Meyer Burger Offers First Diamond-Wire Saw System Designed For Monocrystalline Solar Wafers

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One of the world’s leading suppliers of systems and production equipment to the photovoltaic and semiconductor industries, Meyer Burger, is now offering the DW 288+ — the first diamond-wire saw system designed specifically for monocrystalline solar wafer applications.

By “designed specifically for,” what they mean is that the DW 288+ includes a unique, brand-new technology for diamond wire management during the cutting process. This means more control, and hence more precision and speed, and lower costs.

The platform can be used to slice any number of different brittle materials, including purified silicon and sapphire, into ultrathin wafers.

The new platform is notable because diamond-wire cutting technology represents a fast-growing segment of the market, replacing slurry-based wafer processing. Since the approach is relatively new there is still great potential for improvement, and hence lower costs — something of great interest in the young solar industry.

Here’s the rundown via Meyer Burger:

• Sophisticated wire management

-Extended wire lifetime

-Lowest cost of ownerschip

• Highspeed with up to 25 m/s

-Faster material removal

-Increased capacity

• Stable processes

-Maximum yield

-Simple maintenance

• Perfectly designed consumables

-Holistic approach

-One-stop shop; reduced complexity

• Waterbased process

-Environmental friendly

-Tailored for local needs

• Thin wafer (≥100 µm) / thin wire (≥100 µm core)

• One Touch Carrier System – wafer protection during transport and minimized handling steps

• Optimized axis distance & maximum load length

• Lowest number of wear parts and good accessibility

• Pick & place / plug & play installation

• Lowest footprint including service area

In related news, the company recently announced that it has successfully concluded a strategic Preferred Supplier contract for the delivery and installation of a fully integrated high efficiency SmartWire Connection Technology line in Europe. The buyers in this case are Hanplast and FreeVolt, with the production line purchased for a jointly developed module production factory in Bydgoszcz Technology Park in Poland. The annual production capacity of the line is 80 MW.