Lithium Ion Battery Electrode Coating Machine

Lithium Ion Battery Electrode Coating Machine - TOB-VFC-800

Product Overview and Ideal Applications

The TOB-VFC-800 is an 800 mm long cast coater for lithium-ion battery electrode coating. It incorporates a vacuum chuck and an oil-free vacuum pump, and it is used to cast long, thick electrode films with a micron-adjustable blade.

A cast coater forms an electrode film by spreading slurry across a substrate with a blade whose gap determines the wet film thickness. This is the direct, flexible way to produce electrode sheets in the laboratory: the slurry formulation can be changed batch by batch, and the coating thickness can be adjusted without changing a die or a metering system. The TOB-VFC-800 applies this method on a long stroke - up to 800 mm - so an entire electrode sheet is cast in one continuous pass, and it combines the coating function with an integrated drying function in the same compact machine frame: after the coating pass, the heating cover is closed over the coated substrate, and the coating is dried in place at a digitally controlled temperature up to 130 °C.

The machine holds the substrate on a vacuum aluminum plate. Vacuum holding fixes the substrate flat during the coating pass, which is the basis for a uniform film across the full length of the sheet - a loose or waved substrate would produce thickness variation along the coating. The vacuum plate also makes substrate placement and removal quick, since the sheet is released simply by switching off the vacuum.

Ideal for:

• Battery materials and cell research laboratories preparing electrode sheets for coin cells and small lab cells from experimental slurries.
• Electrode formulation and slurry screening work, where casting the same slurry at several blade settings gives the data needed to select a formulation.
• Producing long, thick electrode films that require a continuous stroke up to 800 mm.
• Laboratories that need coating and drying in a single compact bench machine, with the coated sheet dried in place after casting.

Need to confirm whether the 800 mm stroke and the scraper range match your electrode size and target film thickness? Contact our laboratory equipment engineers with your substrate dimensions and coating plan.

Where the Cast Coater Fits in Battery Electrode Research

In laboratory electrode preparation, the workflow runs from slurry to finished electrode sheet in a defined sequence:

1. Slurry mixing: active material, conductive additive, and binder are dispersed in solvent to form the coating slurry.
2. Coating: the slurry is cast onto the substrate - the step performed by the TOB-VFC-800 - with the blade gap setting the wet film thickness.
3. Drying: the solvent is removed, fixing the electrode film on the substrate. The TOB-VFC-800 performs this step in the same machine, with a heating cover that closes over the coated sheet.
4. Calendering: the dried electrode is compacted to the target density.
5. Cutting and punching: the electrode sheet is cut or punched to the dimensions of the target cell format.
6. Cell assembly and testing: the electrodes are assembled into coin cells or lab cells, and the electrochemical results are traced back to the coating parameters used.

The cast coater is therefore the point in the laboratory workflow where a slurry formulation first becomes a measurable electrode. Because laboratory coating runs are repeated many times - one run per formulation, per blade setting, per substrate batch - the machine's usability in these repeated cycles matters as much as its specification: the vacuum plate accepts and releases substrates quickly, the applicator and crossbar are removed and reset easily, and the drying step happens without moving the sheet to another machine. The TOB-VFC-800 is built around this repeated-run pattern.

Key Engineering Characteristics of the TOB-VFC-800

1. Cast Coating with a Micron-Adjustable Blade
   The squeegee provides adjustable coating thickness with 0.01 mm accuracy, and the adjustable range of the scraper is 0.01-3.5 mm. The blade gap is the primary control of the wet film thickness, so the blade adjustment directly sets the electrode coating thickness for the run.

2. 800 mm Stroke, Adjustable by the Stroke Switch
   The stroke can be adjusted by the stroke switch between 0-800 mm. The long stroke allows an electrode sheet to be cast in one continuous pass along the full length of the working area, avoiding the seams that multiple shorter passes would create.

3. Vacuum Aluminum Plate for Substrate Holding
   The machine is equipped with a vacuum aluminum plate (L900 mm x W200 mm x H32 mm). The substrate is held flat by vacuum during coating, and the plate allows quick placement or removal of substrates - the sheet is released by switching off the vacuum, with no clamping or tooling to change.

4. Integrated Strong-Wind Circulation Drying to 130 °C
   The drying system uses strong wind circulation heating with digital display temperature control, with a maximum working temperature of 130 °C and a control accuracy of ±1 °C. The whole room-temperature to 130 °C range is covered, so the drying conditions can be matched to the solvent and the electrode formulation.

5. Digital Display Timer for the Drying Step
   The drying time is freely set on the digital display timer, so the drying step can be standardized between runs - a practical requirement when electrode sheets from different formulations must be dried under the same defined conditions.

6. Automatic Coating Travel
   After the applicator is placed and the slurry is poured, the coating device automatically pushes the applicator across the substrate, coating automatically. This gives a consistent travel speed over the coating pass, which supports film uniformity along the sheet.

7. Compact, Space-Saving Construction
   The machine measures L1000 mm x W350 mm x H320 mm and weighs 70 kg, and its small size saves space on the laboratory bench or in the fume hood area. The sheet metal adopts a three-dimensional geometric design, giving the machine an exquisite appearance that is simple and beautiful - a detail that matters in laboratory environments where equipment is visible at the bench.

8. Customizable Build
   The equipment color can be customized, and a carbon filtration configuration is available as a customized option. Both are defined at order confirmation.

