Reported by Stella Lee (pved1@infothe.com)

Please tell us about Bystronic glass. What is your main product and where it can be applied?

Bystronic glass is the most competent and reliable partner for services, machinery, plants and systems in the glass processing sector. Bystronic glass supplies its well-proven machine technologies also in important areas of the photovoltaic industry. This includes preprocessing, front-end and back-end solutions. Bystronic glass is an international brand with globally operating companies that support their customers on site and through own sales and service companies. Since 1994, Bystronic glass is part of the Conzzeta AG, a renowned Swiss industrial holding company.

The main product for the photovoltaic industry is the photovoltaic’tpa, a horizontal Thermo Plastic Applicator (TPA) which is the first machine of its kind for the application of high-viscous butyl on semiconductor thin-film substrates. The machine applies butyl at the edge of substrate glasses prior to the lamination process and therefore protects the semiconductor effectively against humidity.

How long have you been involved in solar industry? What made you decide to go into the photovoltaic business?

Bystronic glass has been involved in the solar industry since 2007. A large part of photovoltaic module production involves handling and processing of glass. In all areas, Bystronic glass can contribute significantly ensuring the customers’ systems run smoothly and effectively─over a period of many years. For more than 40 years, the group of companies has been synonymous with innovative machines as well as plants, systems and services in the glass processing industry. From basic components to automated complete customer-specific solutions, Bystronic glass will supply its customers with extraordinary concepts─all, of course, at the highest quality level. One of our core competencies is the decade-long experience with machinery for the application of high-viscous adhesives. The flexible Thermo Plastic Spacer (TPS®) adhesive and sealant has proven itself millions of times over in the manufacturing of insulating glass and has been in use worldwide for more than ten years. Because of its unique material properties, TPS® is also outstandingly suitable as a supplementary component for all thin layer modules─independent of whether or not module encapsulation takes place with TPS® or in the conventional way.

What’s special about your business? What do you care about the most?

The customers in the solar industry as well as in the glass processing industry need individual solutions. Bystronic glass supports the customers’ success with application-oriented systems and services for glass processing and the solar industry.

What other companies are you partnering with?

Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE)

How are you addressing the task of going up the value chain, raising productivity?

In cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), Bystronic glass has developed a technology which allows wafer-based solar modules to be produced in a significantly faster and cheaper way. The development of the so-called TPedge process, used in the production of modules with a Thermoplastic (TP) sealing at the edge of the glass, features a major innovation leap in the entire module production.

Thanks to the completely new production technology and a simplified module structure, wafer-based solar modules can now be produced at nearly half of the usual module-manufacturing costs. The solar cells are conventionally linked together and then fixed between two glass panes. Due to the draught and stress-free, flexible bonding of the solar cells in glass composites, the new production method is best suited for the even thinner solar cells. The films and the corresponding lamination can therefore be completely eliminated.

Describe your product portfolio. What new products have you introduced for solar players?

-Concepts covering all areas of thin-film modules

-Concepts for the manufacturing of crystalline modules

-Concepts for the manufacturing of concentrator modules

-Engineering services: Design and development of line concepts and factory layouts tailored for the customers’ requirements

-Perfect integration of components into the overall line concept

-Any special solutions on request

-Worldwide hotline in the customers’ languages

-Worldwide service right on the customers’ premises

-Production support during commissioning of the system

How are you promoting Bystronic glass?

We’re trying public relations, online communication, advertisements, events and brochures.

How big and strategically important is PV sector in your business?

Our main business is still the glass processing sector. The solar industry covers about five to twelve percent of our business.

Stella Lee is Editor of InterPV. Send your comments to pved1@infothe.com.