Search results for "Photovoltaic industry"

Modular Contact-Free Conveyors for Handling Planar Fragile Objects

2017

Recent studies show that the handling of thin wafers in the photovoltaic industry can lead to unacceptable yields due to cell scratching and breaking. This paper presents the concept and design of a novel modular conveyor that is intended for handling planar fragile objects at a high speed without contact. Each element of the conveyor is a square block that is able to generate tilted air jets that lift and push the object in a single direction. Various handling functions can thus be achieved by the assembly of several blocks. To manage the complexity of assembling systems composed of hundreds of blocks, an automatized design methodology is proposed. This process gives the best topology of t…