Robots boost the production of large workpieces and climb the peak

ABB IRB 340 The FlexPicker robot is stationed in Europe's largest “Sun Valley” – the Talheim Solar Production Base in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, to help industry leaders such as Q-Cells improve workpiece delivery efficiency. In addition, SAESL successfully introduced ABB robots in the engine overhaul line, compressing the project cycle to within 60 days, at least 5 days ahead of industry standards.

Q-Cells is currently the world's largest independent manufacturer of solar cells. In 2007, the company further expanded its production capacity, and the fifth production line and its supporting facilities were officially completed. The solar cell design capacity of the new production line was 240MW.

Meet higher beat requirements

Jonas & Redmann Photovoltaic Production Solutions provides automation technology for Q-Cells' high-standard wafer processing, supplying most of its automation to its five production lines. Q-Cells' new line integrates 36 ABB high-speed IRB 340 FlexPicker robots to meet the stringent requirements of wafer delivery for tact time.

The IRB 340 FlexPicker is recognized as the fastest robot in its class. Unlike articulated arm robots, the FlexPicker is equipped with three ultra-lightweight Kevlar arms that can work up to 1130mm in diameter; the robot is also equipped with intelligent machine vision software that identifies the continuously moving workpiece to be picked by the camera.

The IRB 340 FlexPicker is designed for picking operations with high tact time requirements and reliably distinguishes between defects and defective workpieces with repeatability up to ±0.05mm. In addition to its outstanding flexibility, this robotic solution is highly reliable and versatile and exceptionally rugged. The FlexPicker suspension is mounted above the conveyor belt and has virtually no space for easy integration into the production line. “The 5th production line has a high demand for beat time, which is the main reason why we chose ABB FlexPicker,” said Mario Pütz, head of after-sales customer support at Jonas & Redmann.

In the new Q-Cells production line, ABB FlexPicker robots undertake the pick and place tasks of the chemical bath process. The robot puts the silicon wafer on the conveyor belt quickly and accurately. After the silicon wafer passes through the wet equipment, the robot removes the silicon wafer from the conveyor belt and puts it into the carrier system. The robot is equipped with a dedicated Bernoulli picker that uses the high-speed airflow to achieve contactless and gentle picking of silicon wafers based on the Bernoulli effect. “The FlexPicker robot is extremely flexible and has a short cycle time to meet customer requirements for standard automation solutions (Figure 1),” explains Mario Pütz.

Prospects for the photovoltaic industry

The IRB 340 FlexPicker has many unique advantages: the fastest of its kind, it can complete more than 150 picks per minute, the beat time is only 0.4s; the acceleration is up to 10g, the payload is up to 2kg; the ceiling hanging installation method saves valuable Production area.

The solar cell industry prospects of Sun Valley are bright: by 2010, the total number of employees will exceed 5,000. Market leader Q-Cells will continue to take the lead: the company's 6th production line is currently in the planning stage.

With the support of ABB's robotics business, Conergy, the global leader in solar integration in Hamburg, Germany, introduced robotics to the Frankfurt solar module plant, achieving industry-leading productivity.

In order to achieve world-class production efficiency, this advanced solar module factory introduced ABB's IRB 1600, IRB 4400 and IRB 6600 robots into the production line. The plant plans to achieve 100% capacity production in the second half of 2009, which is about 1.2 million pieces of solar PV modules and 250MW per year. The introduction of ABB robots is a key step for Conergy to expand its production capacity.

Starting point for automation

The ABB IRB 4400 robot is installed at the beginning of the line and is responsible for picking up the glass from the tray, then cleaning and drying the PV modules, and then printing the inventory tracking matrix code. Next, a transparent EVA film was spread on a glass plate. The tandem device cascades up to ten sets of solar cells and lays them on the glass with the EVA film.

The next step is to connect the PV modules in series, using insulated tape and ultra-thin solder ribbons to connect the series of individual cells. On five production lines, Conergy installed four ABB IRB 1600 robots to perform this process. This link is characterized by high labor intensity and heavy labor intensity. It usually requires 30 to 40 operators to shift production. The robot not only liberated productivity, but also significantly improved product quality.

The IRB 1600 ID integrated camera recognizes the position of the ribbon and ensures precise soldering of the robot (Figure 2). Upon completion, the PV module exits the robotic workstation and a second layer of EVA film is manually laid and back laminated. “Automation gives us a foothold in a highly competitive market. In addition, robots have advantages in operational accuracy and repeatability, improving the quality of solar cell assembly (Figure 3).” Strergys S, Project Leader, Conergy ?nke Scholl said.

After the PV modules are laminated, they are cut by the IRB 6600 robot with a laser cutter, trimmed and transported to the next IRB 6600. The latter put the PV modules on the turntable for manual sealing. When the PV module is turned back, the robot picks it up again and puts it into the framer.

Another robot is inserted into the frame. The IRB 6600 holds the PV modules in a frame and then places the conveyor belts for manual inspection. Next, a multi-tasking IRB 4400 robot bonded the junction box to the PV module and an IRB 1600 with an inductive solder joint to complete the soldering work. Then, an IRB 4400 holds the PV module close to the test equipment and measures its output power and related parameters. Finally, the solar module is attached with an output power label, the protection angle is installed, and the junction box is manually sealed, and then the tray is loaded.

Set a new standard for after-sales service

Thanks to ABB's robotic solutions, Singapore Aero Engine Services Pte Ltd (SAESL) has reduced the aero engine overhaul cycle to within 60 days, significantly ahead of industry standards (65th).

The solution shortened SAESL's engine compressor blade repair time from 21st to 17th, and the company's Compressor Blade Maintenance Division received the Rolls-Royce Award for Outstanding Performance. SAESL has also achieved a number of other benefits, such as a 10% reduction in maintenance man-hours; 24h uninterrupted production and the use of robots instead of manual handling of bulky engine components for improved safety.

Highlight competitive advantage

Most notably, the ABB solution significantly enhances SAESL's competitive advantage, making it one of the first automated repair centers in the highly complex Rosanne engine overhaul.

The airlines that are overhauled by SAESL, Airbus and Boeing aircraft can return to the team at least 5 days in advance, and the economic benefits are considerable. SAESL applies a variety of ABB robots to mechanical management, cutting, plasma spraying, and pick and place operations (Figure 4). The award-winning compressor blade maintenance section is the key to implementing automation.