Electrode Roller Pressing is a key manufacturing step in battery electrode production, used to achieve the desired thickness, density, and surface uniformity of the coated electrode sheets. In this process, the coated electrode—typically aluminum foil for the cathode or copper foil for the anode—is passed through a pair of precision rollers under controlled pressure. The applied force compresses the active material layer, reducing its porosity, enhancing particle-to-particle contact, and improving adhesion to the current collector. These changes improve the electrode’s electrical conductivity, mechanical stability, and energy density.
Roller pressing parameters such as roll gap, pressure, speed, and temperature must be carefully optimized to prevent defects like cracking, delamination, or uneven density distribution, which can affect cell performance and lifespan
Objective:
To analyze the coupled mechanical behavior of electrode material and aluminum foil during roller pressing using a coupled Discrete Element Method (DEM)–Finite Element Analysis (FEA) approach. The study focuses on:
- Simulating particle rearrangement, densification, and porosity changes of the electrode coating (EDEM)
- Evaluating stress–strain distribution, deformation, and potential damage in the aluminum foil (OS-Explicit)
Prerequisites:
EDEM-OS two-way coupling requires below specified version or later versions
- EDEM – 2025.1
- OptiStruct– 2025.1
- SimLab – 2025.1
Key Points To be Noted:
- Electrode is modelled using non-calibrate material model
- Foil is assigned with Non-linear Aluminum material
- Roller is assigned with linear steel
*Note:
The bulk density of the electrode material was chosen to be very large to reduce computation time, as this exercise is intended solely for demonstration purposes. The simulation results are not intended for any form of comparison.
EDEM Setup:
SimLab Setup:
Simulation Results:
Summary:
Altair EDEM simulation for Roller Compaction allows to:
- The force required to break/Experiencing the Aluminum foil
- Aluminum foil displacement
- To understand the porosity of the electrode material
Simulation Files:
CAD File:
EDEM Initial Deck:
EDEM with Particle bed:
The particle bed file is > 100MB, hence the file is uploaded in one drive
RollerCompaction
FE Input File:
SimLab File:
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