As production of solar cells ramps up, producers are looking at more efficient ways to produce these cells as cheaper prices and more efficiently in volume become prerequisites.

Steel belt technology has been at the forefront of this growth. Machinery manufacturers use the belts in the tabber and stringer operations of their automated production machinery. Here the cells are transported individually, often by vacuum and welded together on the steel belts to form complete solar panels. They are used over other belt options for several reasons.

Firstly, they are robust enough to be used as vacuum belts – holes are perforated in the belts and belts are put under vacuum so cells can be precisely moved to the required spot ready for welding. Belts must be able to survive high-speed movement across a vacuum plenum.

Accuracy of movement in the both lateral and horizontal planes of 0.1mm or less is often required. Furthermore, the belts must resist the high temperatures of the soldering operation as the individual cells are assembled using bus ribbons, with the soldering of these ribbons often sometimes carried out by laser.

Some belts are coated with release coatings such as Teflon to avoid any solder sticking to the belts.

The coatings must have high abrasion resistance and also resist the various fluxes used in the industry.

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Belt Technologies Europe is based in Tyne and Wear, UK. www.belttechnologies.co.uk