Vitronic’s VINSPEC^solar Now Inspects 150 Types of Solar Cells

Vitronic's camera-based VINSPEC^solar system, which automatically checks the quality of photovoltaic components throughout production, now inspects 150 different types of solar cell thanks to a recent upgrade as part of a customer project.

Solar cells differ significantly in terms of size, shape, colour or imprint. To inspect them all automatically demands a flexible system. Most types of solar cells are taught-in to inspection systems on module production lines, with detail to each characteristic so that it can be identified with certainty in quality control. Vitronic has now taught VINSPEC^solar to inspect 150 different types of solar cell.

VINSPEC^solar solutions allow the automated in-line quality inspection of wafers (raw cells without prints or colours), solar cells and complete modules. The system detects flaws such as micro cracks, corner and edge breakages, print defects and contour/colour/texture deviations.

This ensures that only flawless solar cells are processed into modules, reduces the rejection quota and triggers other processes such as automated sorting by color classes. This makes time and cost-intensive inspection and handling processes a thing of the past. Moreover, automatic inspections are robust and secure. Major customers attest quality sorting of about 99.8 percent.

Companies can use the data collected by VINSPEC^solar to provide information on the process chain and identify areas for optimisation.

Having installed approximately 1,000 VINSPEC^solar systems, VITRONIC is one of the world's leading providers of camera-based inspection systems for photovoltaics. Over 60 module and cell manufacturers all over the world count on VINSPEC^solar for reliable quality inspection.