Laser Etching Control for Uniform Battery Electrode Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
The uneven coating of active materials on the surfaces of electrode current collectors in lithium secondary batteries leads to reduced battery quality due to slide phenomena during drying, resulting in mismatched coating areas and potential lithium plating issues.
Innovation Solution
An etching machine using a laser source and scanner, controlled by a processor, to maintain a constant pulse distance and energy density for precise etching of the peripheral coating areas, ensuring equal coating on both surfaces of the electrode current collector.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If laser etching is performed to equalize coating areas, then coating quality is improved, but damage to the current collector may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts laser parameters based on real-time scanner speed variations. When scanner speed changes, the controller automatically modifies laser power output to maintain constant energy density, preventing both insufficient etching and excessive damage to the current collector.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by monitoring scanner speed and using this information to adjust laser power in real-time. This closed-loop control ensures that the laser energy delivered to the coating remains optimal throughout the etching process, achieving precise coating area equalization without damaging the current collector.
2Productivity
If scanner speed varies during etching, then processing efficiency changes, but pulse distance becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts laser power output in response to scanner speed variations. When the scanner accelerates or decelerates, the controller automatically modifies the laser power to compensate, maintaining a constant energy density that ensures uniform pulse distance and consistent etching quality throughout the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the laser power parameter based on scanner speed conditions. By adjusting the laser power output in real-time according to the scanner's instantaneous speed, the system maintains optimal energy density regardless of speed variations, ensuring uniform pulse distance while allowing flexible productivity adjustments.
3Manufacturing precision
If laser power is increased to improve etching quality, then coating precision improves, but current collector damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic power adjustment to deliver high laser power only when needed for precise etching, while automatically reducing power when scanner speed changes or when approaching areas requiring gentler processing. This prevents excessive energy accumulation that could damage the current collector while maintaining high etching quality where required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces a fixed mechanical laser power setting with a dynamically controlled power delivery system that responds to scanner speed and position feedback. This substitution allows the laser power to be optimized in real-time, achieving high etching precision without the risk of damage associated with consistently high power settings.
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 solution achieves uniform active material coating areas, minimizing damage to the electrode current collector and enhancing battery capacity and quality by removing slide areas and ensuring consistent coating thickness.
Implementation Method 1
an etching machine for etching a peripheral portion of the coating using a laser
Implementation Method 2
the scanner may include a mirror configured to reflect the light from the laser source
Data Source
AI summary
An etching machine is disclosed. The etching machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a laser source; a scanner configured to deflect light from the laser source to an electrode current collector coated with an electrode active material; and a processor configured to control at least one of the laser source or the scanner to keep a pulse distance of the light incident on the electrode current collector constant.