and exhaustion signals from the rotary encoder. Accordingly, the controller (110) may be configured to determine the coordinates of a portion of the electrode sheet unwound by the unwinder and a portion of the electrode sheet wound by the rewinder. The controller (110) may be configured to determine the coordinates of an event occurring in the electrode sheet based on an offset length.

[0042] Here, the offset length may be the length of the electrode sheet between the processing mechanism and one of the measuring and inspection devices described below and the rewinder, or the length of the electrode sheet between one of the processing mechanism, the measuring device and the inspection device and the unwinder.

[0043] The electrode process equipment may further include a measuring device and an inspector. The measuring device and inspector may include a sensing unit and a processing unit. The sensing unit may be configured to generate a measuring signal or an inspection signal. It may include a Time Delay and Integration (TDI) camera, a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, and a Time of Flight (TOF) sensor. The sensing unit may include an emitter and a receiver configured to perform measurements using non-destructive signals such as ultrasound, microwaves, terahertz waves, and infrared. The sensing unit may include analog and / or digital sensors such as a color sensor, a biosensor, a chemical sensor, a composition sensor, a current and / or power meter, an air quality sensor, a gas sensor, a Hall effect sensor, a brightness level sensor, and a light sensor. The sensing unit may include a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a proximity sensor, a door status sensor, a motion tracking sensor, a humidity sensor, visible and infrared sensors, and a camera. In some cases, the inspector may include only the sensing unit.

[0044] The measuring device may be configured to collect measurement data, and the tester may be configured to collect inspection data. The circular measurement data may include a profile of a physical quantity based on scanning. For example, the measurement data may include thickness data and loading data of a coating material on an electrode sheet. As a non-limiting example, the measuring device may include a web gauge and a thickness gauge from Thermofisher Scientific.

[0045] Inspection data may include judgments on the quality of portions of the electrode sheet and process events. For example, the inspection data may include data on the appearance of the electrode sheet collected by an image-based inspection device such as a vision machine, dimensional data such as the width of the insulating material provided on the coating material and the overlapping width between the coating material and the insulating material, mismatch data between the retaining lanes on the upper surface of the electrode sheet and the retaining lanes on the lower surface of the electrode sheet, data on open circuits and seams of the electrode sheet, data on portions of the electrode sheet on which sampling inspection has been performed, data on portions of the electrode sheet scheduled for scrapping, data on scrapped portions of the electrode sheet, data on the quality of the coating material and the insulating material on the electrode sheet, data on reference points indicating the position of the electrode sheet, and defect data such as pinhole defects, crater defects, line defects, crack defects, side ring defects, island defects, fold defects, wrinkle defects, dent defects, and imprint defects. The reference points may be formed at predetermined intervals on the electrode sheet, and the positions of other elements on the electrode sheet may be located based on the reference points. The inspector can be any one of a color sensor, a seam sensor, a fiducial sensor, and a vision machine.

[0046] The measurement data and inspection data described above may be time series data. The measurement data and inspection data may be temporally aligned. The measurement data and inspection data may be time indexed. The measurement data may include measurement values ​​and time values ​​(or time values) matching the measurement values. The inspection data may include inspection values ​​and time values ​​(or time values) matching the inspection values. That is, the measurement data and inspection data may be stored based on the time at which the measurement and inspection were performed, and the measurement values ​​of the measurement data and the inspection values ​​of the inspection data may be associated with time. The time values ​​of the measurement data and inspection data may have, for example, but are not limited to, a timestamp format.

[0047] For example, measurement data (e.g., electrode sheet loading amount data or electrode sheet thickness data) may have a series of measurement values ​​and time values ​​associated with the series of loading amount values. The measurement values ​​and time values ​​may be matched one-to-one, but are not limited thereto. The measurement values ​​may also be matched many-to-one with a single time stamp indicating the start point of the measurement. As another example, defect data may have a value indicating a defect and a time value associated with the value indicating the defect. Here, indicating a defect includes at least one of the presence or absence of a defect and the type of defect.

