Roll Press Machine Gap Control for Electrode Layer Thickness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing roll press machines face challenges in maintaining uniform thickness precision, leading to undesired gaps during assembly, which affects battery performance due to low adhesiveness between electrode layers, and can cause chipping or cracking at the edges of materials during press-forming.
Innovation Solution
A roll press machine with a moving apparatus using an electric motor to control the gap between rolls with high precision, employing a position sensor to adjust the gap at specific edge positions and a load sensor to manage load changes, ensuring the gap is set to a consolidation state only after predetermined conditions are met to prevent edge damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional lifting apparatuses with wedge members and hydraulic cylinders are used to adjust the gap between rolls, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the gap control precision is insufficient leading to non-uniform thickness in press-formed work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical wedge member and hydraulic cylinder system with an electric motor-driven moving apparatus. The electric motor (222) drives a ball screw (221) to convert rotational motion into linear motion, enabling precise control of the gap between rolls. This substitution of mechanical/hydraulic systems with electro-mechanical systems achieves higher positioning precision while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from manual or hydraulic pressure control to electric motor position control. By using a servo motor or stepper motor with encoder feedback, the gap between rolls can be controlled with micrometer-level precision. The moving apparatus controls the gap within ±1μm accuracy, ensuring uniform thickness precision in the press-formed work.
2Reliability
If the gap between rolls is reduced to remove spaces between electrode layers, then adhesiveness and conductivity are improved, but concentrated load causes chipping or cracking at material edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using position sensors (241) to detect the leading edge of the material before it enters the roll gap. The control system pre-adjusts the gap between rolls based on the detected position, ensuring that the material enters the consolidation zone smoothly without sudden concentrated loading. This preliminary positioning prevents edge chipping while achieving proper consolidation of electrode layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control through position sensors (241) that continuously monitor the material position and feed this information back to the control system. The control system adjusts the roll gap dynamically based on real-time position feedback, maintaining optimal gap settings that prevent concentrated loads at edges while ensuring adequate consolidation pressure for removing spaces between electrode layers.
3Reliability
If high consolidation pressure is applied to eliminate spaces in electrode layers, then battery performance is enhanced, but thickness uniformity deteriorates due to material compression variation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the gap parameter with high precision (±1μm) to control the consolidation process. By maintaining a consistent, precisely controlled gap between rolls, the system applies uniform consolidation pressure across the material width. This precise parameter control eliminates spaces between electrode layers while maintaining thickness uniformity in the press-formed work.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical gap adjustment mechanisms with an electric motor-driven system that offers superior precision and stability. The ball screw mechanism driven by the electric motor maintains consistent roll gap under varying loads, ensuring uniform thickness precision while applying adequate consolidation pressure to enhance battery performance.
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
This solution effectively prevents concentrated loads on the material, reducing the risk of chipping or cracking and enhancing battery performance by minimizing gaps between electrode layers, thereby improving the uniformity and stability of the press-formed work.
Implementation Method 1
a moving apparatus (220) using an electric motor (222)
Implementation Method 2
a ball screw (221) configured to convert a rotation of an output shaft (13s) of the electric motor (13) into a linear motion
Data Source
AI summary
A roll press machine that presses-forming of a work is disclosed in which a plurality of electrode layers having been baked on a metal foil. The material is supplied as a work W into a gap between a lower roll and an upper roll for consolidating. As the work travels through the gap, a controlling device is configured to maintain the gap larger than a consolidating gap until the front edge of the work passes through the gap by a first predetermined distance, then maintain the gap equal to the consolidation gap until the rear edge of the work arrives downstream of the gap by a second predetermined distance, and maintain the gap larger than the consolidation gap until the rea edge leaves the gap.