Customization Options

Equipment color(standard version)

The equipment color can be customized. The machine is shown below in the two colors produced for customers: green and gray.

Carbon filtration

The machine can be supplied with a carbon filtration configuration as a customized option. Shown below: the carbon-filtration version.

The final configuration for a given order is defined at order confirmation.

Complete Technical Specifications

1. Specification

• Strong wind circulation drying heating, digital display temperature control, maximum working temperature 130 °C.
• Digital display timer, freely set drying time.
• Coating speed can be adjusted within the range of 0-120 mm/s.
• Vacuum aluminum pan for quick placement or removal of substrates.
• The stroke can be adjusted by the stroke switch between 0-800 mm.
• Squeegee with adjustable coating thickness (0.01 mm accuracy).
• Small size saves space.
• Exquisite appearance; the sheet metal adopts a three-dimensional geometric design, simple and beautiful.

2. Parameter Table

Operating Procedure

1. Place the electrode sheet on the vacuum plate, switch on the power, and switch on the vacuum; the electrode sheet is held on the vacuum plate.
2. Place the applicator on the electrode sheet and pour in the coating slurry.
3. Start coating; the coating device automatically pushes the applicator to travel and coats automatically.
4. Remove the applicator and the push rod, close the heating cover, set the heating temperature and time, and start heating and drying.
5. When drying is completed, open the heating cover, take out the coated electrode sheet, and reset the coating device to finish the process.

Maintenance and Precautions

1. Before each operation, carefully wipe the coating head and the machine body with a soft cloth moistened with alcohol to keep them clean.
2. Do not strike the coating head, the micrometer, and other high-precision parts; handle them gently. When adjusting the micrometer, adjust the left and right sides symmetrically and evenly.
3. Periodically check the screws, nuts, pins, and other fasteners at each position to prevent loosening and to eliminate product quality incidents.

Engineering FAQ

Q1: What type of machine is the TOB-VFC-800? 

The TOB-VFC-800 is a cast coater for lithium-ion battery electrode coating. It casts the electrode film with an adjustable blade over a substrate held on a vacuum plate, and it includes an integrated drying function in the same machine. The coating stroke is up to 800 mm, and the machine incorporates a vacuum chuck and an oil-free vacuum pump.

Q2: How is the coating thickness controlled? 

The coating thickness is controlled by the squeegee, which provides adjustable coating thickness with 0.01 mm accuracy. The adjustable range of the scraper is 0.01-3.5 mm. The blade gap sets the wet film thickness, so the target electrode thickness is set by adjusting the blade before the run.

Q3: What substrate and coating area can the machine handle? 

The substrate is held on the vacuum aluminum plate, which measures L900 mm x W200 mm x H32 mm, and the coating stroke is adjustable by the stroke switch between 0-800 mm. Vacuum holding keeps the substrate flat during the coating pass, supporting film uniformity along the sheet.

Q4: Does the machine dry the coating? 

Yes. The machine uses strong wind circulation drying with digital display temperature control, covering room temperature to 130 °C, with a control accuracy of ±1 °C. The drying time is freely set on the digital display timer. After the coating pass, the heating cover is closed over the coated sheet and the coating is dried in place.

Q5: What is included with the machine? 

The standard accessories are the applicator, the crossbar, and the collection box. The machine itself incorporates the vacuum chuck (vacuum aluminum plate) and an oil-free vacuum pump for substrate holding.

Q6: Can the coater be customized? 

Yes. The equipment color can be customized, and a carbon filtration configuration is available as a customized option. The final configuration is defined at order confirmation.

Q7: How should the coater be maintained? 

Wipe the coating head and machine body with a soft cloth moistened with alcohol before each operation. Handle the coating head, the micrometer, and other high-precision parts gently, and adjust the micrometer symmetrically on the left and right. Check the screws, nuts, and pins periodically for loosening.

Q8: How does cast coating differ from slot-die coating in the laboratory? 

Cast coating (the method used by the TOB-VFC-800) spreads slurry from a blade over the substrate, which is direct and flexible - well suited to changing formulations and adjusting film thickness between runs. Slot-die coating applies the slurry through a die head, which suits metered, continuous coating of longer webs. Both methods are used in laboratory electrode work; laboratories that need both can complement the cast coater with a slot-die coater or a slot-die applicator (see the related equipment below).

Ready to add cast coating and in-machine drying to your electrode preparation workflow? Request a quotation for the TOB-VFC-800 with your substrate dimensions, slurry properties, and target coating thickness. Our laboratory equipment engineers can advise on blade setup, drying settings, and the customization options (color and carbon filtration).

tob.amy@tobmachine.com| +86 181 2071 5609

You May Also Need

• Lab Slot-Die Coater with 800 mm Stroke for Battery Electrode Coating - A laboratory slot-die coater with an 800 mm stroke for battery electrode coating. Complements the TOB-VFC-800 by providing the slot-die coating method on a comparable stroke length, for laboratories that cast with a blade and also require metered, die-based coating.

• Film Coating Machine with Dryer - A film coating machine with an integrated dryer for laboratory film coating. An additional TOB laboratory coating option, complementing the TOB-VFC-800 when a different coating configuration or drying arrangement is needed.

• Micrometer Adjustable Slot Die Applicator for Lab Film Coating - A micrometer-adjustable slot-die applicator for laboratory film coating. Complements the TOB-VFC-800 as an applicator option for slot-die application, extending the laboratory's coating capability alongside the standard blade applicator.