Manz AG offers economical in-line automation systems for the manufacture of crystalline solar cells: These systems range from those that load and unload processing machines to complete automation solutions with integrated buffer systems and the ability to connect them to central manufacturing computer systems. Precise and fast robotic systems connected with high-performance image-processing systems ensure that breakage rates remain low while machine availability remains high. With tact times of less than a second, equipment with a total yearly output of up to 100 MW can be manufactured using only one production line.

The SpeedPicker is a new automation system which was specially developed for the requirements of the solar market.

Compared to other systems in the market, the system is the most powerful in terms of:
- Space: 50 % reduction
- After sales costs: 50 % reduction
- Investment: 50 % reduction
- Safe wafer handling with lowest breakage rates of 0.05%
- 0.5% lower breakage rate than competitive products

Manz’s standard systems include:
- Loading and unloading of cleaning and texturing equipment
- Loading and unloading of diffusion equipment
- Loading and unloading of PSG etching equipment
- Loading and unloading of anti-reflective coating equipment (the SiNA® series, for example)
- In-line box buffer systems with a capacity of up to 10,000 cells

Testing and measuring wafers and cells during manufacturing is an important means of controlling the quality of manufactured cells. Even the tiniest mechanical defects in the cells – such as micro-cracks, for example – can have a negative impact on the efficiency of the entire module or render it completely unusable. For the purposes of quality control, Manz manufactures complete wafer testing systems, which are used by wafer manufacturers for their end-of-line inspection and by cell manufacturers for their receiving inspections. The testers and sorters are characterized by their modular design and can be equipped with a variety of testing and measuring systems:

- Testing the wafer’s geometry
- Testing for micro-cracks
- Measuring the wafer’s level of contamination
- Measuring the electrical resistance and carrier lifetime
- Measuring the thickness of the wafers and the total thickness variation
- Measuring the saw marks
- Measuring bow and warp

After further production steps, the cell-testing and -sorting modules in the back-end area of the plant measure the various levels of quality and sort each cell into the designated module class. The cell testers are suitable for both end-of-line inspections after manufacturing cells as well as for carrying out receiving inspections when manufacturing modules. The system can be equipped with the following testing and measuring systems:

- I/V measurement (sun simulator)
- Measuring with electroluminescence
- Front-side printing inspection
- Back-side printing inspection
- Color measurement

Metallization – i.e. printing a conductive layer onto cells – is an important process in the manufacture of crystalline solar cells.
In this area, Manz offers both high-output printing systems as individual modules, as well as a complete back-end line. With a throughput rate of 2,400 cells per hour in a single production line, these tools have the following integrated processes in addition to the actual printing process:

- Automation/loading with integrated micro-crack inspection
- Front-side printing with integrated printing inspection
- Back-side printing with integrated printing inspection
- Drying furnace
- Firing furnace
- Laser edge isolation

Cell tester and sorter with
- I/V measurement (sun simulator)
- Electroluminescence measurement (automated detection of micro-cracks, process control)
- Inspection of front-side printing
- Inspection of back-side printing
- Color measurement

Manz AG is working intensively on new methods to increase both the efficiency of solar cells and throughput rates, while at the same cutting solar cell manufacturing costs.

To do so, Manz AG uses high-efficiency laser processes which can be used to achieve this goal.

To generate a selective emitter, Manz AG uses a laser-based procedure developed by the IPE (University of Stuttgart Institute for Physical Electronics). With this technology, using an additional laser-processing step, the level of doping under the contact structure which is applied in a later stage of the process is increased significantly.

In conjunction with Manz’s HAP (high-accuracy printer), an increase in the solar cell’s efficiency of up to 0.5% can be achieved. During the development of these systems, Manz took steps to ensure that existing cell production lines could be upgraded.

Manz’s laser systems can also be used in other process steps:
- Laser edge isolation
- Laser drilling to generate back-contact cells such as MWT and EWT
- Opening dielectric layers

Manz offers newly developed wet chemical solutions for manufacturing crystalline solar cells. This includes the manufacturing stages of cleaning, saw damage removal, texturing, phosphosilicate glass removal, and one-sided etching processes. In this context, Manz uses experience and expertise from Manz Asia, which has been focused on the manufacture of wet chemical equipment for over 20 years. Manz Asia is the market leader in the field of wet chemical equipment for the manufacture of printed circuit boards and flat panel displays and – having installed more than 2,000 pieces of equipment – is the market leader in the electronics and FPD industries.