[0048] Inspection data can be matched with coordinates by the controller (110). More specifically, the controller (110) can be configured to receive inspection data from the inspection device and, accordingly, to match the inspection data with coordinates, thereby generating coordinate-related inspection data (CID). The coordinate-related inspection data (CID) can include a judgment value and coordinates matched to the judgment value. The coordinates can be a single coordinate, or can include an inspection start coordinate and an inspection end coordinate to indicate a section of the electrode sheet corresponding to the judgment value.

[0049] The processor of the measuring device may be configured to receive coordinates from the controller (110), associate the coordinates with the measurement data, and the measurement data to generate coordinate-associated measurement data. The coordinate-associated measurement data may include a measurement start coordinate, a measurement end coordinate, and circular measurement data matched to the measurement start coordinate and the measurement end coordinate, which indicate a section of the electrode sheet from which the measurement data was collected. That is, the circular measurement data may be collected from a section of the electrode sheet defined by the measurement start coordinate and the measurement end coordinate. The processor may further generate compressed measurement data (CMD) including a representative value of the circular measurement data and a measurement start coordinate and a measurement end coordinate matched to the representative value (e.g., an average). The representative value of the measurement data may be derived from the circular measurement data collected from a section of the electrode sheet defined by the measurement start coordinate and the measurement end coordinate. The compressed measurement data (CMD) and the coordinate-associated measurement data may be generated by the controller (110) rather than the processor.

[0050] The assembly process equipment (200) may be configured to perform an assembly process. The secondary assembly process equipment (200) may be configured to perform, for example, a lamination and stacking (hereinafter referred to as L&S) process. As a result of the lamination process, mono cells and half cells may be provided. The mono cells may include a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and separators. The half cells may include a negative electrode and a separator. In the stacking process, the mono cells and half cells may be stacked vertically, thereby providing an electrode assembly.

[0051] The assembly process equipment (200) may be configured to further perform a notching process. The notching process may form tabs in the electrode sheet and, if necessary, form V-shaped grooves for cutting the electrode sheet. In the notching process, positive electrode tabs and negative electrode tabs may be formed. In the notching process, a cell ID may be formed on the negative electrode tabs. The cell ID may be formed by a method such as laser printing or ink printing. Accordingly, each of the negative electrode tabs may include a cell ID. Unlike the negative electrode tabs, the positive electrode tabs may not include a cell ID to prevent defects.

[0052] The assembly process equipment (200) may include anode unwinders, cathode unwinders, and separator unwinders, electrode cutters, separator cutters, anode rotary encoders, cathode rotary encoders, seam sensors, cell ID readers (131), and a controller (210).

[0053] The unwinders may be configured to feed roll-shaped materials into the secondary battery manufacturing system. More specifically, the positive electrode unwinder may be configured to unwind positive electrode sheets from positive electrode rolls, the negative electrode unwinder may be configured to unwind negative electrode sheets from negative electrode rolls, and the separator unwinders may be configured to unwind separator sheets from separator rolls.

[0054] The cell ID of each of the negative tabs can be configured to indicate a sequence number within each of the negative tabs within the negative sheet. The cell ID of each of the negative tabs can indicate a sequence number of the negative tabs. The cell ID can include, for example, a barcode. The cell ID can include, for example, a two-dimensional barcode.

[0055] However, the cell ID may not be limited thereto, and may also include symbols indicating the sequence number of the negative tabs. The symbols of the cell ID may include, but are not limited to, Arabic numerals. The symbols of the cell ID may include any characters that can provide information about the sequence number of the negative tabs.

[0056] The anode cutter may be configured to cut the anode sheet. A plurality of anodes may be provided by cutting the anode sheet. The cathode cutter may be configured to cut the cathode sheet. A plurality of cathodes may be provided by cutting the cathode sheet.

[0057] The controller (210) can control the operations of the positive cutter and the negative cutter as described below, and accordingly can be configured to count the cuts of the positive sheet by the positive cutter and the cuts of the negative sheet by the negative cutter. For example, the controller (210) can be configured to receive a first cut count signal from the positive cutter and a second cut count signal from the negative cutter.

[0058] A separator cutter may be configured to cut separator sheets. Before cutting the separator sheets, the laminated structure of the separator sheets, anodes, and cathodes may be pressed by a nip roll (not shown) or the like. By cutting the separator sheets, a mono cell including anodes, cathodes, and separators may be provided.

