Vision system keeps solar panel quality high

Scorpion Vision measures each wafer as it is produced and can analyse any imperfections down to a tenth of a millimetre.

The industrial world is under ever increasing pressure to move quickly from burning hydrocarbons in order to generate electricity, to using renewables such as solar energy.

There are many reasons of course, but the commercial one is to satisfy international legislation in both reducing carbon emissions and power generation costs.

With energy prices increasing dramatically in 2008 and the price of a barrel of oil exceeding $US 120 for the first time in history, the economic argument alone for renewable energy resources has never been stronger.

The manufacturing of the technology required to harness renewable resources can, however, be a hard path to tread.

Take for instance the production of solar panels that absorb the suns rays in the first phase of solar energy recycling.

The process used to make these panels is expensive and the quality of the silicon wafer used in these panels is critical to its performance.

Each wafer is hewn from a block of silicon using fine cutting apparatus that needs to be in top condition if the wafer is to be perfect.

Any striations or scores caused by a poor blade reduces the wafer's efficiency and can create a costly problem if not rectified quickly.

Scorpion Vision measures each wafer as it is produced and can analyse any imperfections down to a tenth of a millimetre.

The cost benefit to silicon wafer manufacturers is potentially massive with the system paying for itself over just 12 months.

This 3D industrial vision solution is based on Scorpion Vision Software, developed by Tordivel.

Back to top