The 27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, said PVSEC, is taking place from September 24^th until 28^th September 2012 at the exhibition centre in Frankfurt/Main, Germany. The event is deemed to be the worldwide most significant platform for exchange between science, industry and the global PV- and solar markets.

Arnold Gruppe in Weilburg/Germany belongs to the limited number of internationally accepted companies, offering the process- and automation technology for the wide range of processing silicon-blocks from one source. Sustained reduction of costs even with permanent quality intensification can only be achieved by a high level of automation among the complete production. Guarantors of success like faultless quality, optimum and fail-proof processes are urgently requested for the wafer production.

On the occasion of the PVSEC, with their open designed booth (Hall 3.0 J23) Arnold Gruppe will present 3D-animations introducing considerable process- and automation concepts for processing mono- and multicrystalline silicon blocks. The core competence of the well experienced experts is mainly based on the process technique of mechanical cutting, grinding and glueing in combination with the automation of complete production lines. Their spectrum ranges from individual machines via processing centres up to custom-made lines.

Automated Production

The fully-automatic cropping centre, type 72/454, for processing monocrystalline ingots was designed by Arnold Gruppe for the automatic cutting of end pieces (top and tail), test wafers (slugs) as well as for cropping of monocrystalline ingots into segments from 250 up to 1,000 mm.

Ingots up to a length of 3,000 mm are suitable to be accepted in the well accessible loading area. The approved product portfolio of this segment is completed by the cropping centre and available as from now.

Automation does not only mean the integration of robotic system into sub-processes by Arnold Gruppe, but even more. Not only highest process safety must be provided by each individual machine, but also sophisticated sensor technology, highly skilled control technique and interfaces for peripheral equipments, such as to MES (Manufacturing Execution System) are guaranteed. On the occasion of the PVSEC, Arnold Gruppe will introduce a fully-automatic production line for grinding, cutting and glueing of multicrystalline blocks. Each of three successively arranged and connected centres are furnished with an industrial robot. Communication between machine control and robot is done via higher-level production- and quality control systems (PQS). By means of the process analyzing tool Arpat, developed by Arnold Gruppe, data of the continuous process are collected, recorded and analyzed. Thus making quality reproducible at any time and granting adjustments of workflow during the production.

?Silicon Business Day“ at PVSEC

During the PVSEC, on Wednesday, September 26^th, 2012 Arnold Gruppe invites customers and interested parties to visit their headquarters in Weilburg. Machines and solutions for the fields of photovoltaic, solar thermal systems, optical fibres, processing glass- and quartz glass are explained and partially demonstrated by the company’s experts. Moreover the guests will learn useful details regarding developments and the range of experience of the more than 60-years-old company. As a matter of course bus transfer and hospitality are provided.

?Silicon Business Day“

Departure 03:00 pm, return to Frankfurt approx. 09:00 pm.

The number of participants limited. Registration:

http://www.arnold-gruppe.de/business-day.html

Booth: Arnold Gruppe

27^th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition

Fair Frankfurt/Germany

Tuesday, September 25^th until Friday, September 28^th, 2012

Hall: 3.0, booth: J23

Captions

File: Cropping centre, type 72_454.jpg

Flexible Concept

Fully automated cropping centre for mono-crystalline ingot processing

File: Fully automized production centre.jpg

Growth Potential By Automation

Fully automized production centre for multi-crystalline silicon bricks ?

grinding, cropping and glueing

Source

Both images:

Arnold Gruppe, Weilburg, Germany

Company Profile

Herbert Arnold GmbH & Co. KG, founded 1950 in Weilburg/Germany, is one of the worldwide leading manufacturers of burners, tools and machines as well as ready-to-use systems for customers in the area of photovoltaic, glass and quartz glass processing, fibre-optic and the automotive production.

The core competence in the area of photovoltaics is the mechanic cutting and grinding/polishing of poly-, mono and multi-crystalline silicon-ingots and blocks. Traditional values and experiences are the base of thermal and mechanical glass production which, next to a wide range of burners and tools are nowadays also incorporated into the solar thermal glass tube production.

The Arnold Gruppe consists of the following companies: Herbert Arnold GmbH & Co. KG, Helmich Automationstechnik (1998); B&C (2005) und Heathway Ltd. (2004). The foundation stone was laid by Herbert Arnold. The realisation of innovative production technologies for glass and later for quartz glass processing, turned the one-man company within a short time into an enterprise with an international reputation. The Arnold Gruppe nowadays employs approx. 200 employees and exports to all the key markets of the world.