Improved methods for manufacturing electrode active tapes, including blanks/plates with essential homogeneity for consistently more reliable performing electrodes for electrochemical cells, and with lower rates of off-specification material, by forming an electrode active mixture; adjusting the solids content to form a filter cake mix; crumbling the filter cake into particles and performing at least one calendering step at a calendering station having a nip zone while applying a force to the particles axially with the direction of movement of the particles to compact the particles in the nip zone for more even presentation during calendering.