Lab-Scale Roll-to-Roll Battery Processing Foundation of Scalable Production

Published: October 13, 2025

Setting the Stage for Scalable Battery Manufacturing

By Jon Carlé, PhD, infinityPV

Roll-to-roll (RR) battery manufacturing is gaining momentum as the preferred method for producing next-generation batteries at scale. The ability to coat, dry and assemble battery layers continuously on flexible substrates offers advantages in throughput, cost-efficiency and consistency.

However, while the long-term potential of R2R battery production is clear, its success depends heavily on what happens in the laboratory. Before materials reach a pilot or production line, they must be evaluated, refined and validated using lab-scale R2R methods that reflect the realities of high-volume manufacturing.

Laboratory-scale R2R processing is not a scaled-down version of full-scale production in name only. It is where the earliest design choices meet practical execution. Each formulation, coating method and drying profile must be compatible not only with the final battery architecture, but with the continuous processes that make industrial-scale production possible. A reliable and repeatable lab-scale system provides the foundation for this transition, minimizing risk and accelerating development.

From Materials to Metrics: The Importance of Early Process Fidelity

Materials in battery research are evolving rapidly. High-capacity anodes like silicon, solid-state electrolytes, dry-coatable polymers and lithium-sulfur chemistries are now central to many development programs. These materials often have unconventional behaviors during coating and drying. Rheological properties may change during shear, solvent systems may interact with substrates and drying kinetics may vary significantly depending on ambient conditions. The only way to understand and control these factors under realistic production conditions is to simulate them at lab scale.

Coating thickness, drying rate and layer uniformity of the electrode, directly affect battery performance. Defects such as pinholes or agglomerates can lead to short circuits, poor cycle life or capacity loss.

With lab-scale R2R tools, researchers can fine-tune parameters like web speed, coating gap, slot-die head alignment and drying temperature profiles. These adjustments are difficult to make once a material reaches a pilot line. Getting the process right early reduces wasted time and resources later in development.

A major advantage of using a well-calibrated lab-scale R2R system is the ability to generate meaningful, reproducible data. In battery development, small inconsistencies can result in large deviations in electrochemical performance. By standardizing process parameters at an early stage, teams can isolate material-level effects from process-induced variation. This is essential not only for internal development but also for collaboration between research groups, vendors and manufacturing partners.

Anticipating Scale-Up Challenges in the Lab

Another benefit of early R2R development is the ability to assess the scalability of new materials and processes. Not all promising lab results can be reproduced in a continuous production setting. A material that performs well when cast in small batches might prove incompatible with continuous coating, requiring reformulation or a change in substrate. Identifying such issues early allows teams to make informed decisions about which materials to pursue and which to deprioritize. It also helps to avoid "dead-end" developments that are difficult or impossible to scale.

While the role of R2R at lab scale is essential, it is not without its challenges. Adapting continuous processes to small footprints requires careful attention to web handling, tension control and coating dynamics. Many laboratory environments also require additional process constraints such as inert atmosphere operation or solvent containment, which must be integrated without compromising process fidelity. Drying technologies that scale well, such as infrared or convective systems, must be adaptable to the lab environment while maintaining control over temperature gradients and airflow.

Measurement is another area where lab-scale R2R systems must be handled thoughtfully. While inline sensors for layer thickness, solvent content or surface treatment are common in large-scale lines, they are less frequently integrated at small scale. Yet these measurements are critical for understanding process trends and identifying causes of variability.

Incorporating data logging and control software can provide insight into coating stability, tension fluctuations and environmental factors like humidity or temperature drift. This information is invaluable for scaling up with confidence.

Designing for Scalability From Day One

Transitioning from lab to pilot line involves more than increasing web width or speed. It requires a deep understanding of how materials behave over time, under load and in ambient or controlled environments. Designing experiments at lab scale with a view toward scale-up allows for a smoother transition.

This includes testing at representative speeds, using scalable solvents and mimicking the drying mechanisms and residence times expected on larger lines. The closer the lab conditions match industrial ones, the more useful the insights become.

Battery development today operates under intense pressure. The need to bring new chemistries to market is driven by decarbonization goals, supply chain concerns and consumer demand for improved performance. Efficient use of time and resources is essential. Lab-scale R2R systems make it possible to explore multiple formulations or electrode architectures in parallel, screen for manufacturability and rapidly iterate on process parameters. This flexibility enables developers to fail fast, learn quickly and move forward with confidence.

Perhaps most importantly, laboratory R2R platforms encourage collaboration. Universities, startups and industrial R&D teams can work on shared platforms with common tools and methodologies.

This shared language helps align expectations and reduce friction when transferring processes from the lab to production. It also supports the broader ecosystem of suppliers, from coating equipment manufacturers to materials providers, who can use standardized data to improve compatibility and performance.

Scaling up battery production is not simply a matter of producing more. It requires a systems-level understanding of how materials, processes and equipment interact. Lab-scale R2R processing plays a central role in building this understanding. By enabling researchers and engineers to evaluate, refine and de-risk their approaches early, it reduces uncertainty and lays the groundwork for high-yield, high-performance battery manufacturing.

In an industry where consistency, safety and speed to market are critical, investing in lab-scale R2R infrastructure and expertise is not optional. It is the most effective way to ensure that what works in theory also works on the factory floor.

About the Author

Jon Carlé, PhD, is an expert in roll-to-roll processing and slot-die coating at infinityPV, a Danish technology company specializing in the design and manufacturing of laboratory and pilot-scale R2R equipment for printed electronics, batteries, solar cells, fuel cells and pharmaceuticals. His work centers on the design and refinement of high-precision R2R systems, including modular platforms such as the Laboratory Roll-to-Roll Coater, which support reproducible coating and drying processes under controlled conditions.