[0059] The rotary encoders may be configured to detect the rotational amount of the positive unwinder and the negative unwinder. The rotary encoders may be configured to detect the amount of positive sheets unwound from the positive roll by the positive unwinder and the amount of negative sheets unwound from the negative roll by the negative unwinder. Accordingly, the rotary encoders may be configured to generate a first input signal representing the length of the positive sheets unwound by the positive unwinder (i.e., the input amount of the positive sheets) and a second input signal representing the length of the negative sheets unwound by the negative unwinder (i.e., the input amount of the negative sheets). The rotary encoders may be configured to transmit the first and second input signals to the controller.

[0060] The seam detection sensors may be configured to detect the seam of the positive and negative sheets, wherein the positive and negative sheets may include a seam when the positive and negative rolls are replaced (i.e., subsequent positive and negative rolls are loaded into the positive unwinder and negative unwinder).

[0061] The seam detection sensors may be, but are not limited to, color sensors. The seam detection sensors may be configured to generate seam detection signals. The seam detection signals may be transmitted to the controller.

[0062] The cell ID reader may be configured to detect a cell ID. The cell ID reader may be configured to read a sequence number indicated by the cell ID. The cell ID reader may be, for example, but is not limited to, a bar code reader (BCR). The cell ID reader may also be an optical character reader (OCR). The cell ID reader may be configured to generate a cell ID detection signal based on the detection of the cell ID. The cell ID reader may be configured to transmit the cell ID detection signal to the controller (210).

[0063] The controller (210) may be configured to control elements of the assembly process equipment (200), such as, for example, unwinders, anode cutters, cathode cutters, and separator cutters. The controller (210) may be configured to determine coordinates of a portion of a cathode sheet unwound from the unwinder within the cathode sheet based on either a feed amount calculated based on a cut count of the cathode cutter or a feed amount of a cathode sheet detected by a rotary encoder. The controller (210) may be configured to determine coordinates of a portion of a cathode sheet unwound from the unwinder within the cathode sheet based on either a feed amount calculated based on a cut count of the cathode cutter or a feed amount of a cathode sheet detected by a rotary encoder.

[0064] The controller (210) may be configured to determine the coordinates of an event occurring on the anode sheet (or a plurality of anodes) based on the input amount of the anode sheet and the offset length. Here, the offset length is the distance between the portion of the anode sheet where a process event (e.g., inspection by an inspector and processing by a processing device) occurred and the unwinder.

[0065] The controller (210) may be configured to determine the coordinates of an event occurring in the cathode sheet (or multiple cathodes), such as detection of a cell ID, based on the input amount and offset length of the cathode sheet. Here, the offset length is the distance between the portion of the cathode sheet where the process event occurred and the unwinder.

[0066] The controller (210) may be configured to collect coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD) based on a cell ID detection signal, a dosage amount of the anode sheet, and a dosage amount of the cathode sheet. The controller (210) may be configured to match the coordinates of the cathode detected by the cell ID reader with the cell ID detection signal to collect the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD). The controller (210) may be configured to match the coordinates of the anode coupled with the cathode detected by the cell ID reader with the cell ID detection signal to collect the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD). Accordingly, the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD) may include coordinates of the cell IDs and the plurality of cathodes matched thereto, and coordinates of the plurality of anodes.

[0067] In order to match the cell ID and the coordinates of the positive and negative electrode sheets, the lot number of the positive roll from which the positive sheet is unwound and the lot number of the positive roll from which the negative sheet is unwound must be determined. According to exemplary embodiments, the controller (210) can update the lot numbers of the positive and negative rolls, respectively, based on the seam detection signals of the positive and negative electrode sheets, respectively. Accordingly, the coordinates of the negative and positive electrode sheets can be reset based on the seam detection signals and the seam detection signals. The offset lengths of the seam sensors can be used for updating the lot number and resetting the coordinates of the negative and positive electrode sheets. Here, the offset length can be the length of the positive or negative electrode sheet between the unwinder and the seam sensor.

