QCOALA Quality Control of Aluminium Laser-welded Assemblies

Summary

The development of the QCOALA laser processing system will mean that testing is carried out so that parts are not tested until breaking point. It will also provide a reliable, high-speed, low-cost and high-quality joining solution for electric car battery and thin-film photovoltaic cell interconnections. Through fully integrated process ICTs and statistical process control, the new system will facilitate in-line quality control, as well as a higher level of automation in manufacturing and thereby achieve higher yield and throughput for both of these high-in-demand applications. This project will help the consortium partners to increase their annual turnover to the order of between 15 and 25%, productivity between 50 and 100% and yield by 2 and 10%. The new laser processing system will be based on a pulsed platform, capable of laser pulses in the range of micro seconds to milli seconds and pulse energies of up to tens of joules able to generate both near infra-red and green wavelength through a dual-wavelength beam scanner. Real-time temporal pulse control will be developed to allow close-loop control of the monitored process. The fully-integrated system will produce continuous (i.e. not sample-based) inspection rates, with a â˜fingerprintâ™ of each laser weld captured in real time, and allow in-line process control when welding car battery and thin-film PV cell interconnections. QCOALA is focused on energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly and agile manufacturing, through the feedback of in-line information into the production line relating to monitoring and inspection, allowing for process control and continuous quality improvement, as well as waste reduction. Whereas the aim of the project is to produce smarter and more energy-efficient manufacturing, the applications addressed in the project are categorised in the green, â˜alternativeâ™ energy market.

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Web resources:	http://www.qcoala.eu https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/260153
Start date:	01-09-2010
End date:	31-08-2013
Total budget - Public funding:	3 926 091,00 Euro - 2 627 239,00 Euro

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Original description

The QCOALA project will develop a new dual-wavelength laser processing system for welding thin-gauge aluminium and copper, 0.1mm to 1.0mm in thickness, with integrated process monitoring and in-line non-destructive inspection, and establish its capability to provide a reliable, high-speed, low-cost and high-quality joining solution for electric car battery and thin-film photovoltaic (PV) cell interconnections. Through fully integrated process ICT and Statistical Process Control (SPC), the new system will facilitate in-line quality control, as well as a higher level of automation in manufacturing, and thereby achieve higher yield and throughput, for both these high-in-demand applications. This project will help the Beneficiaries, with expertise in the constituent components of the new system, to increase their annual turnover between 15 and 25%, their productivity between 50 and 100% and their yield between 2 and 10%.
The new laser processing system will be based on a pulsed platform for PV interconnections, capable of laser pulses in the range of µs to ms and pulse energies of up to (tens of) Joules, and capable of generating both the near-IR and green wavelength through a dual-wavelength beam scanner. Real-time temporal pulse control will be developed to allow closed-loop control of the monitored process. A dual , pulsed green and continuous wave (cw) IR platform will be used for welding battery interconnections. In this case, the combined green and IR beams will be delivered through the same dual wavelength welding head. The fully-integrated system will produce 100% inspection rate, with a 'fingerprint' of each laser weld captured in 'real-time', and allow in-line process control when welding car battery and thin-film PV cell interconnections QCOALA is focused on energy-efficient, environmental-friendly and agile manufacturing, through the feed-back of in-line-monitoring and inspection information into the production line, allowing process control and continuous quality improvement and waste reduction. Whereas the concept of the project is aimed at smarter and more energy-efficient manufacturing, the applications that are addressed in the project fall are categorised in the 'green' alternative energy market.