Automated Handling of PV Wafers With the SWG Wafer Gripper

With inspection systems the individual cells are measured and examined for damages like micro structure damages, before, inbetween and after the processing steps of the pv cell production. Because of hight put through rates of up to 3.600 wafers per hour and the resulting cycle times of about one second, highest velocities and accelerations are required. Thereby neither effects on positioning and measuring accuracy nor damages on the wafers should be caused.

The Schmalz wafer gripper SWG is used for separation of wafers from the stack, positioning during measurement as well as sorting into up to 72 classes, depending on measurement results. The wafer gripper combines the connection of highest precision, minimal damage, freedom of contamination, little air consumption and slip-free movements of the wafers up to 10 g.

In permanent operation of the inspection systems at renowned cell producers in Europe and Asia it was shown that due to the usage of the Schmalz wafer gripper SWG increasing put through and decreasing the breakage rates with highest reliability can be achieved.