[0068] More specifically, when a new anode roll or cathode roll is loaded into the unwinder, the anode roll must be connected to the remaining anode sheets of the previous lot using a seam to continue the roll-to-roll process. For example, the portion of the anode sheet following the seam of the anode sheet that is sensed for the first time after loading the anode roll of the new lot into the unwinder can be determined to have been unwound from the newly loaded anode roll. Similarly, the portion of the anode sheet following the seam of the anode sheet that is sensed for the first time after loading the anode roll of the new lot into the unwinder can be determined to have been unwound from the newly loaded anode roll.

[0069] The roll map generator (300) may include servers (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360). The roll map generator (300) may be configured to generate a roll map based on data (e.g., coordinate-associated inspection data (CID) and compressed measurement data (CMD) and coordinate-associated cell identification data (CIDD)) collected or generated by the electrode process equipment (100) and the assembly process equipment (200).

[0070] The server (310) may be configured to relay communication between the controller (110) and the server (320). The server (310) may be, for example, a communication server. The language and protocol of the server (320) may be different from the language and protocol of the controller (110). For example, the language of the server (320) may be SQL, and the language of the controller (110) may be ladder diagram. In addition, the server (310) may be configured to convert data collected by the controller (110), such as coordinate-associated cell identification data (CIDD), into the language of the server (320) and record the converted data in a database of the server (320). Accordingly, coordinate-associated inspection data (CID) and compressed measurement data (CMD) may be recorded in the database of the server (320).

[0071] As a non-limiting example, the server (320) may be a Manufacturing Execution System (MES). The server (320) may be configured to input, process, output, and communicate data required for electrode manufacturing processes such as a coating process, a roll pressing process, and a slitting process.

[0072] The server (320) may be configured to generate roll maps of the electrode process. Here, the roll maps may represent process events of the positive and negative electrode sheets based on coordinates indicating locations on the positive and negative electrode sheets. As described above, a process for manufacturing a secondary battery may be performed on the positive and negative electrode sheets.

[0073] A roll map may include event data representing events in a roll-to-roll process of electrode sheets. Event data typically occurs as the process progresses, and thus is time-series data. Accordingly, data on process events may include values ​​representing the events and time values ​​associated with them. Time-series data may be temporally ordered. Temporal ordering is a key characteristic of time-series data, which organizes events in the order in which they occur and arrive for processing. In other words, time-series data may be stored based on the time at which an event occurs (i.e., when inspection and measurement are performed, or when process actions are performed), and events may be associated with time values.

[0074] A roll map represents the history of processes performed on the positive and negative electrode sheets and may include coordinate-related data. Accordingly, the roll map enables feedback, feedforward, and tracking of the secondary battery manufacturing process.

[0075] The manufacturing of secondary batteries involves a series of different processes, with the leading process influencing the following process. Feedforward refers to the correction of subsequent processes based on data generated from the results of the preceding process. However, if the time-series data of the preceding process does not directly match the real-world workpieces, semi-finished products, and finished products, it is difficult to reflect the time-series data of the preceding process in subsequent processes. Here, the workpiece refers to the product provided as a result of each process, such as anode sheets and cathode sheets that have undergone a coating process, a roll press process, and a slitting process. The semi-finished product may refer to one of cut separators, electrodes, and an assembly thereof. The semi-finished product may also be a structure comprising a housing and an electrode assembly embedded in the housing (in some cases, the structure further includes an electrolyte). The product refers to a product that has been processed to operate as a secondary battery through an activation process. The above definitions of workpieces, semi-finished products, and finished products are only one aspect of these and do not exclude conventional definitions of these.

[0076] For feedforward, time-series data must be associated with the actual locations of workpieces, parts, semi-finished products, and finished products in the real world. In a roll map, time-series data, such as measurement data, can be associated with coordinate data based on the movement of anode and cathode sheets (i.e., either input or output). A roll map can associate time-series data with coordinate data, which includes coordinates representing the actual locations of workpieces, parts, semi-finished products, and finished products in the real world. Accordingly, the creation of a roll map and feedforward based on the roll map can quantify and objectify aspects of the process previously dependent on the operator's discretion, thereby improving production efficiency and quality.

[0077] Roll maps can be generated on a lot-by-lot basis. A lot is a production unit of a roll-to-roll process, and electrode rolls loaded onto unwinders are examples of lots. Accordingly, the server (320) can be configured to store a roll map of electrode rolls.

