The Robotic Edge
Robot-based Tape Application on Photovoltaic Modules
As in every other industry, cutting costs while simultaneously maintaining product quality is also a challenging task for PV module manufacturers. Robot technology could increase productivity and assure excellent quality through automated processing. more...
High Performance Module / New Lamination Process
Withstands Temperatures up to 125°C
German PV specialist J.v.G. Thoma, Freystadt, has developed a new lamination process for PV modules that leads to extremely heat resistant modules and a longer life span. The development was accomplished in close cooperation with Bavarian solar provider Jurawatt. more...
CIGS Technology
Manz Provides Update on CIGS Fab
Engineering firm Manz has significantly increased the efficiency of CIGS thin-film modules manfactured under mass production conditions. The company presented the latest advances introduced in its integrated production line at the Fourth Thin-Film Conference held in San Francisco. more...
Fourth Quarter Results
Conergy Defies Module Price Decline
Despite a module price drop of over 40 % in 2010, German single source solar provider Conergy, Hamburg, achieved group sales of € 755 million in line with company predictions. more...
Singulus Machines Key Components
Avancis Starts 100 MWp CIS Production
Avancis, manufacturer of CIS solar modules, has commenced production in its second factory at company headquarters in Torgau, Germany. 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...
Sealing and Bonding Benefits
Assembly of Thin Film Modules with New Back End Processes
Production costs of thin film modules can be further reduced by introducing new back-end processes. To find the optimum contacting solution, the pros and cons of each technology must be compared together with their suitability for the different connections in a thin film module, keeping the whole current path in mind. It is also important to determine which contacting technology works well in order to gain an meaningful cost comparison of different processes. more...
Partially Automated Production Line
Flexibility Counts
The façades of buildings are ideal photovoltaic surfaces. PV Products has invested in a production line enabling cost-effective manufacture of crystalline glass-film and glass-glass modules in just about any color or format to meet a wide range of customer wishes. 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...
Laser Edge Isolation Replaced by Ten-lane Wet-chemical Edge Isolation
Modernizing to Compete
The photovoltaics market has become a buyer’s market, with the drive for higher cell efficiencies in full swing. Slackening demand for solar cells with efficiencies lower than about 16.4 % was recently reported by Digitimes, a Taiwanese industry information service . more...
Largest Renewable Energy Investment in Germany in 2010
Thin-Film Module Capacity Doubled to 500 MW
Arizona-based First Solar, major US producer of thin-film solar modules, recently opened its new plant expansion in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany. The $200 m investment effectively doubles the company’s production capacity in Germany to 500 MW annually. more...
Optical Inspection Equipment
Defect Detection
Numerous hardware and software improvements have been introduced in GP Solar’s latest Inspect Chrome product line for inline measurement. A development in camera optics enables optimized defect detection by spectral analysis of wafers, cells, and modules. more...
Laser Processing of Flexible Solar Cells
Monolithic Integration
A new laser scribing system for flexible solar cells enables P1–P3 serial integration of flexible CIGS, a-Si, and organic thin-film solar cells on polymer or metal substrates, thus allowing new approaches to module design. more...
X-ray Fluorescence Inspection
Inline Quality Control
The efficiency of a thin-film solar module is largely dependent upon the composition and homogeneity of the layer of metal applied. X-ray fluorescence provides an excellent means of monitoring these two characteristics in a production environment. more...
PV Cell Manufacturing Platform
State-of-the-Art Solar Manufacturing
The Pegaso photovoltaic cell manufacturing platform fabricates electrical circuits on both sides of a solar cell in a process that includes multiple screen-printed metallization steps, metrology, and sorting. more...
Encapsulant Films
Faster Production, Greater Module Stability
Enhanced efficiencies in photovoltaic PV module production and lower conversion costs are claims made for ENLIGHT Polyolefin Encapsulant Films produced by Dow Chemical Company. more...
ICP-PECVD Coating Tool
Production of High Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells
SINGULAR is a flexible ICP-PECVD coating tool serving for mass production of silicon solar cells. In addition, however, it is being increasingly used in the development of PECVD coatings for high efficiency solar cells embodying conventional and new cell concepts. 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...
Elastic Two-component Silicone Sealants
Secure Mounting of Junction Boxes on Solar Modules
Junction boxes pool the current generated by the solar cells and redirect it. Since complete modules cease to function if junction boxes fail, special attention must be given to their proper mounting. more...
Metallization Paste Dryer
Cutting VOC Emissions
Developed for advanced drying of metallization pastes, the DriTech dryer offers unique, patent-pending hybrid heating technology and an updated design that decouples the VOC removal and binder burn-off and delivers a more flexible and efficient drying process. more...