Quality Assurance for Photovoltaics​

The production process of solar cells is very complex. Manufacturers must ensure the uniformity of ion diffusion on the silicon wafer, the uniformity of passivation layer thickness, etc. during the entire production cycle. The durability of solar cells is a very important issue. With their advanced optoelectronic technology, industrial microscope solutions play a unique advantage in the production of solar cell applications, such as coating granularity, coating thickness, porosity analysis, material failure analysis, and more.​

Casings of the inverter and junction box are important to protect the electronical components under harsh weather conditions at any time. Therefore, dimensional requirements are essential for sealing the casing and to provide the flexibility needed to withstand temperature changes. CMMs and optical solutions ensure that these dimensional requirements are met. Furthermore, optical testing is able to provide additional information on the behavior along the stress test. ​

Electronics and their components are essential for processing the electricity generated and feeding it into the grid. They connect the individual strings up to the inverter and transformer and are responsible for the direction of the current. To ensure that the components perform reliably under temperature fluctuations and high operational loads, they are subject to continuous quality assurance.

Wafer manufacturing requires the highest accuracy in tooling and technology for cutting multiple slices simultaneously. Precision in the cutting process is mandatory to guarantee an efficient process, defect free parts and speed up production. Speed is also key in the production of aluminum string profiles, and therefore the tools must be precise and robust. ​

In addition to the static installation of the panels, there is also an active tracking system that follows the sun and adjusts the angle and position of the solar panel. This increases the overall output of the solar park by ensuring the ideal position of the panel throughout the day. See how ZEISS supports the tracking system by providing the right measuring solution to ensure the quality of the gear and other components.​