[0078] The server (330) may be configured to store and process inspection data of the electrode sheet. The server (330) may continuously monitor the processing of the electrode sheet based on the inspection data, thereby managing the quality of the processing of the electrode sheet. According to exemplary embodiments, the server (330) may be a Statistical Process Controller (SPC). By collecting and analyzing manufacturing data in near real-time, the server (330) may promptly identify problem conditions and provide alerts to operators before potential problems occur.

[0079] The server (340) may be configured to store data of the servers (320, 330). The server (340) may be configured to store coordinate-related inspection data (CID) and compressed measurement data (CMD). If the server (320) is an MES and the server (330) is an SPC, it may not be suitable for long-term storage of coordinate-related inspection data (CID) and compressed measurement data (CMD). The server (340) may be, for example, a data warehouse, and may store coordinate-related inspection data (CID) and compressed measurement data (CMD) for a long period of time based on the quality assurance period of the product, etc.

[0080] The server (350) may be configured to relay communications between the controller (210) and the server (360). The server (350) may be, for example, a communication server. The language and protocol of the server (360) may be different from those of the controller (210). For example, the language of the server (360) may be SQL, and the language of the controller (210) may be Ladder Diagram. In addition, the server (350) may be configured to convert data collected by the controller (210), such as coordinate-associated cell identification data (CIDD), into the language of the server (360) and record the converted data in the database of the server (360).

[0081] The server (360) may be configured to store coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD). It may be configured to process the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD). The server (360) may be configured to transmit the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD) to the server (340). The server (340) may store the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD) for a long period of time based on the product's quality assurance period, etc. Accordingly, tracking of the manufacturing process according to the product's life cycle may be provided.

[0082] Furthermore, the roll map, as described below, is cumulatively generated for work-pieces, parts, semi-finished products, and finished products of unit processes, thereby enabling tracking of the process history for shipped products (e.g., battery cells, battery modules, or battery packs). Mono cells include a cell ID formed on the negative tabs, and the server (360) can store the lot numbers and coordinates of the positive and negative electrodes included in the mono cells that match the cell ID. In other words, the positive and negative electrodes included in the actual battery cell can be associated with the roll map by the cell ID. Accordingly, when an event such as a quality issue occurs in mono cells (or battery cells including mono cells) that have already been shipped, the history of collective data of the manufacturing of the corresponding mono cells can be retrieved based on the cell ID.

[0083] That is, the server (340) can provide a matching between the data of the roll map of the electrode process (i.e., compressed measurement data (CMD) and coordinate-associated inspection data (CID)) and the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CID). The server (340) can be configured to store, process, modulate, and transmit the data of the roll map of the electrode process to provide a matching between the data of the roll map of the electrode process and the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CID).

[0084] The servers (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360) may be implemented using hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, the servers (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360) may include computing devices such as workstation computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, etc. The servers (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360) may also include any one of simple controllers, complex processors such as microprocessors, CPUs, GPUs, processors configured by software, dedicated hardware, and firmware. The servers (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360) may be implemented by, for example, a general-purpose computer or application-specific hardware such as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

[0085] The servers (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360) may include physical servers or cloud servers. The servers (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360) may provide data and analysis results to workers through various frameworks. The frameworks may include protocols that support data transmission, allowing client devices to visualize data through a user interface and provide updated visualizations when new data is calculated by the servers (310, 320). The protocols that support the data transmission may use HTML, JavaScript, and / or JSON.

[0086] Servers (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360) may include various Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for storing data in databases and other data management tools. The APIs may also be used to retrieve data from databases in various data management systems. The data management systems may provide access to the databases, pull data from the databases, retrieve data, and generate metrics. Metrics are tools for visualizing data. Metrics include time-series measurements and can be used for monitoring applications and generating status alerts.

[0087] According to some embodiments, the operations of the servers (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360) may be implemented as instructions stored on a machine-readable medium that can be read and executed by one or more processors. Here, the machine-readable medium may include any mechanism for storing and / or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computing device). For example, the machine-readable medium may include a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk storage medium, an optical storage medium, a flash memory, an electrical, optical, acoustical or other form of radio signal (e.g., a carrier wave, an infrared signal, a digital signal, etc.), and any other signal.

