Title of Invention | AUTOMATED SEPARATION AND FEEDING SYSTEM FOR WAFERS OF SOLAR CELLS FOR SCREEN PRINTING MACHINE IN SOLAR CELL PRODUCTION LINE |
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Abstract | Accordingly, an automatic solar wafer separation and feeding system has been designed and developed and interfaced to the printing machine in the manufacturing line of solar cells. The system incorporates a PLC (programmable logic controller) based electronic control for the logics needed for the various movements to ensure error free functioning. A vacuum system is employed to pick up the cell from the separation point place to the feeder point. A set of thin air jets is used to separate the wafers from sticking to each other. A pre-aligning system equipped with pneumatic cylinders position the cells so that the cells are fed to the printing machine precisely in orientation to the print screen. Two numbers of magazines are used to facilitate bulk loading of wafers up to 1400 numbers of wafers at a time. Also two numbers of servomotors are employed to position the wafers in the magazine to enable the vacuum cups pick up the wafers at a fixed height consistently. |
Full Text | FIELD OF INVENTION: This invention relates to a Solar Cell Separation and Feeder Device adaptable in the manufacturing systems of solar cells, made from thin silicon wafers of around 200 micron thickness and 125mm x 125mm square size. The invention particularly applies to the specific method for automatically separating the wafers from stacks and feeding to a screen-printing machine replacing the manual separation and feeding followed so far. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: Solar cells are manufactured using 125mm x 125mm or 156mm x 156mm size mono / multi crystalline silicon wafers. Typically, each 125- mm solar cell generates a power output of 2.2 to 2.3 watts. Presently 36 number of these cells are interconnected in series to get PV Modules of 75 to 85-watts power output (12-V application) and 72 numbers of cells are interconnected in series to get PV Modules of 150 to 170-watts power output (24-V application). In Solar Cell Production the 'wafers' go through a series of processes like pre-cleaning, texturisation, chemical cleaning, diffusion, junction removal, etching, anti reflection coating, printing, drying, firing and testing. Metalisation on solar cells is carried out by means of screen printing metal pastes on them. Screen printing is carried out in three stages i.e. i) silver- aluminium busbar on back surface ii) Aluminium paste in rest of the area super-imposing the busbars on the back surface and iii) Fine-line grid pattern on the front surface. It is required to manually separate the wafers from coin-stack and feed to the screen printing machine by a dedicated operator. The process of manual separation is found difficult since the wafers have an inherent property of sticking to each other when stacked together due to its high smoothness and flatness of surface. This was causing strain to the operator and also result in breakage of wafers as the wafers are thin (200 microns thick) and delicate. The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned drawback of the prior art. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION: An object of this invention is to propose an automated Solar Cell Wafer Separation and Feeding device adaptable to the printing machine used in the manufacturing systems of Solar Cells of 125mmx125mm, from coin- stacks. Another object of this invention is to propose a method for automatic separation of wafers in place of manual separation to increase the production throughput. Yet another object of this invention is to propose a method of automatic feeding to eliminate the strain involved and avoid breakage in the manual handling. Still another object of this invention is to propose a method for automatic picking of wafers and placing them on positioning table. A still further object of the invention is to propose a method for automatic centering of the wafers using pre-aligning system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an automatic solar wafer separation and feeding system has been designed and developed and interfaced to the printing machine in the manufacturing line of solar cells. The system incorporates a PLC (programmable logic controller) based electronic control for the logics needed for the various movements to ensure error free functioning. A vacuum system is employed to pick up the cell from the separation point place to the feeder point. A set of thin air jets is used to separate the wafers from sticking to each other. A pre-aligning system equipped with pneumatic cylinders position the cells so that the cells are fed to the printing machine precisely in orientation to the print screen. Two numbers of magazines are used to facilitate bulk loading of wafers up to 1400 numbers of wafers at a time. Also two numbers of servomotors are employed to position the wafers in the magazine to enable the vacuum cups pick up the wafers at a fixed height consistently. DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS: Fig 1 : Pictorial view of Solar Cell production processes. Fig 2 : Line diagram of Pick and Place Unit with Air Separation device. Fig. 3 : Line diagram of positioning table Fig. 4 : Line diagram of the automatic separation and feeder. Fig. 5 : Flow diagram of the automated wafer separation and feeder