China’s electrolytic copper foil industry began with Fukuda’s introduction. Over the years, copper foil production equipment has undergone continuous upgrades and technological advancements, significantly driving the rapid growth of the electronics and new energy industries. As a result, China has become one of the world’s leading producers. This article summarizes the differences and advantages between early-generation and the latest-generation ED machines.
Cathode Drum Size and Precision
Old-Generation ED Machine:
- Smaller cathode drum diameter, typically 1500-2000mm, with a drum width of 1200-1500mm.
- Surface roughness of Ra 0.3-0.5μm, leading to lower production accuracy and efficiency.
- Suitable for small-scale, low-precision production.
New-Generation ED Machine:
- Larger cathode drum diameter of 2000-3000mm, with a drum width of 1380-1850mm.
- Improved surface roughness of Ra ≤ 0.1μm, enhancing production precision and reducing copper foil thickness variations.
- Ideal for high-precision, large-scale production.
Production Efficiency and Applicability
Old-Generation ED Machine:
- Smaller cathode drum limits efficiency.
- Equipment lifespan is around 2-3 years, with high maintenance costs.
- More suitable for low-precision production.
New-Generation ED Machine:
- Larger cathode drum significantly improves production efficiency.
- Designed for high-precision, high-volume production, with a lifespan of up to 10 years.
- Uses high-purity titanium (TA1/TA2), reducing maintenance costs and energy consumption, optimizing long-term operational costs.
Material and Durability
Old-Generation ED Machine:
- Uses standard titanium or low-purity alloys, which have average corrosion and wear resistance, leading to a shorter lifespan.
New-Generation ED Machine:
- Built with high-purity titanium (TA1/TA2), significantly enhancing corrosion and wear resistance.
- Longer lifespan and lower maintenance frequency, reducing operational costs.
Automation and Intelligence
Old-Generation ED Machine:
- Low automation, relying heavily on manual operation and adjustments.
- Lacks automated monitoring and process optimization, making real-time data analysis difficult.
New-Generation ED Machine:
- Equipped with an automated control system, allowing for automatic operation, periodic cleaning, and coating restoration.
- Enhances production efficiency, ensures long-term stable operation, and reduces maintenance costs and operational risks.
Current Density and Material Compatibility
Old-Generation ED Machine:
- Limited current density, suitable for general copper foil productionbut not for high-frequency materials.
New-Generation ED Machine:
- Supports higher current density, making it suitable for high-frequency materials.
- Particularly beneficial for lithium battery copper foil production, meeting the demand for high-performance copper foil.
Copper Foil Edge Quality and Precision Control
Old-Generation ED Machine:
- Smaller cathode drum and lower surface precision lead to edge tearing and warping, affecting product quality.
New-Generation ED Machine:
- Larger, more precise cathode drum ensures better edge stability, reducing tearing issuesand improving copper foil quality.
Cost and Economic Considerations
Old-Generation ED Machine:
- Lower initial investmentbut has higher operational costs due to lower efficiency, shorter lifespan, and higher maintenance needs.
New-Generation ED Machine:
- Higher initial investmentbut lower long-term costs due to higher efficiency, longer lifespan, and reduced maintenance expenses.
- Offers a significant advantage for large-scale production, reducing overall operational costsand improving profitability.
Also we list the difference from from the perspective of production and manufacturing, including equipment structure, component design, processing accuracy, and drive system upgrades.
| No. | Old-Generation ED Machine | New-Generation ED Machine | Advantages of Optimization & Upgrades |
| 1 | The left and right supports are single pieces, with poor pitch control. | The entire semicircle is welded and then finely processed, ensuring stable pitch dimensions. | Higher pitch accuracy, more uniform copper foil weight, higher current tolerance, improved current utilization, reduced electrolyzer voltage, lower energy consumption, and enhanced overall production efficiency. |
| 2 | The early anode tank had conductive connections only in the middle of the back. | The 2.7 anode tank adopts an evenly spaced copper bar layout, ensuring more uniform conductivity. | Improved current distribution, enhanced copper foil thickness uniformity, reduced abnormal deposition caused by localized overcurrent, and increased anode plate lifespan. |
| 3 | The anode plates inside the anode tank are fixed in an embedded manner. | The new anode plate adopts a back-pulled design. | More uniform contact between the anode plate and the substrate, improved conductivity, reduced local current density differences; the inner side has an arc-shaped design with no screw fixation, reducing local resistance and facilitating stable production of ultra-thin copper foil. |
| 4 | The width of the anode tank matches the width of the cathode drum. | The anode tank is 4-6mm wider than the cathode drum. | Optimized tank design results in natural thickening of copper foil edges, improving tear resistance and reducing scrap rate due to edge quality issues. |
| 5 | The cutter and edge material drive use traditional speed-regulated motors. | High-precision servo motor drive is used. | Improved cutting precision, more stable edge material transport, reduced breakage, and enhanced production continuity and stability. |
| 6 | Water removal relies entirely on gravity. | Optimized structure supports gravity + auxiliary pressure mode. | Adjustable water removal pressure according to production needs, improved moisture removal efficiency, faster drying speed, and more stable copper foil moisture content, increasing production speed. |
| 7 | After drying, the copper foil directly enters the tension roller. | A flattening roller is added before the tension roller. | The flattening roller improves surface tension distribution, reducing vibration during transport, enhancing stability, and minimizing wrinkles or uneven tension issues. |
| 8 | Low roller precision, causing vibration. | Roller precision is improved to high standards, reducing vibration. | High-precision rollers reduce vibration during operation, stabilizing tension, improving copper foil thickness uniformity, and enhancing product quality. |
Conclusion
The new-generation ED machine surpasses the old-generation model in production efficiency, equipment lifespan, precision control, and automation. While it requires a higher initial investment, it offers significant long-term benefits, making it ideal for high-precision, high-volume production and enhancing overall competitiveness.