[0088] The servers (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360) may be configured with firmware, software, routines, and instructions for performing the operations described above or any of the processes described below. For example, the servers (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360) may be instantiated in memory.

[0089] However, this is for convenience of explanation, and the operations of the above-described servers (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360) may also be caused by other devices executing computing devices, distributed computing devices, processors, firmware, software, routines, and instructions.

[0090] The secondary battery manufacturing system (10) can implement a plug-in architecture with an API for data acquisition to provide plug-and-play connectivity for processing tools, inspection devices, and measuring devices. Accordingly, resources from a specific process step and site can be easily transferred to other processes and sites, or new resources can be easily introduced to each process step and site.

[0091] The data network between elements of the secondary battery manufacturing system (10) may include various types of communication channels, including unidirectional, bidirectional wired, and wireless communications. For example, the data network may include an industrial protocol network such as OPC, Modbus, ProfiNet, etc. The communication channel may be a dedicated conduit communication such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), IEEE 802 (Ethernet), IEEE 1394 (FireWire), or other high-speed data communication standards.

[0092]

[0093] (Example 2: Method)

[0094] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a data storage method according to exemplary embodiments.

[0095] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, compressed measurement data (CMD) can be transmitted at P110. The compressed measurement data (CMD) can be transmitted from the server (330) to the server (340).

[0096] Table 1 provides an example of compressed measurement data (CMD). In Table 1, the compressed measurement data (CMD) is presented in a table format. However, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention in any way. The compressed measurement data (CMD) may also be transmitted and stored in, for example, JSON format.

[0097] Measurement start coordinates Measurement end coordinates Representative value 1st section 3.410.1X3.410.13.410.13.410.13.410.1 2nd section 3.415.5Y3.415.53.415.53.415.53.415.5

[0098] The measurement of the electrode sheet is performed on the electrode sheet moving in the machine direction. The measurement of the electrode sheet may be a scanning in the transverse direction of the electrode sheet. Accordingly, the measurement start coordinate and the measurement end coordinate of one scanning may be different from the measurement start coordinate and the measurement end coordinate of a subsequent scanning. For example, the measurement start coordinate of one scanning is smaller than the measurement end coordinate, the measurement start coordinate of the subsequent scanning is smaller than the measurement end coordinate, and the measurement end coordinate of one scanning is smaller than the measurement start coordinate of the subsequent scanning. The measurement end coordinate of one scanning may be the same as the measurement start coordinate of the subsequent scanning. In contrast, in Table 1, the measurement start coordinate of the first section and the measurement start coordinate of the second section following the first section are identical. Such an error may be referred to as data duplication. Data duplication may be caused by problems with the transmission of compressed measurement data (CMD) or by problems with resetting (or updating) coordinates of the instrument and controller (110). In this case, in addition to the uncertainty of the measurement start coordinates of the second section, the measurement end coordinates of the first section may also be uncertainty.

[0099] Next, in P120, the compressed measurement data (CMD) can be modified. The compressed measurement data (CMD) can be modified by the server (340), thereby eliminating data duplication in the compressed measurement data (CMD). Modified measurement data can be generated by modifying the compressed measurement data. Table 2 shows the modified measurement data.

[0100] Measurement start coordinate Measurement end coordinate Representative value 1st section 3.415.5Y3.415.53.415.53.415.53.415.5 2nd section 3.415.5Y3.415.53.415.53.415.53.415.5

[0101] In Table 1, the first section is included in the second section. If there is a problem with the coordinate reset of the measuring instrument and / or the controller (110), the measurement end coordinate of the first section is unclear, and therefore, in the case of the representative value 'X' in Table 1, the reliability of the measurement start coordinate and the measurement end coordinate of the portion of the calculated electrode sheet is low, and therefore, it is not suitable to be used as a representative value. On the other hand, the measurement start coordinate and the measurement end coordinate of the second section are each clear. Therefore, the second section includes the representative value calculated from the known measurement start coordinate and the measurement end coordinate. According to exemplary embodiments, the server (340) can replace the measurement start coordinate, the measurement end coordinate, and the representative value of the first section with the measurement start coordinate, the measurement end coordinate, and the representative value of the second section. According to exemplary embodiments, by synchronizing the measurement start coordinate, the measurement end coordinate, and the representative value of the first section with the second section, errors due to duplication of data can be prevented, and the reliability of tracking of the secondary battery can be improved.

