Innovations for the solar industry             Powered by SICK 

Fossil fuels are still the energy choice when price alone is the benchmark, but that environment is changing quickly. Grid parity is within reach – where the cost of producing solar electricity will be competitive without requiring government subsidies. However, this will require increasing solar module efficiency, improving automated processes, and reducing waste. SICK leads this trend by continuously developing industry solutions.
Thin, fragile wafers break easily during fast machine handling without intelligent position sensors and encoders. Advanced cameras and software are designed for the ultra-low contrast media of solar cells and modules. Traceability to the wafer level is an important step in quality control and process improvement. SICK leads in code reading applications throughout the manufacturing process.

Keys to solar cell efficiency are processes involving precise positioning.
Accurate screen printing alignment, laser edge isolation, and layout of the interconnect string all contribute greatly to final output. SICK expertise and its wide range of distance sensors offer solutions to virtually any positioning task.

Focus applications:

• Wafer cooling flow control on furnaces
• Solar cell detection
• Precise glass edge detection

Thin silicon wafers are fragile. When one wafer breaks, fragments left on machines can cause following wafers to break as well. SICK’s economical and compact Inspector vision sensors check wafer integrity at the critical production steps.

Focus applications:

• Solar wafer alignment and damage detection
• Double wafer detection
• Measuring diameter of silicon ingot

Modern high-speed robot handling of wafers and glass can be hazardous to workers. SICK safety solutions provide maximum work safety while optimizing productivity. Smart safety solutions reduce equipment foot prints.

Focus applications:

• Protection of solar cell sorters

Traceability through the production line is a key to optimizing the yield of high-efficiency solar cells and modules. SICK’s range of ICR image based code readers allows the detection of the smallest codes on low contrast silicon wafers and glass panels.

Focus applications:

• Identification of thin-film solar panels for quality assurance and traceability