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In-line metrology solutions for electrode manufacturing
Battery technology directly supports society’s planned transition to clean energy and is particularly crucial for transport. Road transport accounts for over 10% of greenhouse gas emissions, making the switch to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) a central element of efforts towards Net Zero. Globally 8.5 million ZEVs1 are already on the road and the pace of change is rapidly accelerating. Estimates suggest that by 2030 annual global battery demand will be over 2,000 GWh with 85% of that total attributable to transport2. Lithium-ion is now the battery chemistry of choice and realizing its full potential is a primary focus for battery manufacturers.
These trends are driving unprecedented demand for batteries that are safer, more powerful, faster to charge, more reliable, and longer lasting. Improving the quality of electrodes and separator film in batteries is an important step towards meeting these goals. Non-uniform electrode coatings with even small defects compromise performance characteristics, reliability, and safety, while consistent separator film thickness is equally important for optimal battery performance and lifespan.
Thermo Scientific in-line measurement and control solutions help battery manufacturers to cost-effectively produce safer, better performing batteries. With over 80 years of in-line metrology experience, we offer platforms for the precise thickness and coating weight measurement of electrode coatings, separator films, and calendered electrodes. These systems allow manufacturers to establish robust and responsive process control, and provide the traceability, reliability, and quality demanded by today’s market. All systems are backed by best-in-class support, responsive service, and proactive maintenance solutions through our worldwide team of experts.
1 UKCOP26 ‘Zero emission vehicles transition council: 2022 Action plan’ Available here.
2 Statista ‘Projected global battery demand from 2020 to 2030, by application’ Available here.
Applications
Monitor electrode coating uniformity with speed, accuracy, and exceptional defect detection capability
Electrode coatings that are uniform and defect-free play a defining role in delivering reliable batteries of superior quality. Uneven coating of the aluminum or copper substrates compromises characteristics such as charge density, recharge time, and operational lifetime and can lead directly to safety concerns. Detecting defects and non-uniformities early enables cost-effective remedial action and is the key to making better batteries more efficiently. As performance targets rise, battery manufacturers are looking to reliably detect increasingly small defects, intensifying the need for effective in-line measurement.
Thermo Scientific systems for electrode coating weight measurement have a unique source isotope geometry with an extremely high measurement signal and deliver:
- an exceptionally high signal-to-noise ratio
- precise coating weight measurement
- exemplary edge resolution.
Combining advanced sensor, measurement, and reporting capabilities, these systems offer battery manufacturers the market-leading performance required to efficiently detect and remedy defects and non-uniformities prior to cell assembly. This means less waste, less downtime, improved yields, consistent product quality, and minimal risk of failure in the field.
Confirm optimal electrode calendering thickness, precisely and repeatably
Calendering ensures consistent compression of the coated electrode, delivering homogeneous thickness and particle size. It helps to control the porosity of the coating, improving electrical contact and adhesiveness, along with other critical parameters. Total electrode thickness measurements are crucial during this final step to avoid excessive compression and deliver electrodes of consistent dimensional accuracy.
Thermo Scientific systems for calendering thickness measurement use the latest confocal technology to measure:
- precisely
- with unprecedented accuracy and repeatability
- and exemplary dimensional resolution.
Combining advanced sensor, measurement, and reporting capabilities, these best-in-class systems offer battery manufacturers the performance required to optimize calendering lines, to improve yield and at the same deliver superior battery quality.
Measure multilayer separator film thickness with exemplary resolution
Increasingly sophisticated multilayer separator films are a critical component of high-performance lithium-ion batteries. Separator film properties impact characteristics such as self-discharge rate and safety, providing in-built thermal shutdown and protecting against thermal runaway. Properties ranging from porosity to tensile strength are controlled to deliver desirable performance. Consistent thickness is crucial to optimize battery performance and life, and a primary focus during manufacture.
Thermo Scientific systems for multilayer separator film thickness measure:
- a high proportion of the separator film
- with unrivalled precision
- and exceptional resolution.
Even for complex multilayer designs incorporating, for example, ceramic coatings.
Combining advanced sensor, measurement, and reporting capabilities these systems enable consistent separator film production helping manufacturers to safeguard superior battery quality while at the same time reducing waste and improving process efficiency.
