Electrode Tab Folding Inspection Using Region-Specific Width Criteria
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods fail to accurately inspect electrode tab folding in secondary batteries, leading to incorrect classification of products as defective due to minor tab folding that does not affect welding quality, thereby reducing productivity.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for inspecting electrode tab folding by dividing the tab region into multiple sections and evaluating the width of each, determining if it meets specific width criteria, and reclassifying products as non-defective if folding has no impact on welding quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing inspection methods are used to detect electrode tab folding, then all tabs with any folding are classified as defective, but this leads to incorrect classification of products with minor folding that does not affect welding quality
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode tab is divided into multiple regions (first region, second region, third region) along its length. Each region is inspected independently with region-specific reference widths. This segmentation allows the inspection system to distinguish between minor folding in non-critical regions and significant folding in critical regions, thereby improving inspection accuracy while reducing false defect classifications that would otherwise reduce productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different reference widths are applied to different regions of the electrode tab based on their importance to welding quality. The first region (connected to electrode plate) has a larger reference width, the second region has a medium reference width, and the third region has the smallest reference width. This local quality approach ensures that minor folding in less critical regions does not lead to false defect classification, thereby maintaining productivity while improving inspection precision.
2Reliability
If strict width criteria are applied to the entire electrode tab, then welding quality is ensured, but minor folding in non-critical areas causes unnecessary defect classification
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode tab is segmented into three regions with different importance levels for welding. By applying different reference widths to each region, the system ensures that only folding in critical regions (that would affect welding) leads to defect classification, while minor folding in non-critical regions is tolerated. This maintains welding reliability while reducing unnecessary defect rates that would harm productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection system applies local quality control by setting different acceptance criteria (reference widths) for different regions. The first region connected to the electrode plate has the most lenient criterion, the second region has moderate criterion, and the third region has the strictest criterion. This localized approach ensures welding quality where it matters most while avoiding false rejections that would reduce production efficiency.
3Device complexity
If the electrode tab region is inspected as a single unit, then the inspection process is simple, but it cannot accurately identify regions with different impact on welding quality
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode tab region is divided into three distinct regions (first, second, and third regions) with different reference widths. This segmentation enables the inspection system to accurately assess folding in each region based on its specific importance to welding quality, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining reasonable process complexity through automated region identification and evaluation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of inspecting electrode tab folding performed by at least one processor includes obtaining an image that has captured an electrode plate on which an electrode tab is formed, wherein the image comprises an electrode plate region and an electrode tab region, dividing the electrode tab region in the image into a plurality of regions, and performing an electrode tab folding inspection based on a width of the electrode tab region in each of the plurality of regions.