device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to this invention there is provided a device and a method for solar cell wafer separation and feeding to the screen printing machine used for screen printing the silver-aluminum busbars at the rear side of the solar wafer (125mmx125mm size) which is the first stage in printing the cells. The device is incorporated with a PLC-based electronic system for sequencing the various movements of the pick and place device (403) and servo system (406). Also the PLC provides the necessary interlocks during the steps of separating and feeding of the wafers in the device. The PLC controller is interfaced to the operator push-button control mounted on the side of the equipment for easy operator access. As shown in figure 1, the sequential steps of Solar Cell Production process comprises various steps like pre-cleaning, texturisation, chemical cleaning, diffusion, junction removal, etching, anti reflection coating, printing, drying, firing and testing. In Fig. 4 the invented automatic feeder device and its principle parts are diagrammatically shown. The parts comprises of a Magazine Loading Device (401) for loading bulk of wafers, an Air Separation Device (402) for separating each wafer from stack, a Pick and Place Device (403) for picking one cell from the stack and transfer to the positioning table (33) and a positioning device (404) for orienting the wafer in line with the printing screen. Details of various features of the new machine are described below. MAGAZINE LOADING STATION Magazine loading station comprises of two magazines (401) side by side for bulk loading of wafers to the extent of about 700 numbers of wafers in each basket. The magazines are to be removed for loading the wafers and to be inserted back and secured with locking pins. Initially when the machine is started, emptiness or fullness of the magazines (401) are sensed by a sensor and accordingly the moving platform (405) operated by two servomotors (406) which are independently fitted for each magazine (401) and connected with ball-screw and ball-nut arrangement (407). Apart from facilitating loading of wafers, the mechanism of servomotor (406) and screw (407) also constantly interacts with the sensor and keep the top level of the top layer of the loaded wafers. When the wafers get exhausted in any one magazine (401) the machine stops and the moving platform (405) of that magazine descends to enable the magazine (401) to be removed for filling the wafers. AIR SEPARATION DEVICE Air separation device (402) plays a very vital role in the whole operation. This device consist of four numbers of air nozzles fitted at the side of each magazine (401) which continuously blows pressurized air in thin jet so as to detach the wafers on the top of the magazine in a pre-determined height. Virtually the top few wafers keep floating in air when the air jet is continuously administered. This method allows the vacuum cups (408) to pick up only one wafer from each magazine at a time. PICK AND PLACE STATION The purpose of the pick and place device (403) shows the various elements of the pick and place unit which functions to pick the top wafer from the two magazines (401) and move them to the positioning table (33). The pick and place device (403) consists of mainly a linear cylinder (409) for longitudinal movement of the vacuum cups (408) between the magazine point (401) and the positioning table (33). To the linear cylinder (409) is fitted arm (410) as to reach the centre of the positioning table (33). The vacuum cups (408) which are fitted to the short air cylinder helps to pick the wafers from the magazines (401) and place them on the positioning table (33). The linear slide (411) fitted with linear bearings smoothly slides the sliding arm (410) over the ground guide rods (413) smoothly without noise and friction. POSITIONING STATION The positioning station (404) consists of a base frame (31) over which a universal table (32) is mounted. This table has been built for adjustments in different axes like x, y and θ. The universal table (32) is kept next to the pick and place device (403) and used as the picking point for the collection arm of the printing machine. At the positioning table (33) the two wafers coming from magazines (401) are pre-positioned such that it matches to the print screen of the printing machine. The universal table (33) has to be adjusted and locked to match the printing screen whenever a new screen is fitted in the printer. The thin fingers fitted to the table (33) which are operated by the pneumatic cylinders are used to orient the wafers as the cylinders open and close in the logical sequencing. The top surface of the table (33) is coated with Teflon to avoid aberration between the wafers and metal. WE CLAIM; 1. A system for automatic separation and feeding of wafers for solar cells to a screen printing machine, said system comprising: a magazine loading device (401) having two magazines for bulk loading of wafers; an air separation device (402) having four air nozzles fitted at the side of each magazine (401); a pick and place device (403) having a linear cylinder (409) fitted to a sliding arm (410) provides a longitudinal movement of vacuum, cups (408) between the magazine point (401) and positioning table (33); a positioning device (404) having a base frame (31) over which an universal table (32) and a positioning table (33) provided with two thin fingers (35) being mounted characterized in that the devices are capable of an automatic separation and feeding of solar cell wafers to the screen printing machine for manufacturing of solar cells; a control cabinet housing a PLC based electronics system for sequencing the various movements of the pick and place unit (403) and servo system. 