What’s the key to profitable high volume manufacturing? In almost any industry, two of the vital ingredients are reproducibility and controllability. Michael van der Gugten, Sales and Marketing Executive, Smit Thermal Solutions, explains to PES why it’s no different for thin film solar
Reproducibility, controllability and a high-volume mind-set
Smit Thermal Solutions provides thermal equipment and processes for large-scale CdTe and CIGS PV production.
“We believe the time is right for companies to step into large-scale, thin film PV because the demand is there and the technology is maturing. CdTe is well-established and we’re seeing breakthroughs in CIGS with cell efficiencies increasing towards 25% in R&D situations.”
“The challenge is to make high-volume production cost-effective. What works in the lab or for small quantities may not be right for mass manufacturing. It’s about understanding all the factors that combine to cut costs in an industrial setting. Those are very diverse from the stability of your processes to the amount of floor space required for the equipment. But if you get these right, you can be profitable,” says van der Gugten.
With over 75 years’ experience in the glass, displays and electronics industries; Smit Thermal Solutions knows a lot about mass production. And it has been developing thermal systems for thin film solar for more than a decade.
