Cylindrical Battery Weld Inspection Through the Hollow Core
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing welding inspection methods struggle to effectively inspect the welding state between a current collection plate and an electrode terminal in a cylindrical battery cell, particularly through the hollow hole part, due to the closed surface design, which hinders visual inspection and leads to inefficiencies in manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A welding inspection apparatus with a camera and endoscope part is used to inspect the welding state, allowing for the insertion into the hollow hole part and providing a wide-angle or telephoto lens to capture the welding portion and inner circumferential surface, combined with an image processing device for analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a camera is positioned externally to inspect the welding portion, then the inspection setup is simple, but the welding state in the hollow hole part cannot be effectively inspected due to limited angle of view
Solution Approach 1:
The camera is inserted into the hollow hole part of the electrode assembly, nesting the inspection device within the structure being inspected. This allows direct observation of the welding portion between the current collection plate and electrode terminal from the interior, overcoming the limited external angle of view while maintaining operational simplicity through automated insertion mechanisms.
2Reliability
If the battery can has a closed surface design, then manufacturing integrity is improved, but welding inspection becomes difficult due to limited accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The battery can is segmented with a hollow hole part that provides internal accessibility while maintaining overall structural integrity. The camera system utilizes this segmented pathway to reach the welding portion, allowing inspection without compromising the closed surface design and manufacturing integrity of the battery can.
3Productivity
If conventional vision camera inspection is used, then the inspection process is fast, but weld spatter and over/weak welding issues cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The camera is pre-positioned and aligned with the welding portion before the welding process completes. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the welding occurs, the camera is already in the optimal position to capture weld spatter, over-welding, and weak welding defects, enabling both fast inspection speed and high defect detection accuracy through automated capture and image processing.
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
Enables efficient inspection of welding quality and weld spatter detection, optimizing the manufacturing process with improved efficiency and reduced defect rates on a linear track.
Implementation Method 1
a camera (42) comprising a lens (422) that is aligned with a welding portion (13W) between a first current collection plate (13) and a first electrode terminal (15), in a first direction, and an image sensor (421)
Data Source
AI summary
A welding inspection apparatus and a welding inspection method in which in a tab-less cylindrical battery cell having a jelly roll-type electrode assembly, a current collection plate welded to an uncoated part of the electrode assembly is welded to an electrode terminal that is fixed in a way that penetrates a closed surface provided in one end portion of a cylindrical battery can which accommodates the electrode assembly, from the inside of a hollow hole part of the electrode assembly, to see a welding state. The battery can is fixed by a jig, and the welding inspection apparatus, as a vision camera inspection apparatus with an endoscope part or a telephoto lens, photographs a welding portion and the inner surface of the hollow hole part, to see failure caused by weak welding, over welding or weld spatter.