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SOLAR AWARDS
gear motors, which position the cell coatings. This is a crucial final step in By contrast, the laser process simply
photovoltaic surface perpendicular to the the solar manufacturing process and requires the one off cost of the laser
sun’s rays, thus maximising electrical involves the ablative removal of a 14 mm system and can then implemented
energy generation; the tracker may also boarder of thin-film from the edge of the directly into existing solar cell
be placed in a night position and may solar glass panel. Removal ensures no manufacturing facilities. The potential
assume the evening position in order to conductive material remains between the throughput of solar cells is also increased
being the daily work cycle. With the active areas of the panel and the metal when using the laser process, as the
Mecasolar tracking system, increased casing used to frame them. process is greatly streamlined when
performance is offered for photovoltaic compared to sand blasting technique.
installations as compared to installations Product development at Powerlase is
Issue III 2009
on fixed structures. Claimed increases are driven by real world customer
greater than 35% and vary depending requirements. Powerlase maintains close
upon the geographic location at which the working relationships with partners and
Reis Robotics
plant is located, it can reach as high as potential customers to get a full Automatic Laser Soldering
45% for some regions in Spain, according understanding of their requirements. Procedure
to the company. Powerlase also has significant experience
with thin-film removal in the plasma The system supplier for photovoltaic
-pv-management.com The MS TRACKER sits on a foundation or display industry, specifically in supplying module lines, Reis Robotics, has already
concrete footing reinforced with lasers to Samsung and LG Electronics for implemented a newly developed laser
.solar
corrugated wire mesh. It is anchored to thin-film ablation in the manufacture of soldering procedure for practical use with
www
the footing by securing nuts and locknuts plasma television units. several customers. Photovoltaic
on steel stud bolts. The solar tracker is A close relationship with potential manufacturers are increasingly anxious to
26
comprised of two metal profile customers in the solar cell industry fully exploit the automation potential of
substructures made of hot dipped allowed Powerlase to identify the their production in order to deal with the
galvanised steel, which give the structure requirement for a similar process of thin- increasing demands for lower prices.
a robust resistance. The tracker’s central film removal. This, combined with the REIS ROBOTICS a system supplier with
body is comprised of a ‘V-shaped’ company’s experience in the area, has its subsidiary Reis Lasertec as laser
structure on which the frame rests in led to the development of a laser based welding specialist has been successful for
which the photovoltaic modules are technique designed specifically for some years in the practical
mounted. Mecasolar has the ISO processing thin-films on solar cells. implementation of these very complex
9001:2000 certificate, CE Certification for Previously, the process used a method of application tasks.
conformity with European Directives sand blasting to remove the border, but
98/37/CE, 73/23/CEE and 2004/108/CE. the laser based technique offers A newly developed laser soldering
The tracker has been designed according significant cost and efficiency method ensures further increases in
the following standards: DIN 1055-4 improvements. quality, shortened cycle times and
(8.86), DIN 1056 (10.84) and MV-103 reductions in manual rework. An integral
Building Standard. Powerlase lasers are suitable for the thin- process controller monitors and
film ablation application due to their documents the production process. In
robust and unique nature. Using a fibre doing this, it is possible to concentrate
delivery system the laser beam emitted is the heat input such that soldering can be
square, instead of round. Using a square done directly on the EVA foil. With direct
beam removes the thin-film more soldering on the foil, unnecessary
efficiently, as less beam overlap is multiple handling of the strings during the
required compared with a round beam. pre-process is avoided.
This increases the speed of manufacture The integrated process control offers
Powerlase Limited
and streamlines the process. further advantages - it monitors the
soldering of each joint individually and the
Edge Deletion Technique f By removing the need for sand blasting data from this can be transferred and
the process is made much cheaper. The saved in a database for later
Powerlase is a UK-based manufacturer of sand required is very expensive, due to documentation and quality control.
high powered diode-pumped solid state the process used to manipulate it to a Furthermore, faulty solder joints are
lasers that are used in a variety of sufficient refinement. In addition, once the reported directly via a monitor at a
applications, including solar cell sand has been used for the removal of subsequent work station so that a worker
manufacture. The high powered lasers thin-film it must undergo the refinement recognizes these immediately and can
are employed by several customers to process again before it can be re-used, manually resolder.
perform edge deletion of thin-film solar which incurs an additional cost.
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