SFA-AM - Strategic Focus Area Advanced Manufacturing
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X-Ray Diagnostics

High-­Efficacy X-­Ray Diagnostic Tools for Process Optimization and Quality Management on Roll-­to-­Roll and Conveyor-­based Manufacturing Lines
Batteries, fuel cells, solar cells, flexible electronics as well as thermal and environmental coatings in building products like smart windows all rely on roll-to-roll or conveyor-based manufacturing solutions. These high performance and functional coatings often have layers with complex structures and compositions. Incorporating a third-dimension into an inherently two-dimensional sheet through structure and compositional gradients while increasing processing speeds requires new diagnostic tools for process development, optimization, and in-line quality management.
There currently exist a number of diagnostic tools for in-line measurement of thickness, detection of cracks and defects, and material composition. While these enable measurement of coating thickness, identification of some defects in processing, or measuring the chemical composition, they do not provide information about internal structure through the depth of the sheet. In this project, we propose to leverage the rapid improvement in x-ray detectors to develop and deliver sensing diagnostics for high-throughput sheet-based manufacturing providing detailed information about the structure and composition of the coated layers.
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Structure of the X-Ray Diagnostics project with two key measuring technologies

Scope of Research Activities
Material and Coating Development
  • Preparation of solar cell thin films with characteristic textures and manufacturing defects
  • Preparation of wet-coated particles systems
  • Preparation of dry battery electrodes and solid-state battery electrodes
X-Ray Grating Interferometry (GI) Imaging
  • Testing of materials and development of analysis code
  • Design and construction of prototype
  • Refinement of prototype system
X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) Texture Measurements
  • Testing of materials and development of analysis code
  • Design and construction of prototype
  • Refinement of prototype system
Diagnostics on Belt and Roll-to-Roll (R2R) Systems
  • Design and construction of prototype conveyor system
  • Trials at coating lines
  • Evaluation of x-ray diagnostics tool for R2R as product concept

Key Challenges and Technical Problems to Solve
  • Develop tools that provide information about internal structure and composition through the depth of the sheet
  • Process obtained information rapidly that it can be interpreted by a machine, generate a feedback criterion, and be used to automate and add intelligence to manufacturing
  • Integrate the new x-ray diagnostic tools into commercial coating lines

Demonstrator
  • Portable x-ray GI imaging prototype for integration into a commercial coating line
  • Portable XRD texture measurement prototype for integration into a commercial coating line
  • Demonstrator of x-ray diagnostic tools capable of quantifying and monitoring structural feature on a commercial coating line
Leading Principal Investigator
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Prof. Dr. Vanessa Wood
Laboratory for Nanoelectronics, ETH Zürich



Project Consortium
  • Prof. Dr. Ayodhya Tiwari
    Laboratory for Thin Films and Photovoltaic (LTFPV), Empa
  • Prof. Dr. Marco Stampanoni
    X-­Ray Tomography Group (TOMCAT), PSI
An initiative of the ETH Board
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Participating Institutions of the ETH Domain
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© COPYRIGHT 2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Focus Areas
    • Focus Areas 2017-2020 >
      • Precision Free-Form Manufacturing
      • Printed Electronics
      • Sustainable Digital Manufacturing and Design
      • Sensing Technologies
      • Intelligent Systems and Advanced Automation
    • Focus Areas 2021-2024 >
      • Manufacturing Technologies
      • Functionality Integration
      • Sensing Technologies
      • Intelligent Systems and Advanced Automation
  • Calls & Selection
    • Initial Program
    • Expansion Program
    • Period 2021-2024
  • Projects
    • Projects Initial Program >
      • Ceramic X.0
      • FUORCLAM
      • Powder Focusing
      • PREAMPA
      • FOXIP
      • CFRP-AM
      • SD4D
    • Projects Expansion Program >
      • D-SENSE
      • MOCONT
      • Nano Assembly
      • X-Ray Diagnostics
  • Events
    • Annual Review Meeting 2020
    • Workshop 13 July 2020
    • Annual Review Meeting 2019
    • Annual Review Meeting 2018
    • Launch Event 13 Nov 2017
    • Workshop 6 July 2017
    • Workshop 17 Oct 2016
  • About
    • Steering Committee
    • Participating ETH Institutions
  • Contact