Spring-Loaded Laser Welding Mask for CCA Terminal Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laser welding in electric vehicle battery manufacturing is challenging due to the difficulty in rapidly and accurately connecting the current collector assembly (CCA) to battery cells in a fully automated high-volume assembly line, as the CCA must properly contact the positive and negative terminals of each battery cell to form a correct laser weld.
Innovation Solution
A laser welding mask with a guide plate, clamp plungers, and clamp springs is used to position and clamp the CCA during laser welding, featuring guide pins for alignment, passages for the laser beam, and adjustable clamp springs to ensure accurate and rapid welding, even with varying dimensional tolerances of battery cell carriers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional laser welding without positioning fixtures is used, then the welding process is simpler, but the welding precision and alignment accuracy deteriorate due to dimensional tolerances of battery cell carriers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a positioning fixture as an intermediary component between the laser welding system and the battery cell carrier. This fixture includes positioning plates with adjustable positioning blocks that mediate the alignment process, compensating for dimensional tolerances of the battery cell carrier without requiring modifications to the carrier itself or the laser welding system
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning fixture is divided into multiple independent positioning blocks that can be individually adjusted. Each positioning block can be independently positioned and fixed, allowing precise compensation for various dimensional tolerances in different locations of the battery cell carrier, thereby achieving high welding alignment accuracy
2Productivity
If manual positioning and clamping is used, then adaptability to dimensional variations is improved, but the welding speed and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning blocks are pre-adjusted and fixed on the positioning plates before the welding process begins. This preliminary positioning action ensures that when the battery cell carrier is placed on the fixture, the correct positioning is already in place, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual adjustment during welding and enabling high-speed automated welding while maintaining precision
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning blocks are designed to be adjustable and repositionable, allowing the fixture to adapt to different dimensional tolerances of battery cell carriers. This dynamic adjustability enables the system to maintain positioning accuracy across various carrier variations while supporting rapid welding cycles through quick repositioning rather than manual intervention
3Adaptability or versatility
If rigid fixed positioning is used, then positioning stability is improved, but adaptability to dimensional tolerances of battery cell carriers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning blocks are designed with adjustable mechanisms that allow them to be moved to different positions on the positioning plates. This dynamic capability enables the fixture to adapt to various dimensional tolerances of battery cell carriers while maintaining stable positioning once adjusted, as the blocks can be securely fixed at the optimal positions for each specific carrier
4Reliability
If no clamping mechanism is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the welding reliability deteriorates due to improper contact between CCA and battery cell terminals
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping mechanism serves as an intermediary that ensures proper contact between the CCA and battery cell terminals during welding. It mediates the force application to maintain consistent contact pressure, improving welding reliability without requiring complex integration with the laser welding system or battery cell carrier
Data Source
AI summary
A laser welding mask and a method for facilitating laser welding are provided. The laser welding mask includes a guide plate, a number of clamp plungers, and a number of clamp springs. The guide plate is attached to a load plate. The guide plate defines a number of openings that extend from an upper surface to a lower surface. Each clamp plunger is disposed within one of the openings in the guide plate, and each clamp plunger defines at least one passage configured to pass a laser welding beam. At least one clamp spring is disposed between each clamp plunger and the load plate.