For faster manufacturing of solar modules

Rapidly increasing demands for solar modules speed up the construction of manufacturing devices with ever-increasing output. The multi-layer laminator opens up new potential because it provides for considerably faster laminating operations.
Photos: Robert Bürkle GmbH

Buerkle, the German equipment maker, presents its Ypsator® at Glasstec 2008. This world novelty, a multi-layer laminating unit significantly increases manufacturing speeds of crystalline solar and thin-layer modules.

The Robert Buerkle GmbH, a specialist company with world-wide operations in the field of manufacturing stamping equipment, as well as laminating, varnishing and pressure devices, had joined the photovoltaics business in mid-2007. About a year later the company from Swabia now presents production equipment at Duesseldorf that optimises the manufacturing of photovoltaic modules. As the company’s management says, there is so far no other machinery builder all over the world, supplying manufacturing equipment to laminate photovoltaic modules at several levels.

Its Ypsator® for instance, operates at five levels and produces up to ten modules per operational cycle. And, as Ms. Dagmar Metzger, Buerkle’s production manager, states: "No matter, whether crystalline or thin-layer modules: our device only requires half the traditional cycle time, so far typical of the sector“. Total output is something like 500,000 modules a year, with a total electricity output of 40 MWp. Specific design features of the Ypsator® as well as a homogenous distribution of temperatures, made possible by heating its hotplates with thermo oil are behind this significant shortening of processing times.

Buerkle’s new 17-metre long “Ypsator®“ guarantees considerable production capacities.

Three-stage manufacturing processes

Compared to single-layer laminators, the advantages of this new manufacturing device can be found in its process control and process reproducibility. A new three-stage technology, the so-called “Ypsolar®-Technology“, is behind it all. In a first step, modules will undergo a process of preliminary lamination. This means to say that - in a vacuum - humidity and air inclusions will be removed from this sandwich structure to make an air-tight compound. In a second step, the process of lamination will be completed in a stamping device. During a third stage, called “cooling“, the Ypsator® eventually brings down the temperature of the solar modules from 150 degrees Centigrade to body temperature. This breaking down of the entire process into stages has a specific advantage. Lamination does not add any extra stress loads and the risk of breaking the glass is reduced considerably.

Up to ten layers may be possible

Using its multi-layer laminator unit, the Buerkle company wants to forge ahead into new dimensions. In the view of Mr. Hans-Joachim Bender, the company’s manager, “Operating with a maximum ten layers, our annual output may represent the equivalent of 120 Megawatt”. Such new capacities will be what the future is all about. Beginning as of 2011, the first companies in the photovoltaics sector will start operating to manufacture generating capacities beyond the Gigawatt boundaries, as predicted by sector-based insiders. Until now, the Buerkle company has mainly supplied the wood processing and electronics branches. Now and with its Ypsator® series of products the company took on the booming solar energy equipment business with a vengeance. Mr. Bender, an engineer, wants to achieve sales in the range of € 50 million within two years merely by selling the Ypsator ® and its “little” brother, a single-layer laminator. The Buerkle company operates a laboratory laminator for testing operations by potential customers and suppliers in its in-house innovation facility. This unit may be used for testing various sheet materials and glasses at different parameters under operational conditions.

Coating oversized sections

With its GAL device, a kiss-roll coating roller device, the Buerkle company introduces another innovation at this year’s Glasstec exhibition. The GAL is a high-stability unit for a precise and constant application of paint on glass plates. With an operational width of 3,300 millimetres this unit is specifically to be used for coating oversize format materials.

Innovative manufacturing technologies at Glasstec 2008

Within the past few years, the topic of solar engineering has not only gained considerable ground for the energy supply industry but also for the Glasstec exhibition. From 21 to 25 October this year about 130 exhibitors will present their products and manufacturing solutions for this rapidly growing market at this most important specialist international fair of the glass manufacturing sector. Engineering companies and equipment makers, in particular, are active in the solar energy sector to broaden their range of products on offer. The halls of the Duesseldorf fair will reflect their efforts at introducing innovative products.

Please see Robert Buerkle GmbH at Glasstec 2008: Hall 12, Stand B15