2. An automated separation and feeding system for wafers of solar cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magazines (401) are each provided with a servomotor (406) and a ball screw and a ball nut (407) having a moving platform (405) fixed to it. 3. An automated separation and feeding system for wafers of solar cells as claimed in claim 1, wherein the linear cylinder (409) being run by the linear Air actuator (412), 4. An automated separation and feeding system for wafers of solar cells as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vacuum cups (408) being fitted to the short air cylinder to pick the wafers from the magazine (401) and place them on the positioning table (33). 5. An automated separation and feeding system for wafers of solar cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sliding arm (410) being fixed to the linear slide (411) and liner bearing, slides over the ground guide rods (413) smoothly without noise and friction. 6. An automated separation and feeding system for wafers of solar cells as claimed in claim 1, wherein the universal table (32) having adjustments in different axes x, y, θ, being picking point of the collection arm of printing machines. 7. An automated separation and feeding system for wafers of solar cells as claimed in claim 1 wherein the thin fingers (35) fitted to positioning table (32) is being operated by the pneumatic cylinders (34). 8. An automated separation and feeding system for wafers of solar cells as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top surface of the positioning table (33) being coated with teflon to avoid aberration between the wafers and metal. 9. A method for an automatic separation and feeding of wafers for solar cells to a screen printing machine, said method comprising the steps of: descending a magazine (401) by a moving platform (405) for filing the wafers and ascending back getting secured with locking pins; detaching of wafers on the top of the magazine (401) in a pre- determined height by pressurized air in thin jet blowing continuously, picking up of only one top wafer from each magazine (401) at a time by vacuum cups (408) and moving them to the positioning table (33); prepositioning two wafers coming from magazines (401) to match with the print screen of the printing machine; orienting the wafers by thin fingers (35) fitted to the positioning table (33) and being operated by the pneumatic cylinders (34) 10. A method for an automated separation and feeding system of wafers of solar cells as claimed in claim 9, wherein the top level of the top layer of the loaded wafers being maintained by the mechanism of the servomotor (406) and screw (407) having constant interaction with the sensor. 11. A method for an automated separation and feeding system of wafers of solar cells as claimed in claim 9, wherein the universal table (32) being adjusted and locked to match the printing screen whenever a new screen being fitted in the printer. 12. A method for an automated separation and feeding system for wafers of solar cells as claimed in claim 9, wherein continuous administration of air jet keeps top few wafers floating in air allowing the vacuum cups (408) to pick up only one wafer from each magazine (401) at a time. Accordingly, an automatic solar wafer separation and feeding system has been designed and developed and interfaced to the printing machine in the manufacturing line of solar cells. The system incorporates a PLC (programmable logic controller) based electronic control for the logics needed for the various movements to ensure error free functioning. A vacuum system is employed to pick up the cell from the separation point place to the feeder point. A set of thin air jets is used to separate the wafers from sticking to each other. A pre-aligning system equipped with pneumatic cylinders position the cells so that the cells are fed to the printing machine precisely in orientation to the print screen. Two numbers of magazines are used to facilitate bulk loading of wafers up to 1400 numbers of wafers at a time. Also two numbers of servomotors are employed to position the wafers in the magazine to enable the vacuum cups pick up the wafers at a fixed height consistently. |
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Patent Number | 271976 | ||||||||||||
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Indian Patent Application Number | 1227/KOL/2008 | ||||||||||||
PG Journal Number | 12/2016 | ||||||||||||
Publication Date | 18-Mar-2016 | ||||||||||||
Grant Date | 11-Mar-2016 | ||||||||||||
Date of Filing | 17-Jul-2008 | ||||||||||||
Name of Patentee | BHARAT HEAVY ELECTRICALS LIMITED | ||||||||||||
Applicant Address | REGIONAL OPERATIONS DIVISION (ROD), PLOT NO: 9/1, DJ BLOCK 3RD FLOOR, KARUNAMOYEE, SALT LAKE CITY, KOLKATA - 700 091, HAVING ITS REGISTERED OFFICE AT BHEL HOUSE, SIRI FORT, NEW DELHI – 110049 | ||||||||||||
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PCT International Classification Number | H01L31/18 | ||||||||||||
PCT International Application Number | N/A | ||||||||||||
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