Battery and electrical cable weld area inspection

Detect defects that were difficult to detect with visual or tension tests

Overview

Target

Cell and electrical cable manufacturers

Background

Thorough quality control is required at battery and electrical cable manufacturing sites, due to increased in awareness of reliability and safety in recent years. However, mass production continues in the absence of a method capable of 100% inspection.

Application examples

Ultrasonically and thermally welded parts
[Image] Ultrasonically and thermally welded parts

The issue is that 100% inspection is not possible

Until now, inspection of welded joints has involves workers conducting visual and sampling tension tests.
That was only partial inspection, and no method had been established that allowed 100% inspection.
Currently there is a risk of serious quality problems caused by overlooking peeling and crimping defects that cannot be seen from outside.

Challenge

Currently, visual inspections and tension tests are performed, but there is a danger that continuing to use these methods will result in defects being missed and shipped.

Points

  • Defects are missed with sampling inspections
  • Defects are difficult to determine from the exterior
  • Insufficient number and high cost of workers

Conventional method

[Image] Conventional method

Resolved with ultrasonic scanner

The advantages of switching over from the current inspection method to the ultrasonic inspection technique lie in the new method’s overwhelming detection capabilities.
As the ultrasonic sensor directly detects detachments of the bonded area that cannot be seen from the outside, human error does not occur.
The addition of more inspection stations to manufacturing lines allows 100% inspection, so products can be delivered with peace of mind, even from the perspective of quality assurance.

Solution

Incorporating an ultrasonic scanner into the production line enabled 100% inspection post welding, which was difficult previously.

Points

  • Direct detection with ultrasonic transmission
  • Quality assurance through 100% inspection
  • Reduced risk of defective products being shipped

Solution

Ultrasonic beam focus technology at 1mm or less
[Image] Ultrasonic beam focus technology at 1mm or less

Example system

[Image] Inspection station, Inspection screen example

Solution that resolved this challenge