Spire's Advanced Technology Center

Solar Production Line Animation

50MW Fully-Automated Module
Production Line

Spire Solar Language Option

The ATC is located at Spire Corporation's headquarters in Bedford, MA (20 minutes outside of Boston, MA) and houses a fully functioning state-of-the-art 12 MW PV module production line for product development and PV material evaluations, including solar cells. This center consists of Spire's most advanced module manufacturing equipment for customer evaluation and training. Spire's long-pulse solar simulator, cell string assembler, cell tester and lamination equipment are all available.

In addition, the ATC is staffed to provide expert technical and engineering support for the assembly of customer modules. Modules made for Spire's turnkey production line customers can be used for early certifcation to accelerate their entry into the market. The ATC laboratory is able to produce modules that qualify for United States (U.S.) and international standards such as UL 1703 and IEC 61215.

Processes

Cell testing
- IV curves
Tab and String assembly
- strings cells for shipment and module building
String inspection
- dark IV, visual inspection
J-Box attachment
Framing
Hi-pot test and ground continuity
- according to UL and IEC standards

Cell sorting
String busing
Module layup
- glass, EVA, backsheet assembly
Lamination
- peel and gel tests
Edge trimming
Sun Simulation
- module IV curves
- according to ASTM standards

Services

Training – Equipment & Processes
- Use own materials to develop module
  process in ATC
Facility Rental with Engineering and Technician Support
- Material Suppliers
  - Prototype module fabrication
  - Glass
  - Backsheet
  - Ribbons
  - Cells
  - Lamination and materials testing
- R&D to develop module processes
  - Test new options for equipment
  - Supplier supplied material, Spire testing
  - Supplier provided materials, supplier testing
  - Develop new module designs

Offline testing
- Cell pull test (after assembly)
  - Measures solder joint bond integrity
- Creep and Gel tests (after lamination)
  - Measures crosslinking (degree of EVA cure)
- Peel test (after lamination)
  - Measures EVA to glass bond
  - Measures EVA to backsheet bond
- Environmental Testing
  - TC - thermal cycle
  - DH - damp heat
  - HF - humidity freeze
- Root cause analysis – module thermal imaging
  using IR for defect analysis
  - Module level
  - Cell level
- Environmental Chamber
  (internal dimensions: 36 in. x 36 in. x 40 in.)
  to test samples of cells, modules and materials
  - Temperature cycling
  - Damp heat exposure
  - Humidity freeze cycling