Multi-Slot Die Coater Step Block for Uniform Coating Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-slot die coaters face challenges in adjusting and maintaining a uniform coating gap, leading to widthwise deviation and non-uniform coating quality, especially when dealing with varying active material slurries and increased production demands.
Innovation Solution
A multi-slot die coater configuration featuring a lower, intermediate, and upper die block with a fixing block that includes a step portion, allowing for precise control of the coating gap and reduction of widthwise deviation by maintaining a consistent gap between the die blocks and the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the coating gap is adjusted by disassembling and reassembling die blocks, then the coating gap can be changed for different active material slurries, but the widthwise deviation of the coating gap increases and manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-forms recesses in the die blocks during manufacturing, with depths corresponding to different coating gap requirements. This preliminary action eliminates the need for disassembly and reassembly when changing between different active material slurries, as operators can simply select the appropriate pre-formed recess to achieve the desired coating gap, thereby maintaining widthwise uniformity while providing adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the die block structure into multiple recesses with different depths, each designed for specific coating gap requirements. This segmentation allows the single die block to accommodate multiple active material slurry types with different viscosity and coating gap needs, providing adaptability without compromising the structural integrity and uniformity of the coating gap.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the die blocks are disassembled and reassembled frequently to adjust coating gap, then adaptability to different slurries is improved, but the operation time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The recesses are pre-formed in the die blocks during manufacturing with depths corresponding to different coating gap requirements. This preliminary action eliminates the need for frequent disassembly and reassembly operations, as operators can simply select the appropriate pre-formed recess based on the active material slurry being used, significantly reducing operation time and complexity while maintaining adaptability.
3Productivity
If the coating gap is not uniformly maintained, then the coating process becomes more flexible, but the coating quality and reproducibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates different local qualities within the die block by forming recesses at specific locations with different depths. Each recess is designed to maintain a uniform coating gap for specific active material slurries, ensuring that the local coating quality is optimized for each slurry type while maintaining overall process flexibility and reproducibility.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a multi-slot die coater in which a step is formed between rear surfaces of die blocks through a fixing block having a step portion. The fixing block has the step portion of a preset height, and any one die block is coupled to the step portion and the other die block is coupled to the other portion than the step portion, and thus the step is naturally formed between the rear surfaces of the die blocks by the coupling of the die blocks to the fixing block. Thus, it is possible to always maintain the distance of the front ends of the die blocks and the substrate, since the fixing block is fixed between the die blocks, once it is set, the coating gap does not change and is maintained during the process, thereby suppressing the widthwise coating gap deviation.