High-Throughput Laser Cutting of Ribbon Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cutting ribbon-type substrates used in battery electrode manufacturing, such as high-power laser cutting, often result in excessive heat damage and film delamination, limiting high-throughput production of high-energy lithium-ion batteries with thick electrodes.
Innovation Solution
A method and device utilizing a continuous wave laser beam deviated by a 2D polygon scanner and a galvo scanner to perform high-throughput cutting of ribbon-type substrates, allowing for precise and rapid cutting without excessive heat introduction, using a combination of scans to avoid damage and maintain substrate quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-power laser cutting is used to increase cutting speed, then productivity is improved, but excessive heat damage and film delamination occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using pulsed laser irradiation instead of continuous wave laser. The laser is irradiated in multiple pulses at different positions along the cutting line, with intervals between pulses allowing heat dissipation. This prevents excessive heat accumulation while maintaining cutting progress, thereby resolving the contradiction between cutting speed and heat damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the cutting process into multiple discrete laser pulses rather than using a single continuous high-power irradiation. Each pulse contributes to the cutting process but is separated in time and space, allowing the substrate to cool between pulses. This segmentation enables high productivity while avoiding excessive heat damage.
2Productivity
If continuous wave laser is used for high-throughput cutting, then productivity is improved, but burr formation and substrate deterioration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic pulsed laser irradiation where the laser is turned on and off in cycles. Each pulse delivers energy to advance the cut, then the laser is turned off to allow cooling and prevent excessive melting that causes burrs. This periodic action maintains high cutting rates while minimizing burr formation and substrate deterioration.
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 high-quality, high-throughput cutting of electrode sheets with minimal burr formation and electrical, mechanical, and chemical integrity preservation, facilitating the production of high-energy lithium-ion batteries.
Implementation Method 1
The substrate is irradiated with a continuous wave (cw) laser beam. Therein, the cw laser beam coming from a laser source is deviated using a 2D polygon scanner.
Implementation Method 2
the cw laser beam coming from a laser source is deviated using a 2D polygon scanner. The 2D polygon scanner comprises (i) a polygon scanner including a rotation axis being arranged such as to deviate the cw laser beam in an y-direction perpendicular to the conveyance path
Implementation Method 3
the galvo scanner deviates the cw laser beam in a x-direction parallel to the conveyance path. For example, the polygon scanner may include a rotation axis parallel to the conveyance path and the galvo scanner may include a pivoting axis transverse to the conveyance path
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method and a device for high-throughput cutting of a ribbon-type substrate (110) into separated pieces (118). The method comprises conveying the substrate (110) along a conveyance path at a conveyance velocity, irradiating the substrate (110) with a cw laserbeam (116), wherein the cw laserbeam (116) coming from a laser source (104) is deviated using a 2D polygon scanner (106), wherein the 2D polygon scanner (106) comprises a polygon scanner (400) including a rotation axis being arranged e.g. parallel to the conveyance path such as to deviate the cw laserbeam (116) in an y-direction perpendicular to the conveyance path, and a galvo scanner (402) including a pivoting axis being arranged e.g. transverse to the conveyance path such as to deviate the cw laserbeam (116) in a x-direction parallel to the conveyance path, wherein, in a single scan, the 2D polygon scanner (106) is controlled such that, while the cw laserbeam (116) is deviated by the polygon scanner (400) in the y-direction to traverse the conveyance path, the galvo scanner (402) deviates the cw laserbeam (116) in the x-direction such as to compensate the conveyance velocity, such that the cw laserbeam (116) is scanned along a surface of the substrate (110) in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal extension of the substrate (110), wherein, for completing a single cut (602) through the substrate (110), a set of plural repeated single scans is performed.