David Savastano, Editor09.22.09
There is no one solution when it comes to manufacturing solar cells. Screen printing, vacuum deposition, spin coating, heat treatments, laser-based concepts, wet chemical etching and wet chemical deposition are among the many technologies utilized to make PV cells.
Inkjet is also growing in usage. With an eye toward the solar market, Trident, a division of ITW and a leader in digital inkjet printhead and ink, has launched “Trident Solar,” a new division dedicated exclusively to solar inkjet technologies.
“We feel there is a need in the market for an inkjet manufacturer that focuses on satisfying the needs of solar customers,” said Steve Liker, business manager at Trident. “ITW offers excellent resources, while Trident is flexible, and can bring its focus to bear on the solar market. By forming Trident Solar, we can concentrate strictly on solar, both rigid and flexible applications, silicon as well as thin film.”
Trident has been a leading provider of industrial piezoelectric inkjet printheads and inks for 30 years, and has been involved in the photovoltaic market for a few years, as customers asked them to develop inkjet solutions.
“We have been leaders in the flat panel display and deposition applications for a number of years,” Liker said. “We are using expertise we have developed from these fields and are carrying it over to the solar applications.”
Liker said that there are critical differences between graphic arts inkjet applications and PV application requirements, and a one-size-fits-all approach is not going to benefit solar companies.
“There are a lot of people who make inkjet for the graphic arts and are offering their printheads to the solar market, but these printheads aren’t necessarily designed for that market and can create problems,” Liker said. “Trident is not simply adapting a graphic inkjet printhead to photovoltaic applications.”
Inkjet’s versatility benefits customers, as it can be used either as an additive or subtractive process. Because the printing is controlled, it prevents waste of costly materials. Digital inkjet printing is non-contact, so breakage and resulting scrap are eliminated. Due to its fast print speed, it is also ideal for roll-to-roll applications.
“The advantages of inkjet are the ability to print very fine features,” Liker said. “As an additive process, inkjet can precisely print metals or coatings; as a subtractive process, inkjet can be used to precisely deposit etchants. It allows solar cell manufacturers to deposit very fine features in a controlled way precisely where you need them, thus reducing expensive waste.
“The key challenge for inkjet is developing materials in a jettable form and then being able to partner with integrators to bring inkjet and materials to the solar manufacturers,” he added. “We are working closely with material suppliers. Because of the flexibility of our printhead design, we have had some initial successes.”
Trident Solar’s first new product for the solar market is its “256Jet-S” inkjet printhead, a 256-nozzle printhead with stainless steel construction.
By using an inert material, Trident Solar is eliminating the impact of the variety of acid and alkaline etchants, such as NaOH or KOH, which can be used to etch produce line or hole features in the indium tin oxide layer, as well as conductive metals such as silver inks used to print contacts and buses in solar PV applications.
“The 256Jet-S printhead is all stainless steel, which is highly inert,” Liker said. “This is critical, as solar fluids can often be aggressive when placed in contact with metals or plastics.”
Liker also noted that the 256Jet-S has a serviceable nozzle plate that can simply be removed, cleaned and reassembled, rather than needing to discard and replace the inkjet printhead when the nozzles clog. Trident said that the 256Jet-S printhead should last up to three years, with a lifespan of 90 billion firings per channel.
Liker said Trident Solar is optimistic about the potential for inkjet technologies to play a major role in the solar market.
“The use of inkjet in the solar field is still very new,” he said. “Inkjet has generally gotten as far as pilot production, with a few successes in mass production. People realize that inkjet will be a sustaining process in PV production in the future, but there are still only a few early adopters. Customers realize they have to reduce cost and increase efficiency, and they are waiting to hear success stories from these early adopters of inkjet. I think we’ll see inkjet adoption continually advance in the coming years.”
Trident’s new 256Jet-S inkjet printhead. |
“We feel there is a need in the market for an inkjet manufacturer that focuses on satisfying the needs of solar customers,” said Steve Liker, business manager at Trident. “ITW offers excellent resources, while Trident is flexible, and can bring its focus to bear on the solar market. By forming Trident Solar, we can concentrate strictly on solar, both rigid and flexible applications, silicon as well as thin film.”
Trident has been a leading provider of industrial piezoelectric inkjet printheads and inks for 30 years, and has been involved in the photovoltaic market for a few years, as customers asked them to develop inkjet solutions.
“We have been leaders in the flat panel display and deposition applications for a number of years,” Liker said. “We are using expertise we have developed from these fields and are carrying it over to the solar applications.”
Liker said that there are critical differences between graphic arts inkjet applications and PV application requirements, and a one-size-fits-all approach is not going to benefit solar companies.
“There are a lot of people who make inkjet for the graphic arts and are offering their printheads to the solar market, but these printheads aren’t necessarily designed for that market and can create problems,” Liker said. “Trident is not simply adapting a graphic inkjet printhead to photovoltaic applications.”
Inkjet’s versatility benefits customers, as it can be used either as an additive or subtractive process. Because the printing is controlled, it prevents waste of costly materials. Digital inkjet printing is non-contact, so breakage and resulting scrap are eliminated. Due to its fast print speed, it is also ideal for roll-to-roll applications.
“The advantages of inkjet are the ability to print very fine features,” Liker said. “As an additive process, inkjet can precisely print metals or coatings; as a subtractive process, inkjet can be used to precisely deposit etchants. It allows solar cell manufacturers to deposit very fine features in a controlled way precisely where you need them, thus reducing expensive waste.
“The key challenge for inkjet is developing materials in a jettable form and then being able to partner with integrators to bring inkjet and materials to the solar manufacturers,” he added. “We are working closely with material suppliers. Because of the flexibility of our printhead design, we have had some initial successes.”
Trident Solar’s first new product for the solar market is its “256Jet-S” inkjet printhead, a 256-nozzle printhead with stainless steel construction.
By using an inert material, Trident Solar is eliminating the impact of the variety of acid and alkaline etchants, such as NaOH or KOH, which can be used to etch produce line or hole features in the indium tin oxide layer, as well as conductive metals such as silver inks used to print contacts and buses in solar PV applications.
“The 256Jet-S printhead is all stainless steel, which is highly inert,” Liker said. “This is critical, as solar fluids can often be aggressive when placed in contact with metals or plastics.”
Liker also noted that the 256Jet-S has a serviceable nozzle plate that can simply be removed, cleaned and reassembled, rather than needing to discard and replace the inkjet printhead when the nozzles clog. Trident said that the 256Jet-S printhead should last up to three years, with a lifespan of 90 billion firings per channel.
Liker said Trident Solar is optimistic about the potential for inkjet technologies to play a major role in the solar market.
“The use of inkjet in the solar field is still very new,” he said. “Inkjet has generally gotten as far as pilot production, with a few successes in mass production. People realize that inkjet will be a sustaining process in PV production in the future, but there are still only a few early adopters. Customers realize they have to reduce cost and increase efficiency, and they are waiting to hear success stories from these early adopters of inkjet. I think we’ll see inkjet adoption continually advance in the coming years.”