[0102] Next, in P130, the modified measurement data can be stored. The modified measurement data can be stored in the server (340).

[0103]

[0104] (Example 3: Method)

[0105] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a data joining method according to exemplary embodiments.

[0106] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in P210, coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD) and compressed measurement data (CMD) can be merged. Merging of coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD) and compressed measurement data (CMD) can be performed by a server (340). The server (340) can store the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD) and the compressed measurement data (CMD). The server (340) can be configured to merge the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD) and the compressed measurement data (CMD) to generate merged data in response to an API request from a client device. The server (340) can be configured to transmit a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) (or schema) including source code for displaying the merged data on the client device to the client device.

[0107] Table 3 shows an inner join of coordinate-related cell ID data (CIDD) and compressed measurement data (CMD) according to comparative examples, and Table 4 shows an outer join of coordinate-related cell ID data (CIDD) and compressed measurement data (CMD) according to exemplary embodiments.

[0108]

[0109] Coordinates Associated Cell ID Data Compressed Measurement Data Merged Data Cell ID Cell ID Coordinates Measurement Start Coordinate Measurement End Coordinate Cell ID Cell ID Coordinates Measurement Start Coordinate Measurement End Coordinate AA0.4 Missing Missing Merged Data Not Created BB0.50.43.9 BB0.50.43.9 CC0.60.43.9 CC0.60.43.9 DD0.7 Missing Missing Merged Data Not Created

[0110] In Table 3, portions of the coordinate-related measurement data corresponding to cell IDs 'AA' and 'DD' may be missing due to data transmission errors, etc. In this case, data distortion occurs due to the missing samples, and the missing compressed measurement data itself may not be recognized.

[0111] Coordinate Associated Cell ID Data Compressed Measurement Data Merged Data Cell ID Cell ID Coordinate Measurement Start Coordinate Measurement End Coordinate Cell ID Cell ID Coordinate Measurement Start Coordinate Measurement End Coordinate AA0.4 Missing Missing AA0.4--BB0.50.43.9BB0.50.43.9CC0.60.43.9CC0.60.43.9DD0.7 Missing Missing DD0.7--

[0112] In Table 4, data of the roll map of the electrode process (e.g., compressed measurement data (CMD) and coordinate-associated inspection data (CID)) and coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD) are merged with the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD) as the center. As a non-limiting example, the merge of the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD) and the compressed measurement data (CMD) may be a left merge. In another example, the merge of the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CIDD) and the compressed measurement data (CMD) may be a right merge. In the merged data, a null value may be entered for a portion where data is missing. In the merged data, a portion where data is missing may have any value that identifies the missing data, including special symbols such as '-', '*', '@', and '#'.

[0113] Next, at P220, missing portions of the merged data can be corrected. The merged data can be corrected by the server (340), thereby generating corrected data. Table 5 shows the merged data and the corrected data generated by modifying the merged data.

[0114]

[0115] Merged dataModified dataCell IDCell IDCoordinateMeasurement start coordinateMeasurement end coordinateCell IDCell IDCoordinateMeasurement start coordinateMeasurement end coordinateAA0.4--AA0.40.43.9BB0.50.43.9BB0.50.43.9CC0.60.43.9CC0.60.43.9DD0.7--DD0.70.43.9

[0116] Correction of missing data of compressed measurement data (PMD) may include comparing the measurement start coordinates and measurement end coordinates of a non-missing portion of the compressed measurement data (i.e., a portion normally transmitted to the server (340)) with the cell ID coordinates of the coordinate-associated cell ID data (CID). More specifically, correction of the merged data includes finding, among pairs of measurement start coordinates and measurement end coordinates, an interval defining cell ID coordinates corresponding to the missing portion of the compressed measurement data (PMD), such as '0.4' and '0.7' in Table 5.

