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Product Briefing Outline: DEK Solar and Heller Industries have unveiled the results of a recent collaboration that enhances DEK’s PV3000 metallization line. The alliance between the screen printing and thermal technology specialists has enabled a significant breakthrough in solar cell production, incorporating precise thermal control, improved VOC management and reduced power consumption, within a compact footprint.
Problem: Global demand for solar cell products means that manufacturers need high-productivity solutions delivered on a short turnaround basis. DEK Solar and Heller Industries initially joined forces in a bid to create a technology-leading Metallization line which offered a distinct competitive advantage to customers manufacturing solar cells.
Solution: Heller’s dryer concept is based on the principles of hot air convection drying, a process which is conducive to precision thermal control at lower drying temperatures. Offering a significant advantage over conventional IR-based dryers, the PVD3000’s drying technology creates improved air exchange within the process chamber which enables the dryer to manage the increased VOC volume associated with raised throughput. In addition, the specialist catalyst incorporated within the process chamber converts the VOCs to simpler compounds such as carbon dioxide and water. An important by-product of the catalyst conversion is heat which, in turn, is used to enhance the drying process and reduce overall power consumption.
Applications: Standard wafer sizes for front-side and back-side metallization and drying.
Platform: The PVP1200 is easy to set-up and use, with menu-driven software enabling intuitive control of complex processes via a full-colour TFT-LCD touchscreen. Other management and communication facilities include on-board Statistical Process Control (SPC) software, integrated 10/100 LAN connectivity and a USB 2.0 interface.
Availability: January, 2009 onwards.
