UK-first triple-track C-Frame traversing systems annual recalibration results reinforce Micro-Epsilon’s position for high-precision battery electrode thickness measurement.
Twelve months after commissioning three Micro-Epsilon thicknessCONTROL systems at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) in Coventry, the systems continue to deliver highly accurate and reliable inline thickness measurement across UKBIC’s battery electrode calendering processes.
Following their first annual service and recalibration, all three systems have successfully passed the required performance checks and continue to perform to the high accuracy levels established when originally commissioned. Feedback from UKBIC’s engineers and operators has also been extremely positive, with the systems now playing an important role in the monitoring and control of electrode thickness during production.
What makes the installation particularly significant is the extensive evaluation that took place before the technology was selected.
UKBIC, the UK’s national manufacturing development facility, undertook an extensive research and investigation programme to identify the most suitable high-accuracy technology for inline battery electrode thickness measurement. The evaluation concluded that the Micro-Epsilon solution provided the strongest measurement performance and turnkey solution suitable for UKBIC’s inline battery electrode thickness measurement requirements.
The project subsequently resulted in three thicknessCONTROL traversing systems being installed at UKBIC. Two triple-track systems monitor the cathode and anode calendering lines on the Industrial Scale-up Line (ISL), covering material widths of up to 750 mm, while a twin-track system is installed on the Flexible Pilot Line for material widths up to 350 mm.
The two systems installed on UKBIC's cathode and anode calendering lines are the first Micro-Epsilon triple-track C-Frame thickness measurement systems installed in the UK.
Rather than taking a thickness measurement at a single position, the systems use multiple opposing pairs of Micro-Epsilon confocal chromatic sensors to provide simultaneous high-precision measurement at several positions across the electrode web. The original systems were factory acceptance tested at Micro-Epsilon's systems facility in Europe before installation and commissioning at UKBIC.
Each triple-track system incorporates three pairs of confocal sensors, specifically selected to provide extremely high measurement precision on coated materials.
For applications requiring even greater coverage across the material web, Micro-Epsilon can configure thicknessCONTROL C-Frame systems with up to five measurement tracks, allowing measurement strategies to be tailored to the process, web width and required measurement positions.
A key part of the project went beyond simply supplying measurement hardware.
UKBIC process and quality engineers, together with Micro-Epsilon's systems engineers, worked closely together to develop additional thicknessCONTROL software functionality specifically suited to the requirements of battery electrode production.
The resulting system can accommodate a range of coated electrode configurations, including multi-lane measurement, Mass Free Zone exclusion, single coating thickness, double-sided thickness measurement and symmetrical or asymmetrical coatings.
This makes the systems particularly valuable within battery development and production environments where electrode designs, coating configurations and chemistries can change between projects.
After 12 months of operation, UKBIC operators report that they can now check calendered material thickness quickly and reliably without repeatedly stopping and starting the production line, while the requirement for offline checks has been significantly reduced.
All measurement data from each production run can also be stored with SPC analysis, providing UKBIC's engineers and customers with detailed information to help understand how material formulation and process parameters translate into real-world electrode production.
Grant Griffin, Process Quality Engineer at UKBIC, commented: “The Micro-Epsilon thicknessCONTROL system using their Confocal Technology has provided us high degrees of accuracy on post electrode calendering thickness. They have been used to generate clear thickness profiles both across and along the web, throughout the electrode roll.”
He added: “This data is helping UKBIC better understand electrode daughter rolls and match anode and cathode materials for optimum coil pack assembly, with potential benefits for cell stability and NP ratio control.”
For Micro-Epsilon, the successful first year of operation provides important validation of an application that is becoming increasingly critical as battery manufacturers seek tighter control of electrode quality.
Glenn Wedgbrow, Business Development Manager at Micro-Epsilon UK, commented:
“What is particularly important about this project is the level of evaluation UKBIC carried out before selecting the technology. This wasn't simply a sensor comparison. The measurement principle, accuracy, system design and suitability for battery electrode production were investigated in considerable depth before Micro-Epsilon was selected.”
“Twelve months later, the systems are performing extremely well, the first annual recalibration has been successfully completed and the feedback from the engineers using them has been excellent. It gives us a very strong reference for other battery manufacturers looking to introduce accurate, continuous inline electrode thickness measurement.”
Grace Kimberley-Skuce, Project Lead/Process Engineer at UKBIC, commented: “As a manufacturing development facility, we work with various coating patterns that depend on the client’s material specification and cell design. With Micro-Epsilon, we’ve created bespoke programmes to suit these electrode variations, enabling us to work to even tighter tolerances and provide the client with more accurate thickness profile measurements and more real-time data.”
For more information on thicknessCONTROL, please visit thicknessCONTROL measuring systems for electrode film | Micro-Epsilon or call the Micro-Epsilon sales department on +44 (0)151 355 6070 or email info@~@micro-epsilon.co.uk