Products
Choose the scanner, sensor and control system that will work best for your line and application
LInspector Edge In-line Mass Profilometer
Developed specifically for the battery industry, the LInspector Edge In-line Mass Profilometer is a breakthrough in performance for uniformity control and faster detection of electrode loading defects. Monitoring the entire width of the electrode, it measures 100% electrode mass loading, delivering complete edge-to-edge coating profiles in milliseconds, allowing battery manufacturers to confidently detect even small defects and ensure traceability of an entire electrode roll.
LInspector Measurement and Control System for electrode coating weight measurement
For electrode coating weight measurement combine the Thermo Scientific INTEGRA O-Frame Scanner with a:
- Thermo Scientific Beta Plus Basis Weight Sensor
OR for cathodes only a:
- Thermo Scientific X-Ray Master Thickness and Weight Measurement Sensor
The INTEGRA O-Frame Scanner is an intelligent, high-performance measurement frame for scanning widths up to 2.2m. It combines fast scan speed, precision head alignment and best position resolution for optimized in-process monitoring.
The Beta Plus Basis Weight Sensor determines electrode coating weight from measurements of beta particle (fast-moving electron) absorption and is the optimal choice for most electrode coating systems.
The X-Ray Master Thickness and Weight Measurement Sensor determines electrode coating weight and thickness from measurements of X-ray absorption, covering the widest range of electrode coating materials.
Add Thermo Scientific Automatic Control (APC and MD Control) to your LInspector Measurement and Control system for enhanced functionality. To complete either solution, add in Thermo Scientific Instrument Performance Management (IPM) Software to maximize solution uptime and reliability.
LInspector Measurement and Control System for electrode calendering thickness measurement
For electrode calendering combine the Thermo Scientific INTEGRA C-Frame Scanner with a Dual Confocal Laser.
The INTEGRA C-Frame Scanner combines a single component, robust, self-calibrating aluminum construction with high data acquisition rates to deliver best-in-class performance for lithium-ion battery calendering monitoring, for scan widths up to 1.8m.
The Dual Confocal Laser determines calendered electrode thickness from measurements of the wavelength of dispersed light, delivering robust results that are insensitive to surface conditions, roughness, color, material and the emissivity of the material itself.
Add Thermo Scientific Automatic Control (APC and MD Control) to your LInspector Measurement and Control system (laser) for enhanced functionality. To complete either solution, add in Thermo Scientific Instrument Performance Management (IPM) Software to maximize solution uptime and reliability.
LInspector Measurement and Control System for separator film thickness measurement
For separator film thickness measurement combine the Thermo Scientific INTEGRA O-Frame Scanner with one of three sensors:
- Thermo Scientific Beta Plus Basis Weight Sensor
- Thermo Scientific PROSIS Thickness Sensor
- Thermo Scientific X-Ray Master Thickness and Weight Measurement Sensor
The INTEGRA O-Frame Scanner is an intelligent, high-performance measurement frame that combines fast scan speed, precision head alignment and best position resolution for optimized in-process monitoring. Maximum scanning width is 2.2m. Alternative O-Frame scanners are available for applications requiring scanning widths of up to 12m.
The Beta Plus Basis Weight Sensor determines separator film weight from measurements of beta particle (fast-moving electron) absorption.
The PROSIS Thickness Sensor uses spectral response across the full NIR range to measure thickness, for multi-layer separator films and is the optimum choice for most separator film lines.
The X-Ray Master Weight and Thickness Sensor determines separator film weight and thickness from measurements of X-ray absorption, covering the widest range of materials for complex multi-layer films.
Add Thermo Scientific Automatic Control (APC and MD Control) to your LInspector Measurement and Control system for enhanced functionality. To complete either solution, add in Thermo Scientific Instrument Performance Management (IPM) Software to maximize solution uptime and reliability.
Services
Maximizing instrument uptime keeps your focus on manufacturing goals. The service team has designed comprehensive offerings based on corrective and preventative maintenance to reduce downtime and help improve your processes.
Based on your specific needs, we can work with you on a customized Product Support Agreement (PSA) to ensure your system's health, status, and performance. A PSA can include preventative maintenance and access to Instrument Performance Management (IPM) software. IPM provides cloud-based, 24/7 remote monitoring with automatic notifications for troubleshooting and advanced diagnostics, enabling fast performance restoration to reduce production downtime.
We support your business at every step, with service agreements, parts and upgrades, education and training, and access to certified engineers.
Featured resources
LInspector Measurement and Control System
7 costly mistakes to avoid when choosing a lithium-ion battery coating thickness gauge
Lithium-ion battery interactive workflow
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