Wet chemical equipment from Manz is characterized by the following innovative features:
- Minimal breakage through the use of sponge rollers
- Completely closed system
- Drive mechanism using magnetic clutches for the highest level of safety
- Easy to operate using the Manz touch screen
- Highly integrated Manz automation solutions
- Lowest total costs
- Extremely economical use of chemicals and water

Manz can look back on a long, successful history of providing automation solutions for the FPD industry. Our automation solutions have now been on the market for 15 years. And Manz has been successfully applying exactly this expertise to the field of photovoltaics for many years. Our customers are the ones who can truly profit from the benefits of this long-term experience: Manz has well-engineered, advanced and innovative solutions at its disposal for handling glass substrates, which are primarily characterized by the low level of maintenance they require and their high level of process stability.

The equipment’s low operating costs and high productivity – as a result of low tact times and minimal breakage rates – both play significant roles in contributing to a successful manufacturing process.

Our automation solutions, which were developed, together with the Fraunhofer Institute, especially for use in clean-rooms, have become a well-known and established part of the photovoltaic industry over the past few years.

- Handling of all major substrates for thin-film solar modules with 6-axis robots
- Buffer systems
- Conveyor systems
- Loading and unloading of trolleys

Our newly developed concept of a central automation corridor for Fab automation provides many advantages:
- Saving of storage space due to „chaotic storage“
- Higher flexibility: the central robot unit reaches every substrate cassette very quickly. This leads to shorter cycle times.
- Cost advantage: the enclosed cassette stations can be purged with inert gas or dry air. This reduces the clean room class requirements for the entire Fab.
- The central automation corridor is modular and can be extended as required. It can also be applied to different glass sizes.

Manz’s scribing systems are optimized for the highest level of precision – for every scribing process needed during the manufacture of thin-film solar modules. And Manz’s equipment can be used for both high-precision mechanical (P2, P3 for CI(G)S substrates) as well as laser-assisted (P1, P2, and P3) scribing. During the manufacturing process, active tracking (Manz’s Inline Precision Control System) allows dead areas to be reduced by 150 µm–300 µm, a new milestone compared to other systems on the market. Doing so significantly increases the efficiency of the solar modules.

Low operating costs are just one of the many benefits of Manz’s scribing equipment. High throughput and maximum efficiency are valued by long-term Manz clients. This is primarily the result of the parallel processing, which allows tact times to be reduced while still maintaining the high level of quality.

Another notable characteristic, in addition to the high-precision processes and the high quality of the products, is the equipment’s sophisticated and flexible design. It allows the equipment to be easily integrated in completely automated production lines.

Mechanical Scribing
- Substrate sizes 600 × 1,200 mm to 1,100 × 1,700 mm
- High-precision machine base built from polymer concrete
- High-precision dynamic linear motor drive
- Image processing for substrate calibration and compensation
- Different types of scribe heads to adjust for system throughput
- Efficient exhaust unit

Laser Scribing
- Substrate sizes from 600 × 1,200 mm up to 2,200 × 2,600 mm
- High-precision machine base built from polymer concrete
- High-precision dynamic linear motor drive
- Inline Precision Control
- Up to 16 lasers operating simultaneously for maximum throughput
- Integrated laser with 532 and 1,064 nm
- Efficient exhaust unit

With over 20 years of experience and more than 400 pieces of equipment delivered and installed, Manz Asia is one the largest suppliers of cleaning and etching equipment for the FPD and PCB industry, which gives the Manz Group access to extensive expertise in the field of wet chemistry.

Using this expertise, Manz has developed innovative wet chemical equipment for manufacturing thin-film solar modules. This includes systems for cleaning glass substrates and systems for pre-etching the TCO layer.

Both systems are characterized by a number of benefits in comparison to conventional equipment: Their compact size and modular design allow the machines to be integrated into existing production lines efficiently and in a way that saves space. Both glass-cleaning and TCO etching systems are available for all common substrate sizes. It goes without saying that the systems were designed for maximum throughput and productivity and that they fulfill the highest demands of the PV industry. The systems’ well-engineered design reduces the need for consumable parts and cuts operating costs.

An extremely reliable laser edge ablation process is required to manufacture high-quality thin-film solar modules. This process, which is carried out prior to laminating the glass cover, ensures that the coated glass is well isolated.

Conventional methods of edge ablation, such as sandblasting or grinding the edge, require a lower initial investment; however, due to their high operating costs, they are less economical over the long term. In addition, the edge ablation process using these methods has drawbacks – such as reduced product quality and productivity.

