Faster Encapsulation
Collaboration between DuPont and Bürkle Doubles Module Output
DuPont Photovoltaic Encapsulants and Bürkle North America, Inc. have cooperated in speeding up module lamination. Using new DuPont PV5400 Series encapsulant, an Ypsator laminator can produce up to twice as many glass/glass solar modules per hour as traditional laminators. more...
Inspection and Sorting System
Wafer Inspection “On-The-Fly”
Efficiency in PV production is not only a question of efficient production but also of efficient quality inspection methods. Schmid has developed a new “on-the-fly“ final inspection and sorting system that is designed for diamond wire cut and slurry cut wafers as well as for monocrystalline, quasimono and multicrystalline wafers. more...
Focussing of Portfolio
Oerlikon to Divest Solar Segment to Tokyo Electron
The Oerlikon Group has agreed the terms of a divestment of its Solar Segment to Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL) of Japan. The sale is a strategic move for Oerlikon to further focus its portfolio and enable management to develop the larger, high performing businesses in the Group, in order to continue profitable growth. more...
New Thin-Film Concepts
Singulus Receives New Order for Thin-Film Solar Technology
Singulus Technologies reports the sale of a CIGS/CIS thin-film solar cell coating plant to an international thin-film solar manufacturer. CIGS technology is based on a semi-conductor layer composed of copper, indium, gallium, sulfur, and selenium. The equipment will be used to set up a pilot production line for CIGS/CIS modules. more...
Fast Junction Box Connection Technology for Automated Production Process
Designed for Automation
Junction box assembly is one of the last process-relevant steps in photovoltaic module produc-tion and essentially defines the interface between module and PV system. A new connection technology is especially designed for production lines with a high level of automation. more...
Automation of Soldering
No Energy Wasted
In order to economically manufacture customer-specific machines, Somont, a manufacturer of stringer soldering machines, relies on modular automation systems and rail-mounted terminal blocks for connection technology. more...
Robot-manufactured cells for the photovoltaic industry
Fast and Precise – with Due Care
Handling of thin silicon wafers before and after the wet bench is performed by robots. Here the requirements are clearly defined: the shortest possible cycle times with the lowest possible rate of breakage – a balancing act that can only be accomplished using automation at the very highest level. more...
Laser Sources
Enhanced Productivity, Lower Costs for Solar Thin-film Industry
Among the wide range of laser sources for solar thin-film edge deletion applications available from Rofin, the 1000-watt DQ010 laser is the one offering the highest laser power for such purposes. This device allows fast processing of up to 80 cm²/s, ensuring high productivity. more...
Thin-film Modules with Aluminium-doped Zinc Oxide TCO Coating Offer High Flexibility
Glass Galore
Specifically developed for photovoltaic applications, Euroglas PV Flat is a high-strength and ultra-plane solar glass showing extremely low distortion. Different glass types serve different purposes in solar modules. more...
Fiber Laser
Laser Drilling of Solar Cells
Manufacturing advanced solar cell concepts like metal wrap through or emitter wrap through cells need innovative laser concepts. Ready automation of laser processing and low manufacturing costs of laser tools are key for a bright future of the solar cell industry. more...
Cleaning and Etching Machine for Silicon Wafers
Wet-Chemical Processing Costs Reduced
The improved Silex wet-chemical batch cleaning and etching machine for silicon wafers utilises a new texturing process which is free of flammable volatile solvents such as isopropanol (IPA) and is based on commercially available additives. more...
New Water-debondable Adhesive Eliminates Acids, Minimizes Wafer Damage
Simplified Solar Silicon Slicing
A water-debondable epoxy adhesive introduced by Henkel Corporation simplifies silicone ingot bonding and protects against wafer breakage. It provides excellent bond strength to both silicon and the glass and metal mounting substrates used in ingot sawing. more...
Coolant for Diamond Wire Ingot Squaring
Enhanced Manufacturing Efficiency and Sustainability
A new diamond wire ingot squaring coolant improves wafer manufacturing efficiency while also enhancing the sustainability of the production process. This innovation from Dow can help improve performance and/or lower the total system costs of PV applications. more...
Automated Coating System
Significant Cost Advantages in Buffer Layer Application
A promising new development in efficient wet-chemical coating of CIS/CIGS solar modules has been reported by SINGULUS: the second generation TENUIS production line is of space-saving modular construction and permits simultaneous one-side coating of two substrates. more...
Laser-induced Diffusion Process
Higher Cell Efficiency
Rofin and Centrotherm have developed the selective emitter technology using the PowerLine L 100 SHG (532 nm) from Rofin. This laser- induced diffusion process of phosphor into the finger and busbar surface of the solar cell increases the cell efficiency by up to 0.4 %. more...
Transport System
Tooth Chains for Smooth and Fast Operation
Inverted tooth chains from Rexroth enable precise positioning on belts and the safe transport of solar glass panels. The inverted tooth chains are characterized by a long service life despite extreme ambient conditions, such as transport of glass articles at temperatures of over 600 °C or transport in a vacuum. more...
Coating Tool
Applying Anti-Reflective Coatings to Solar Cells
The Singular tool concept is based on static inline production. The key feature of the Singulus coating tool is the PECVD inductively coupled plasma. more...
Vacuum Grippers
Wafer and Cell Handling Leaving No Marks
The handling technology found in the SWG (Schmalz Wafer Gripper) ensures process-safe, slip-free, and damage-free handling with cycle times of less than 1 sec. The modular design allows simple adaptation to a wide range of wafer formats and process requirements. more...
Light as a Tool
Lasers in the Production of Thin-film Solar Cells
The proportion of thin-film solar cells on the photovoltaic market is growing fast. Lasers are vital tools for producing thin-film modules. In particular, high-performance ultra-short pulse lasers, which create pulses that last a few picoseconds, lead to increased throughput and optimal processing results. more...
Spectrometer
Straightforward, Fast Quality Control
The Spectro Xepos is a XRF spectrometer that can determine the contents of all important elements from sodium to uranium in a single measurement and at an accuracy required by the photovoltaic industry for all relevant elements. more...
Silicone Sealing
Securely Mounted Junction Boxes
Otto Chemie has developed elastic two-component silicone sealing compounds with good adhesion to glass and Tedlar sheets for permanent protection of the contact points where the electricity is tapped in the junction box against moisture and fine dust. more...