Your daily dose of photovoltaic technology developments and solar news

Product Briefing Outline: mbj-Solutions have introduced an offline solar module inspection system designed for the use in the factory and laboratory. The ‘SolarModule EL-basic’ is an advanced offline electroluminescence inspection system. Different module sizes, laminated and not laminated can be inspected without any extensive adjustment work. The design of the system combines usability, high resolution, short tact time and fast return on investment in one machine.

Product Briefing Outline: DuPont Microcircuit Materials has launched ‘Solamet’ PV173 photovoltaic (PV) metallization paste, a new lead-free front side material for crystalline silicon solar cells.  With its high performance and superior environmental properties, Solamet PV173 is targeted to PV cell and module manufacturers who are seeking technologies with a significantly reduced environmental footprint.

Product Briefing Outline: Festo has introduced a Bernoulli Gripper for transporting delicate work pieces such as solar cells and wafers. The most particular benefit of the gripper is the minimized air consumption which reduces the energy costs. Other essential aspects are little swinging power, high grip force, low-pressure applications and a constant area load.

Product Briefing Outline: Camstar Systems has released ‘Camstar Enterprise Platform’ Version 4.5 for general availability. Enhancements in version 4.5 - driven in collaboration with leading manufacturers using the Platform - include expanded enterprise-caliber capabilities for global enterprises with multiple manufacturing locations and outsourced operations. Version 4.5 augments the Platform’s configurability and usability to allow users to quickly adopt the solution with minimal training – even where complex manufacturing and quality processes span discrete, batch and hybrid operations.

Product Briefing Outline: Enphase Energy is introducing the D380 ‘TwinPack’, a new product optimized for commercial installations. The D380 TwinPack is comprised of two Enphase Microinverters in a single enclosure and an innovative cabling system, further reducing Balance-of-System costs and installation time.

Product Briefing Outline: KUKA Systems has partnered with tesa SE to develop a new tape head module, ROBO TAPE R, which is used in the final automated application of adhesive tape to solar modules.

Product Briefing Outline: Sixtron Advanced Materials has introduced a patent-pending antireflective passivation coating technology that it says will greatly reduce the light-induced degradation (LID) problem for crystalline-silicon solar cells. The company claims to have demonstrated an 88% reduction in LID on cells treated with its silane-free ‘Silexium’ coating. The Silexium films can be used with high-performance mono-crystalline boron doped p-type Cz (Czochralski) silicon solar cells without the use of silane gas.

Product Briefing Outline: Xiris Automation has released the PVCI-1500 Machine Vision Platform targeted at crystalline silicon cell and wafer inspection. Optimized for inspection of solar cells as an incoming single-pass quality check, the PVCI-1500 combines specially designed optical components with fast analysis software, ensuring precise detection and classification of physical defects arising from shipping and handling.

Product Briefing Outline: SunPower has introduced the next generation of its T20 Tracker, which it claims is the most powerful solar tracker on the market today, incorporating SunPower's high-efficiency 128-cell, 400-watt solar panels for maximum energy output.

Product Briefing Outline: The Schmid Group has launched a new Tabber Stringer created in cooperation with the Wolf company. The system is designed to offer high precision performance combined with minimum handling and a soldering method that is claimed to reduce the risk of cell damage during processing and handling.