Precise gap filler application ensures thermal transfer
Temperature management is a major challenge in battery manufacturing. Battery cells must operate within a specific temperature range in order to preserve their performance and avoid overheating. For this reason, a conductive paste, or gap filler, is applied to the battery tray to provide material to material sealing.
To guarantee thermal conductivity, a bubble-free paste application is crucial. This presents a challenge in production, as the liquid gap filler material needs to be precisely applied in high volume, in the shortest possible cycle time.
Atlas Copco SCA dispensing technology solves this challenge by providing quality assured gap filler application. This ensures the correct volume of gap filler is applied to match the tolerances of the battery tray, optimising the use of this costly material.
Utilising Atlas Copco’s advanced RTVision camera system, the battery tray is scanned in 3D to measure the specific volume of gap filler required to match the tolerances of the tray and compensate for any deformation. . The gap filler is then applied with real-time scanning which provides full in-line monitoring of the position, continuity and width of the gap filler bead. RTVision constantly monitors the bead application and immediately detects any gaps in the bead which are automatically repaired without the need for manual intervention. If required, the bead is rescanned to ensure that the gap filler is fully applied with no air pockets present.
It is also important to recognise that gap filler materials are highly abrasive and chemically aggressive, and have the potential to wear out components in the dispensing system. To address this, Atlas Copco’s HD range of displacement pumps are designed from the outset to provide long term durability to minimise service costs, whilst enabling high volumes of gap filler to be applied in a short cycle time.
As with all Atlas Copco assembly solutions, SCA dispensing provides error-proofing and traceability as standard, giving peace of mind for manufacturers. As a reliable, time-saving solution for gap filler application, SCA dispensing enables precise, repeatable accuracy that is highly reliable within a fast cycle time and also cost-effective.
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