On August 14, 2026, China's National Intellectual Property Administration disclosed that CATL's patent application for a "Laser Cleaning Device, Battery Production Line, and Battery Electrode Cleaning Method" was officially granted under publication number CN122007093B. The patent was filed on April 7, 2026, by inventors Yan Xuedong, Pan Wensheng, and Zhou Lunsheng.
The core innovation of this patent lies in a complete system comprising a mobile carrier structure, an inspection mechanism, a laser cleaning mechanism, and a controller. The carrier structure consists of a rail assembly and multiple carrier modules: carriers placed in the first station section correspond to the first surface of the electrode to be cleaned, while the remaining carriers correspond to the second surface. The inspection mechanism detects products transferred to the second station section, and the laser cleaning mechanism performs targeted cleaning on products entering the third station section. The entire system operates through coordinated control, enabling stable differentiation and independent processing of the two electrode surfaces, effectively avoiding parameter conflicts and thereby improving cleaning depth consistency and product yield.
This patent reflects the deepening penetration of laser cleaning technology in new energy battery manufacturing, transitioning from "usable" to "precision-optimized." In battery production, electrode cleaning is a critical process that determines charge-discharge performance and safety. Traditional cleaning methods struggle to precisely control cleaning depth, often leading to surface damage or incomplete cleaning, which in turn affects battery consistency and cycle life. CATL's newly granted patent enables independent control of cleaning parameters for both electrode surfaces through a structured carrier design and intelligent inspection feedback, offering a new technical pathway for yield improvement in mass production.
From an industry perspective, laser cleaning applications in the new energy battery sector continue to expand. Beyond electrode cleaning, scenarios such as pre-weld cleaning of battery trays, shell texturing, and cell rework have become mature application areas. Laser cleaning can reduce welding defect rates from 3%–5% to below 0.1%, with zero chemical wastewater and zero dust emissions throughout the process-fully aligned with increasingly stringent global environmental regulations and the high cleanliness requirements of battery manufacturing.
Notably, leading battery companies are continuously filing patents in the laser cleaning space, indicating that the technological barrier for this process is rising. For laser equipment manufacturers, those capable of deeply understanding battery manufacturing pain points and delivering customized cleaning solutions will be better positioned in future market competition.
