Test & measurement U
ltra-thin metal foils play a fundamental role in enabling our global energy transition. They are an essential
component in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that supply power for electric vehicles and countless electronic devices for industrial, medical, scientific and consumer applications. They are also employed in the design of solar cells and energy storage systems, and to shield sensitive components and systems from electromagnetic interference. Aside from their use in electronics and energy, metal foils feature widely in other applications from packaging and insulation to catalytic converters for automobiles.
DEMAND FOR THINNER FOILS, HIGHER QUALITY AND BETTER YIELDS Anticipated to reach over $3 billion by 2033, the global market for ultra-thin foils, including copper, aluminium, stainless steel and other metals, is growing steadily. As demand increases, manufacturers are under pressure to maintain their competitive edge by ensuring the consistent performance of their products. In particular, customers’ desire for smaller, lighter, and more efficient electronic devices puts pressure on metal foil producers to deliver thinner materials with tighter tolerances that may be as small as just a few fractions of a micron. When it comes to thickness measurement, the real question is how thin is thin? More substantial foils used for industrial applications like insulation, aerospace and automotive manufacture can measure from 100 to 200 microns, or millionths of a meter. Conversely, the foils used in batteries, integrated circuits, packaging, capacitors and other electronics devices can measure down to a gossamer-thin 5 microns, right at the limits of visibility to the unaided human eye.
The manufacture of ultra-thin and speciality metal foils demands exceptionally precise control during the multi-stage rolling process. Any departures from uniform thickness, flatness or surface quality of copper and aluminium foils used as electrodes in lithium-ion batteries, for example, can mean compromising battery efficiency, lifespan and safety.
MEASUREMENT TO THE MICRON Maintaining product quality is achieved in modern rolling mills with force sensors that enable real-time control of key rolling parameters such as speed, flatness, thickness and tension. By providing stable and accurate data, these sensing systems enable metal manufacturers to make fine adjustments that ensure high-grade foils are produced to within strict tolerance limits.
Rolling ultra-thin metals and foils with the required standards of accuracy and consistency for today’s demanding applications presents
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LESS THAN A HAIR’S BREADTH:
WHY LOW-FORCE SENSING MATTERS IN ULTRA-THIN METAL FOIL PRODUCTION
From EV batteries to solar cells, medical devices and aerospace components, everyday life is increasingly dependent on ultra-thin metal foils that feature in thousands of electrical and electronic devices and systems. ABB’s Marko Sydänlammi, global portfolio manager – flatness systems, explains the challenges in high grade foil production, and the importance of accurate force measurement to ensure precise control of metal foil flatness and thickness.
some unique challenges. In particular, it is a process that requires the use of highly sensitive measurement devices that can detect subtle force variations.
Precise control is essential to achieve the required material properties. Given their delicate nature, even minor fluctuations in pressure and tension can alter the curvature, mechanical stiffness or electrical conductivity of ultra-thin metal or foil sheets. It is vital to ensure that flatness is maintained throughout rolling to avoid defects such as edge wave or centre buckle that can occur during processing. Any anomalies increase the risk of strip breakage which can cause further production losses. To address these constraints, low-force measurement solutions must deliver high sensitivity and long-term stability within a compact, robust design that can deliver continuously reliable performance and avoid disruption to production. This can be problematic
with the standard force sensing systems that are widely used for cold rolling processes in the metals industry. These technologies may lack the resolution or stability needed for highly specialised applications such as ultra-thin foil manufacture. Equally, they can suffer from other practical and commercial disadvantages that limit their appeal to high-grade foil producers. Piezoelectric sensors, for example, have been the industry standard for dynamic measurement of pressure, force and acceleration for decades. While they offer numerous benefits, these types of sensors also have disadvantages that can impact on their performance. Their non-parallel mounting arrangement, for example, increases their sensitivity to tension variations and results in slower and less accurate automatic flatness control (AFC) as the measurements need to be heavily filtered. Piezoelectric systems also typically allow only one sensor per zone, leading to a measurement
June 2026 Instrumentation Monthly
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