In comparison, laser edge ablation equipment from Manz has been a fixture on the market for many years, and is well known for its extremely high level of performance and reliability. Cutting rates of up to 60 cm²/s can be achieved with these systems. During the laser edge isolation process, the glass is neither damaged nor negatively affected. High process accuracy, cost effectiveness, and low tact times are the decisive advantages of Manz’s laser edge ablation systems, which can be used for all currently available thin-film substrate sizes.

clean tech made by manz
The basis for this future-oriented business area is the successful synergy of expertise from Manz, the high-tech machine manufacturer, and the Majer company, which was acquired in 2008 and has long-term experience in the paper- and & film-processing market segment.

Machines for the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries have been developed and produced since the beginning of 2009. In addition to the ongoing manufacture of new system solutions, Manz has also decided to pursue the advancement of manufacturing technologies for the mass production of lithium-ion batteries. Manz’s services in this segment range from battery cell manufacturing (reel to cell) to assembling the individual cells into a battery system (cell to system). This means that, in addition to solar technology, Manz is also an early pioneer in the upcoming large market for electric vehicles.

experience made by manz
For more than 15 years, Manz AG has been a supplier of innovative automation systems for handling glass substrates of various sizes.

The substrates, with sizes of up to 2,200 mm × 2,600 mm at a thickness of only 0.7 mm, are primarily used in the manufacture of flat panel displays. Some of the most important characteristics of our systems are their clean-room suitability as well as their ability to handle the substrates both vertically and horizontally with extremely low breakage rates.

And the product range of Manz Asia complements our portfolio perfectly. It adds products including a complete spectrum of wet-chemical processing systems for the FPD and PCB industry.

high performance made by manz
The business division "Others" builds machines and equipment for the manufacture of packaging materials made from cardboard and film. The product range covers equipment for paper cans (composite cans), cheese boxes, and safety closures (bottle caps) for champagne and wine bottles.

Based on the spiral winding method used for composite cans, we also manufacture equipments and complete lines for cylindrical tubes and cores, with a focus on textile tubes used as yarn carriers for the synthetic fiber industry.

We offer complete solutions for the efficient production of composite cans, whose applications, e.g. especially within food industry, put high requirements to their tightness. They do not only comprise of machines and equipments, but also of material and process solutions.

future technology made by manz
The basis for this future-oriented business area is the successful synergy of know-how from Manz, the high-tech machine manufacturer, and expertise from the majer.products divisions.

This area serves as a breeding ground for new future-oriented technologies in various branches which make use of Manz’s core competence in robotics, image processing, laser-processing technology, metallization, wet chemistry, metrology, control and motion technology, as well as web processing.

Whether as robotic systems for OEM clients, or as fully integrated process solutions – in the huge market for equipment and machine engineering, the Manz Group is the company to call when comprehensive solutions for motion and control systems are needed. Working in close collaboration with our clients, we develop industry-specific solutions that are sold all over the globe. As a system supplier, we offer applications for the packaging industry and the fiber composite technology. And especially in the clean-tech growth markets, the Manz Group’s systems comprise solutions for the future: Manz is, for example, developing and implementing the automation solution for manufacturing of fuel cells.

pcb manufacturing made by manz
From PCs to cellular phones – from cars to airplanes. Printed circuit boards, or “PCBs” for short, are found in almost every area of our daily life. These devices are used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components in a wide variety of applications.

Manz Asia is one of the world’s market leaders in wet chemical processes and automation used in the manufacture of PCBs. Over 25 years of experience and groundbreaking developments perfectly complement Manz AG’s existing portfolio of products.

And you will always find Manz employees wherever our machines are used — individuals that make sure the machines do exactly what they were purchased for: Operate efficiently.

service made by manz
Delivering our machines doesn’t signify the end of our close relationship with our customers, but rather the beginning. Wherever our machines are used, you will also find Manz employees – individuals on location that make sure the machines do exactly what they were purchased for: efficient operation. And bringing the machines into operation and servicing them are not the only important parts of our customer service. Training seminars, providing spare parts, and around-the-clock availability turn our customer service into a fair relationship with our customers.

spare parts made by manz
A machine is only as good as its availability. And nothing is worse than a machine that can’t be used. To prevent this from happening, we have a global warehouse management system. A spare part can be sent to you using the fastest method of delivery from wherever it is available. Because of this global infrastructure, we can satisfy your demands immediately and anywhere so that you can get the machine up and running again as fast as possible.

Training made by manz
It goes without saying that high-tech systems place high demands on the personnel handling an individual machine, an entire production line, or a more complex technological solution. And this not only applies to simply bringing a machine into service, but also to operating it during the productive stage. The better your personnel is trained, the more efficiently your machines will operate. That’s exactly why the Manz Group offers a comprehensive training program, which is not only used intensively by our customers, but also by our own employees. Because there is one thing we definitely won’t do – stand still. And that’s why we invest a significant amount of time and energy in our training program. Take advantage – and you, too, can reap the rewards.