Which advantages can further automation bring?

Transcription

1 Carsten Busch, Segment Manager, Solar PV, 5th SMET Advanced PV Technology Conference, Session 2: Module manufacturing challenges Which advantages can further automation bring? ABB Group May 24, 2009 Slide 1

2 Outline Introduction Industry requirements of optimized factory output Robot based material handling in module manufacturing Cell- and cell-stringer handling Glass, laminate and module handling Stringer interconnection Module assembly Flexible handling of thin-film substrates and modules Summary

3 Facts about ABB Power Products Power Systems Automation Products Process Automation Robotics $$9.8 billion 32,000 employees $5.8 billion 14,000 employees $8.6 billion 33,000 employees $6.4 billion 26,000 employees $1.4 billion 5,000 employees Headquarters: Zurich, Switzerland More than 110,000 employees in about 100 countries Orders in 2007: $34.3 billion Revenues in 2007: $29.2 billion Listed on Stockholm, Swiss & New York exchanges; traded on virt-x A leading power and automation technology company with strong market positions in core businesses We help our customers To increase industrial productivity To use electrical power efficiently To lower environmental impact in a sustainable way

4 Robotics Division Key facts Leading supplier of industrial robots Sales & Service operations in over 45 countries & over 100 locations Over 160,000 robots installed worldwide Key deliverables Robots, related equipment and software Standardized manufacturing cells Product and systems service Markets served Automotive and their Tier 1 suppliers General industries including foundry, metal fabrication, plastics, electronics, consumer industries, food & beverage, machine tools, solar, pharmaceuticals & chemicals, wood

5 Situation today in module manufacturing Manual work in Module manufacturing Cost efficient? High quality production possible Mass production possible? State-of-the-art production?

6 Optimizing factory output Demand Increasing production output Decreasing production cost Improving product quality Focus Fully integrated and controlled lines Standardization of the process chain Integrated high-end, flexible automation Solution Industrial robot automation integrated into the complete solar manufacturing scheme

7 Crystal silicon solar module manufacturing steps From a solar PV cell to a solar module Module assembly scheme Production process from a single solar cell to a ready to install solar module Soldering of Solar Cells to Strings Soldering of strings serial and parallel connection Laminating (heating / pressure) Module framing Connection box assembly Module testing & Packaging

8 Crystal silicon solar module manufacturing steps Soldering of Solar Cells to Strings Soldering of strings serial and parallel connection Laminating (heating / pressure) Module framing Connection box assembly Module testing & Packaging 1 Material handling of glass 5 Edge trimming 2 Handling of cells (into stringer machinery) 6 Tape and framing 3 Lay up station (handling of strings) 7 Junction box assembly 4 Stinger interconnection / bussing 8 Module sorting & palletizing

9 Flexible material handling in module manufacturing Robot based cell- and cell-stringer handling Industrial Robot types 4 axis delta robot IRB 360 FlexPicker High Speed robot for fastest cycle time, handling 3000 cells/h 6 axis articulated robots ABB series IRB High flexible cell handing robots e.g. cell re-orientation into various angles Application examples Inspection Handling of cells in/out of inspection unit Stringer Loading stringer conveyor with cells from box carrier Lay up station Handling complete strings after stringer, exact lay-up placing Benefits Flexible, reliable, state-of-the-art technology Easy to integrate into machinery concept

10 Flexible material handing in module manufacturing Robot based glass, laminate and module handling Robot based glass and laminate handling Robot application Searching pick-up position Glass handling (e.g. glass washer loading-/unloading ) Laminate handling (e.g. laminator loading-/unloading ) Module palletizing/depalletizing Benefits Accurate and clean handling of heavy and big large glass

11 Flexible module assembly Automated stringer interconnection Fully automated stringer interconnection Robot application Automatic measurement/calibration Flexible supply of (soldering) ribbons Fully automated soldering of the cell matrix with controlled, smooth soldering process Handling of the thermo foil Benefits High precise soldering process Continuously high quality output Fast and reliable process

12 Interconnection Cell standardized concept Standardization of key components Standardized cell layout and control architecture 2 robots each (top & bottom side), 2 MultiMove systems Source: Gebr. Schmid/Conergy Modular robot program structure Standard PLC code (interconnection cell periphery only) Standardized interfaces Standardized gripper Standard base frames and fencing

13 Interconnection Cell - standardized concept Based on ABB s Production Manager Predefined framework for cell control Graphical User Interface Selection of specific routines Information during production Management of different parts Generic PLC interface Benefit Shorter start up and commissioning time

14 Interconnection Cell virtual engineering Based on RobotStudio, ABB's unique simulation and offline programming software Utilizing Virtual Robot Technology Offline verification of customized solution Interconnection add-in Interactive configuration of interconnection station Collision check between all tools and equipment Complete off-line simulation

15 Benefits Standardized function package Reduced risk Proven solution Quality assured solution Short commissioning time Easy to integrate into line concepts Increased productivity Reduce cost of ownership

16 Optimized factory output Example fully automated 200 MW module production Yearly maximum production capacity ~1,25 million solar modules Average: 280 Module / shift Peak value: 367 modules / shift Fully automated interconnection cell Runs 24h, 7 days per week without labour In case of manual production Only cell interconnection: workers/shift necessary Consistent high quality level not guaranteed Increased productivity and efficiency

17 Automated Edge Trimming Fully automated cutting of overlapping laminate material Robot application Laminate handling Position detection Automated edge trimming Automated knife change Benefits Reduced risk of humane injury Flexible to various module sizes Continuously high quality output

18 Automated junction box assembly Fully automated j-box assembly Robot application J-box handling Sealing or taping Position detection (bus bar connection) Precise J-box placing Benefits Flexible to various module sizes Continuously high quality output

19 Thin film solar modules Amorphous solar cells Source: Wuerth Solar / Avancis Deposition of three layers on a suitable substrate (usually glass) Based on Amorphous silicon (a-si) Cadmium telluride (CdTe) Film silicon (Si-film) Copper indium dieseline (CIS) Thin Film Module manufacturing process Coated glass with layers of conductive and semi conductive material

20 Automated thin-film module production Material handling Loading -/unlading of thin-film coating systems with glass sheets Robot works direct in the clean room area of micrometer film coating IRB 6640 CR fulfills clean room Source Schiller classification class 5 gem DIN EN ISO (IPA certificate) Benefits Accurate and clean handling of heavy and large size glass

21 Back-end thin film module manufacturing steps Glass loading Edge Trimming Taping Framing j-box assembly Module testing Sorting Laminating (heating / pressure) Module framing Connection box assembly Module testing & Packaging Laser edge isolation Material handling of glass Edge trimming Tape and framing Junction box assembly Module sorting and palletizing

22 Flexible Robot automation within the complete module manufacturing scheme Glass and module handling Process equipment loading/unloading (e.g. glass washing machines) Module laminate handling Module sorting / palletizing Module assembly Material providing, interconnection/soldering, laminate edge- cutting, taping, frame assembly, interconnection box assembly Standard ABB Industrial Robots for all production steps Standardized ABB function packages to reduce risk

23 Conclusion Robot automation in module manufacturing Benefits Increased production output and throughput Enables high efficient mass production Improved product quality within in the complete production, Reduced scrape rate & improved yield Fits into versatile manufacturing line concepts Improved uptime by proven technology High flexibility for future requirements Reducing overall production cost / cost of ownership Robot automation helps to reduce cost per watt

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