Battery Lead Cladding Material for Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing method of welding a lead to a battery terminal using a Ni plating process can result in moisture and impurities remaining in the plated layers, leading to foreign matter formation during resistance welding, which affects bonding strength and corrosion resistance.
Innovation Solution
A cladding material comprising a first Ni layer on the welded side, a second Ni layer on the opposite side, and an Fe layer in between, where the first Ni layer's thickness is 3.1-7.5% of the total cladding material thickness, inhibiting moisture and impurities from remaining on the second Ni layer and improving corrosion resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If Ni plating is performed using a plating tank containing moisture and impurities, then the plating process can be completed, but moisture and impurities remain in the plated layers causing foreign matter formation during welding
Solution Approach 1:
The Ni plating process is divided into two separate stages: first plating in a tank containing moisture and impurities, then plating in a second tank containing only Ni salt solution. This segmentation allows the first stage to achieve adequate coverage while the second stage eliminates contamination, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing ease and bonding reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The first Ni plating layer is formed as a preliminary step before the second plating stage. This preliminary action provides a base layer that facilitates subsequent plating while being replaced by a cleaner second layer, ensuring final product quality without compromising the plating process.
2Productivity
If impurities remain on the plated layers, then the plating can be completed quickly, but the impurities gasify during high temperature welding causing foreign matter to remain on the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The plating process is segmented into two tanks: the first tank enables faster initial plating despite containing impurities, while the second tank removes these impurities. This segmentation maintains productivity while eliminating harmful foreign matter formation during welding.
Solution Approach 2:
The impurities present in the first plating tank are converted from harmful contaminants into a beneficial intermediate step. The first plating layer serves as a sacrificial base that facilitates rapid plating, while the second clean plating layer eliminates the harmful effects, transforming the potential harm into a productive two-stage process.
3Device complexity
If a single Ni layer is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but corrosion resistance is insufficient compared to dual Ni layers
Solution Approach 1:
The Ni cladding layer is segmented into two distinct layers formed in separate plating tanks. This segmentation increases corrosion resistance by ensuring the outer layer is free from impurities while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure, balancing device complexity with reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cladding structure uses a composite of two Ni layers with different characteristics: the first layer provides base coverage and the second layer provides clean, corrosion-resistant surface. This composite structure enhances corrosion resistance while keeping the overall design relatively simple.
4Reliability
If Ni is used as the substrate material, then corrosion resistance is improved, but the cost increases compared to using Fe substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The lead material uses a composite structure of Fe substrate with dual Ni cladding layers. This composite design provides the corrosion resistance of Ni while utilizing the cost-effective Fe substrate, optimizing the balance between reliability and material cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The Ni cladding layers act as intermediary protective layers on the Fe substrate. These intermediaries provide the corrosion resistance properties of Ni without requiring the entire structure to be made of expensive Ni, thus reducing material cost while maintaining reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration ensures reliable bonding strength and prevents foreign matter from remaining on the surface, enhancing corrosion resistance and reducing costs by using iron as a substrate, while maintaining bonding strength equivalent to or higher than traditional Ni-plated materials.
Implementation Method 1
the cladding material for a lead includes the Fe layer having iron lower in cost than Ni as a substrate, whereby the lead material can be prepared at a lower cost as compared with a lead material made of only Ni
Implementation Method 2
the first Ni layer and the second Ni layer can be arranged on a surface of the lead material, whereby corrosion resistance of the cladding material for a lead can be improved as compared with a case of e.g. arranging a Ni-Fe alloy on the surface of the lead material
Implementation Method 3
the impurity remaining on the plated layers of the lead materials gasifies due to a high temperature at the time of welding when performing the resistance welding on the battery can and the lid
Implementation Method 4
the impurity remaining on the plated layers of the lead materials gasifies due to a high temperature at the time of welding
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A cladding material for a lead capable of inhibiting foreign matter from remaining on a surface can be obtained. The cladding material (1) is a cladding material for a lead welded to a terminal (21, 22) of a battery (2) and comprises a first Ni layer (11) arranged on a side welded to the terminal of said battery, a second Ni layer (12) arranged on a side opposite to said welded side and an Fe layer (10) arranged to be held between said first Ni layer and said second Ni layer. The thickness of the first Ni layer is at least 2.1 % and not more than 8.2 % of the thickness of said cladding material consisting of the first Ni layer, the second Ni layer and the Fe layer.