Optimized Control of In-Process-Measurement as an Enabler for Scrap Reduction in Electrode Coating

The rapid advancement of electrification in a multitude of applications has been further expedited by the growing awareness of the environmental impact over the past decade. In the context of mobile applications, lithium-ion batteries represent the current state of the art, particularly in the context of the electrification of the transport sector, which accounts for the majority of battery cell demand. Despite the rapid scaling and ramp-up of production capacity, high reject rates are common, or even an accepted phenomenon. The present paper focuses on the coating process for battery electrodes with slot die coating. In the current state of the art, in-line quality control is not yet implemented, but it offers significant potential for reducing scrap, particularly during product changeovers and ramp-up phases. The quality control for the coating step necessitates the establishment of an appropriate interface for data acquisition. Consequently, this paper considers selection and implementation of the control of the measurement equipment. Based on identified criteria, different variants are established and evaluated. Ultimately, the most suitable implementation for the present application is selected, thereby enabling the targeted in-line control approaches and the quality control in the coating process for battery electrodes.