Manufacturing: Fabs, Systems & Software
The PV industry is maturing from the many firms offering novel technologies to a smaller set now marshaling resources to begin or expand manufacturing. This natural consolidation does not mean the market will be less subject to competitive forces. In fact, a reduced number of PV manufacturers allows for easier comparisons of technology, business models and market strategies among the surviving entities.
Steve Roberts, Heliovolt Corporation
Although some photovoltaic processes have some similarities with some semiconductor processes, the facility, automation and systems design may have a more significant impact on the cost and profitability of a PV factory than they typically do in a semiconductor fab.
Klaus Eberhardt, M+W Group GmbH
Manfred Renz ,M+W Group GmbH
Peter Csatáry ,M+W Group GmbH
As the PV industry continues to mature on a global scale with annual growth rates between 20 and 50 percent over the past decade, the question about sustainability of the entire industry has been raised. Future PV manufacturing will be largely influenced by legislature, the availability and cost of energy, and a voluntary commitment by the industry to reduce energy consumption as well as CO2 discharge, thereby paving the route toward “green PV fabs.”
Vladimir Garner, GE Intelligent Platforms
PV manufacturing processes cover several different production modes: discrete, continuous and batch. Some tools or processes may run continuously, while others run in batches. The final output as a panel or module is often treated as a discrete unit. The challenge is that the continuous high-speed assembly operations of PV manufacturers need a system to record all kinds of environmental, tool and process data at the time of production. They need to be able to associate that data with the final performance parameters of the panel produced and the yield of the process. They need the ability to relate end results back to process conditions to understand how the change in one or several variables can affect the outcome. They need to be able to do this in real time with thousands of variables.
Klaus Eberhardt, M&W Group
The costs for such products along the PV added value chain as polysilicon, wafers, cells, modules and grid-connected PV systems have been reduced significantly within the past years. However, there is still a ways to go until grid parity can be reached. Approximately 60 percent of the entire PV system cost is just for the PV module. Therefore, significant emphasis is placed on increasing the conversion efficiency while reducing the costs per watt at a module level. The pressure to reduce costs does not only affect the PV manufacturers but the entire supply chain. The production costs depend on a number of different factors; e.g., labor costs; material costs; investment and running costs for building, facilities and process equipments. This article illustrates the knobs for reducing CAPEX and OPEX for building and facilities for advanced PV manufacturing sites from an engineering and design company point of view.
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Steve Roberts, Heliovolt Corporation
In this section of Future Photovoltaics vol. 3, the article “Integrated Project Approach for Designing Advanced Large-Scale PV Manufacturing Sites” by Klaus Eberhardt and Peter Csatáry of M+W Group brings a healthy reality check to comparisons between PV factories and semiconductor fabs. Although semiconductor and PV manufacturing share some common process technologies, PV lines likely have more in common with low-cost, low-mix, high-speed production lines of other industries.
Reiner Missale, Critical Manufacturing S.A.
Abstract
The increased pressure on PV product cost has changed the PV industry’s perspective toward the need to optimize production output, quality and process variations. As a consequence, the factories have to become more empowered for smart production, execution, automation and control. The conventional solutions are not adequate to adjust to the underlying market due to cost, time-to-market and business coverage. This article presents a disruptive approach to address the actual PV manufacturing needs.
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Steve Roberts, Heliovolt Corporation
Are WE ready for a FIGHT? First, let me thank Reiner Missale for his article “Shifting Gears Toward Higher Productivity in PV Manufacturing” and for starting a healthy debate about MSS software for PV manufacturing. In this issue of Future Photovoltaics, Reiner’s article proposes that only unconventional architectures and disruptive technologies can efficiently handle PV factory requirements and suggests that conventional software originally developed for semiconductor fabs is too expensive and difficult to use for PV. But I expect people in our industry to have mixed opinions regarding the best software solutions and technologies to use for PV manufacturing.
Steve Roberts, Heliovolt Corporation
Overheard at a technical conference: “The nice thing about standards is … that there are so many to choose from.” With both semiconductor processes and electronics assembly under one roof, PV manufacturers have an interesting challenge in deciding which standards, material handling systems and software to use. Whether it’s GEM/SECS or OPC, conveyors or robots, MES or SCADA, PCs or PLCs, the decisions are primarily influenced by an individual’s past experience, product price, supplier reputation and referrals from other manufacturers.
Alan Weber, Alan Weber and Associates
With apologies to Robert Frost, I believe the PV industry stands at an interesting juncture, especially with respect to its approach for developing manufacturing information and control system standards. The industry has a rare opportunity to learn from recent history in the semiconductor industry, and to apply these lessons directly. However, this does not necessarily mean following in those same footsteps
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