Cell manufacturing
Module production
Thinfilm production
Wafer production
Cell sorting
Glass buffering
Handling
Ingot casting, inspection, and cutting
Metalization
Module assembly
Singulation, cleaning, and inspection
Thinfilm
Wet and vacuum processes
Overview
Achieving more with intelligent sensors
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.
SICK also has the Eco line of products for applications requiring less sophisticated sensing, but superior quality.
Trends & news
Blue light LED: The solution for detecting highly light-absorbing objects
The ultra-mini WTB2S-2 Blue miniature photoelectric sensor takes over when conventional red-light sensors reach their limits. It can be relied upon to detect even highly light-absorbing objects such as dark blue solar cells, for example. Due to its robust housing, this miniature photoelectric sensor is also suitable for applications in harsh ambient conditions.
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Level measurement for corrosive chemicals in solar wafer process plants
In many industries, challenging ambient conditions of all kinds are par for the course for production. The systems and sensors that are responsible for keeping the production process safe have to be specially protected against severe contamination or aggressive chemicals. For instance, chemicals are an unavoidable part of solar cell production, where they are central to core processes such as solar wafer surface finishing and cleaning. The levels in the chemical tanks have to be constantly monitored by sensors. The UP56 Pure ultrasonic level sensors have a Teflon® sheath and deliver precise results on a non-stop basis.
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Optimizing processes in solar power plants – solar energy
Depending on the system capacity and location, solar power plants can supply entire regions with environmentally-friendly energy all day long. Operating entities are not happy until systems are working optimally – with a high degree of efficiency, reliable availability and profitability. That is why the use of sensors is absolutely necessary in many points of the process chain.
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Challenges
Detecting and measuring
The demanding handling of wafers, their specific surface properties and short PSDI times in wafer and solar cell production present challenges for system manufacturers and producers in the solar industry. SICK offers a very broad range of sensors and sensor solutions for coping with these tasks.
Protection
Linking automated production equipment with semi-automated assembly cells requires intelligent and flexible safety concepts. SICK safety solutions ensure the protection of operating personnel, optimize production, and reduce the machine footprint and downtime.
Identifiying
Reliable object identification is a requirement for smooth production flow and forms the basis for traceability and continuous quality improvement. SICK offers a wide range of both permanently installed and mobile readers for bar codes, 2D codes and RFID technology.
Monitoring and controlling
The efficiency of a solar module determines its success in the market. For this reason, the production of solar wafers, cells and modules is subject to very high demands and quality assurance requirements. Displacement measurement sensors and vision sensors and systems from SICK support nearly every type of monitoring during the production of solar wafers, cells and modules.