Photovoltaic Industry and Solar Cells Assembly Solutions

The photovoltaic industry has faced numerous challenges in recent years. In addition to increased demand for photovoltaic panels caused by the global energy crisis, it has also had to contend with fiercer competition.

As a result, it must not only be productive, but also competitive. To meet these major challenges, it must equip itself with equipment and solutions for handling 300mm and 200mm wafers for the photovoltaic/solar cell industry.

The Different Stages of Photovoltaic Panel Manufacturing

A solar cell or photovoltaic cell is an electrical component capable of converting part of the sun’s radiation into electricity. Silicon is the main material used in photovoltaic solar panels, accounting for 90% of their composition.

The transformation of silicon into a solar or photovoltaic cell involves many stages. This material, the second most abundant element on earth, is found in various minerals, such as quartz and sand. In the photovoltaic industry, it undergoes an initial treatment called the “metallurgical stage”. The process involves “reduction” using a compound made up of pieces of silica and wood. The mixture is heated to 3,000°C and then purified to obtain 99.99% pure silicium.

Small stones or silicon crystals are obtained after this stage. They are placed in a furnace at 1,450°C to be transformed into silicon ingots. Once cooled, these ingots are cut into thin slices no more than 200 microns thick, producing silicon wafers. These wafers undergo anti-reflective treatment and other industrial processes to be transformed into photovoltaic panels.

In the photovoltaic industry, which produces large quantities of photovoltaic panels and cells, these operations are carried out repeatedly. The automation of these tasks is entirely possible with equipment designed for the photovoltaic/solar cell industry.

Equipment required for solar energy applications

There is a wide range of equipment available for the photovoltaic/solar cell industry. Each piece of equipment is used to perform a specific step in the manufacturing process, from the production of solar wafers to their conversion into solar modules.

Depending on the manufacturing process, the photovoltaic industry requires the following solutions for production:

• Solar wafer manufacturing: ingot casting, column cutting and wafer sawing machines;
• Solar cell manufacturing: KOH texturing and etching machine used to increase surface area and light absorption, PSG etching machine with hydrofluoric acid (HF) for removing surface oxide, ARC anti-reflective coating machine for optimising the angle of light incidence, screen printing machine for printing metal paste, curing oven for hardening the metal film;
• Solar module manufacturing: tabbing and stringing machine, electrical inspection machine, EVA sheet and backsheet machine, lamination machine, edge tape and module framing machine, testing and packaging machine.

ATG Technologies – Specialist in automation solutions for the solar energy industry

ATG Technologies offers automation solutions for wafer handling in the photovoltaic/solar cell industry. With years of experience in the field, we are able to design innovative, high-performance, customised machines such as the CoMoBot, the FSI SmartCell and the LoadPort solution for OHTs. With customised solutions co-created with you, you can improve your industrial equipment while extending its amortisation period. Our technical experts are at your disposal to determine your needs and offer you robotic solutions tailored to your photovoltaic panel production line.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will provide you with a quick and personalised response.