[0117] In Table 5, the cell ID coordinate '0.4' matched to the cell ID 'AA' and the cell ID coordinate '0.7' matched to the cell ID 'DD' are included in the interval defined by the measurement start coordinate '0.4' and the measurement end coordinate '3.9' matched to the cell ID 'BB'. Accordingly, in the modified data, the cell ID 'AA' and the cell ID coordinate '0.4' matched thereto can be matched with the measurement start coordinate '0.4' and the measurement end coordinate '3.9' and the representative values ​​of the interval defined by them. In addition, in the modified data, the cell ID 'DD' and the cell ID coordinate '0.7' matched thereto can be matched with the measurement start coordinate '0.4' and the measurement end coordinate '3.9' and the representative values ​​of the interval defined by them.

[0118] The generation of the modified data may be performed in response to a request from a client device, or may be performed automatically in response to a request from a client device to query the merged data.

[0119]

[0120] The present invention has been described in more detail through drawings and examples. However, the configurations described in the drawings or examples described in this specification are merely embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that various equivalents and modified examples may exist as of the time of this application.

Claims

1. A step of transmitting compressed measurement data to a server, wherein the compressed measurement data is generated by processing measurement data collected by measurement of an electrode sheet; a step of modifying the compressed measurement data to generate modified measurement data; and Including a step of storing the above modified data, The compressed measurement data includes a first measurement start coordinate, a first measurement end coordinate, a first representative value of a first section defined by the first measurement start coordinate and the first measurement end coordinate, a second measurement start coordinate, a second measurement end coordinate, and a second representative value of a second section defined by the second measurement start coordinate and the second measurement end coordinate, A method for storing a roll map, wherein the first measurement start coordinates and the second measurement start coordinates are the same.

2. In paragraph 1, A method for storing a roll map, characterized in that the modification of the compressed measurement data is performed by the server.

3. In paragraph 1, A method for storing a roll map, wherein the modification of the compressed measurement data is characterized in that the first measurement end coordinate is replaced with the second measurement end coordinate.

4. In paragraph 1, A method for storing a roll map, wherein the modification of the compressed measurement data is characterized in that the first representative value is replaced with the second representative value.

5. Including a step of merging the compressed measurement data with the coordinate-related cell ID data to extract the merged data, The compressed measurement data includes measurement start coordinates, measurement end coordinates, and representative values ​​of measurements of electrode sheet portions defined by the measurement start coordinates and the measurement end coordinates, The above coordinate-related cell ID data includes cell ID coordinates which are coordinates of cell IDs and electrodes matched to the cell IDs, and the electrodes are formed by cutting the electrode sheet, and A method for extracting a roll map, characterized in that the cell ID data associated with the above coordinates and the compressed measurement data are merged by outer merging.

6. In paragraph 5, A method for extracting a roll map, characterized in that the above outer merging is a left merging based on the cell ID data associated with the above coordinates.

7. In paragraph 5, A method for extracting a roll map, characterized in that the above outer merging is a right merging.

8. In paragraph 5, The compressed measurement data above contains missing parts, and A method for extracting a roll map, characterized in that the measurement start coordinate and the measurement end coordinate of the missing portion of the compressed measurement data in the merged data are null values.

9. In paragraph 5, Further comprising a step of modifying the merged data to generate modified data, A method for extracting a roll map characterized in that the above merged data is modified by comparing the above measurement start coordinates and the above measurement end coordinates with the above cell ID coordinates of the coordinate-associated cell ID data, which are not null.

10. In paragraph 9, The step of modifying the merged data to generate the modified data comprises: Finding a first measurement start coordinate and a first measurement end coordinate defining a first interval including a first cell ID coordinate corresponding to a missing portion of the compressed measurement data, The above first cell ID coordinate is included in the above cell ID coordinates, The above first measurement start coordinate is included in the above measurement start coordinates, and A method for extracting a roll map, characterized in that the first measurement end coordinate is included in the measurement end coordinates.

11. In paragraph 10, The step of modifying the merged data to generate the modified data comprises: A method for extracting a roll map, characterized in that it includes matching the first measurement start coordinate and the first measurement end coordinate to the first cell ID coordinate.

12. In paragraph 11, The first representative value of the first section matches the first cell ID coordinates, and A method for extracting a roll map, characterized in that the first representative value is included in the representative values ​​of the compressed measurement data.

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