CCM Roll Splicing With Vacuum Alignment and Glue Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roll-to-roll continuous coaters for catalyst coated membranes face inefficiencies due to manual adhesive connections of coiled materials, leading to alignment and quality control challenges, increased work pressure, and waste during the coating process.
Innovation Solution
A roll-to-roll continuous coater equipped with a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system, vacuum suction plates, optical fiber sensors, and a solid glue spraying device, which automates the alignment and adhesive connection of coiled materials, ensuring precise positioning and efficient glue application for high-quality connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual adhesive connection is used to join coiled materials, then the operation is simple to perform, but the alignment precision and connection quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment and adhesive application with an automated system featuring a PLC controller, vacuum suction plates for positioning, and a solid glue spraying device. This substitution maintains operational simplicity while dramatically improving alignment precision through automated control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum suction plates automatically position and hold the coiled materials in place during connection, eliminating the need for manual positioning. The system serves itself by automatically detecting material edges, aligning them precisely, and applying adhesive without human intervention, thereby maintaining ease of operation while achieving high precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If automated connection system with PLC, vacuum suction plates, and optical fiber sensors is implemented, then alignment precision and connection quality improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The PLC controller serves multiple functions: coordinating vacuum suction plates, controlling the solid glue spraying device, managing optical fiber sensors, and overseeing the entire connection process. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate control systems for each component, thereby improving precision without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum suction plates act as intermediaries between the coiled materials and the positioning system, providing stable, precise holding and alignment. The optical fiber sensors serve as intermediaries for detecting material edges and positions. These intermediary components enable high precision alignment while keeping the control architecture manageable through clear functional separation.
3Device complexity
If coiled materials are manually connected with adhesive, then the equipment structure remains simple, but work efficiency and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The automated connection system enables continuous operation by eliminating manual intervention between connection steps. The PLC-coordinated system continuously positions materials with vacuum suction plates, applies adhesive precisely, and secures connections without interruption, thereby dramatically improving productivity while adding only moderate complexity to the existing coater structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum suction plates perform preliminary positioning and holding of coiled materials before adhesive application. The optical fiber sensors detect material edges and positions in advance to pre-align components. This preliminary automated preparation reduces connection time and enables faster, continuous production, improving productivity without requiring complete structural redesign of the coater.
4Device complexity
If traditional coating process is used with coating area at starting position, then the equipment layout is simple, but material waste increases due to uncoated sections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the coating area from the starting position (one-dimensional linear arrangement) to an intermediate position between driving roller assemblies (utilizing two-dimensional spatial arrangement). This dimensional repositioning allows the coating process to occur after materials are fed into the system, enabling continuous coating without leaving uncoated sections at the start, thereby reducing waste while maintaining relatively simple equipment layout.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary feeding and positioning of coiled materials through the driving roller assemblies before the actual coating process begins at the intermediate position. This preliminary action ensures that materials are properly positioned and tensioned before coating, enabling continuous coating operation without waste-generating uncoated sections, while keeping the overall layout straightforward.
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
The automated connection process improves alignment and adhesive quality, reduces work pressure, and minimizes waste by precisely controlling the positioning and application of glue, enhancing overall efficiency and productivity.
Implementation Method 1
a bottom of the upper rack is provided with a vacuum suction plate I for leveling and suctioning a proton exchange membrane, a top of the lower rack is provided with a vacuum suction plate II for leveling and suctioning a proton exchange membrane
Data Source
AI summary
A roll-to-roll continuous coater for CCM preparation, and a coiled material connection method are provided. The coater has a coiled material connection mechanism that includes an upper rack (2) and a lower rack (3). A vacuum suction plate I (2-3) provided with a driving device for achieving displacement and a vacuum suction plate II (3-1) provided with a solid glue spraying device (3-3) are respectively disposed on the bottom of the upper rack (2) and the top of the lower rack (3). An optical fiber sensor I (2-4) and an optical fiber sensor II (3-2) are respectively disposed in the vacuum suction plate I (2-3) and the vacuum suction plate II (3-1). A tension detection device (4) is disposed between the lower rack (3) and a driving roller assembly (1).