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As one of the major c-Si solar cell manufacturers, Deutsche Cell, a division of SolarWorld AG is pushing hard to reduce cell manufacturing costs to achieve grid parity as soon as possible. Frank Schitthelm, Head of Engineering at Deutsche Cell, met with PV-Tech at the 3rd PV Fab Managers' Forum in Dresden in March 2009 to discuss the key requirements needed from equipment suppliers to meet this goal.

A leading advocate amongst PV fab managers for greater levels of standardization and tool optimization, Schitthelm details his wish list and why, while noting that the wafer breakage issue could slow the adoption of thinner wafers, he is calling for greater adoption of SPC/APC protocols and procedures.