US 2026/0196475 A1 · MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR TRACEABILITY OF BATTERY ELECTRODES WITH FIDUCIAL MARKERS

Abstract

Fiducial markers (reference marks and associated tracing codes) are applied to sheet materials such as electrodes, paper, plastics, and fabrics and serve as reference points along the machine direction. As the sheet advances, tracing codes are recorded to create a database of tracing codes and as a physical property of the sheet of material is measured a measurement profile is recorded wherein measurements of the physical property are synchronized with the tracing codes from the database so that different portions of the measurement profile are associated with one or more accompanying tracing codes. Customers can match measurements made during production to finished products such as electrochemical batteries so that defects found at a later stage of production can be traced to the source measurements to achieved improved quality assurance. The reference marks facilitate alignment among measurements made by different scanners.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A sheet production system configured to operate on a sheet of material as the sheet of material moves in a machine direction, the system comprising:

marking means for applying a series of markers and associated tracing codes on the sheet of material as the sheet of material moves along the MD;
a computer configured to record a series of tracing codes that are applied on the sheet of material;
reader means for reading markers and associated tracing codes on the sheet of material;
sensor means for sensing a characteristic of the sheet of material at different locations along the MD to generate a characteristic profile of the sheet of material;
and
correlation means for correlating the characteristic profile with the series of tracing codes on the sheet of material;
wherein the sensor means comprises a first sensor means for sensing a first characteristic of the sheet of material from first interrogation spots along the MD to generate a first characteristic profile of the sheet of material;
wherein the first sensor is mounted to a first scanner that traverses back and forth along the cross direction (CD) across the sheet of material.

5 more elements

A sheet production system for coating a metal sheet with electrode material that as the sheet of material moves in a machine direction (MD), comprising:

a coater that is configured to apply a coat of electrode material onto the moving sheet of metal substrate to form a coated moving sheet of metal substrate having one or more coated regions and one or more uncoated regions;
marking means for applying a series of markers and associated tracing codes on an uncoated region, a coated region, or both an uncoated and a coated region, wherein the markers and associated tracing codes are aligned along the MD, wherein the marking means is positioned either downstream or upstream of the coater, wherein when located upstream, the marking means being configured to apply the series of markers and associated tracing codes on the metal substrate, whereas when located downstream, the marking means is configured to apply the series of markers and associated tracing codes on the metal substrate of the uncoated regions, on the coated regions or on both the metal substrate of the uncoated regions and on the coated regions;
a sensor means for sensing a characteristic of one or more of the coated regions at different locations along the MD to generate characteristic profiles of one or more of the coated regions and is secured to a scanner that traverses back and forth along the cross direction (CD) across the sheet of metal substrate;
and
a computer configured to record a series of tracing codes that are applied.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Manufacturing method for traceability of battery electrodes with fiducial markers

Life of this patent

Manufacturing method for traceability of battery electrodes with fiducial markers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11