The inspection of photovoltaic cells is divided into two processes. The IV and EL data are disconnected, with a defect missed detection rate exceeding 6% and a module power attenuation of over 8%. The manual sorting efficiency is low. A single production line requires 15 workers, with an annual labor cost of over 1.2 million yuan and a grading deviation of over 3%. The detection and adaptation of large-sized cells are difficult, and the edge imaging is blurry. The distortion rate of test data exceeds 5% - in the mass production stage of photovoltaic cells, the pain points of "incomplete testing, low sorting efficiency, high labor costs, and poor adaptation to large sizes" have become the core bottlenecks restricting production capacity and quality.
Saifan Optoelectronics has been deeply engaged in optoelectronic detection technology for 20 years. By integrating the measured data of tens of millions of battery cells with AI algorithms, it has launched the IV+EL battery automatic sorting machine. With three core advantages: "synchronous integration of IV+EL dual inspection + AI intelligent grading and sorting + full-size compatibility", It perfectly meets the mass production requirements of large-sized battery cells ranging from 166 to 210mm and above. Today, this "all-round photovoltaic quality inspection king" has served over 260 photovoltaic enterprises worldwide, achieving a defect omission rate of no more than 0.3%, a sixfold increase in sorting efficiency, and an 85% reduction in labor costs. It has become the "quality guardian" of photovoltaic mass production lines.
1. IV+EL dual inspection integration: Synchronous detection without blind spots, defect missed detection rate reduced to 0.3%
Wang, the production director of a leading photovoltaic enterprise, was once extremely troubled by the problem of battery cell inspection: "Traditional inspection first measures the IV electrical performance and then separately conducts EL defect detection. The two processes take more than 8 seconds per cell, and the data is isolated and cannot be linked." The missed detection rate of hidden defects such as concealed cracks and false soldering exceeded 6%, resulting in a power attenuation of over 8% after component packaging, a customer return rate of 7%, and a loss of over 6 million yuan per batch. What is more challenging is that the edge detection of 210mm large-sized battery cells is prone to blind spots, with the distortion rate of test data exceeding 5% and a large deviation in the assessment of the yield rate.
The "Double Inspection synchronization technology" of the Saifan IV+EL battery automatic sorting machine has completely solved this predicament. The equipment is equipped with a high-precision IV test unit and a 50-megapixEL imaging module. The inspection time for a single piece is only 1.3 seconds, which is six times more efficient than traditional equipment. The daily inspection capacity of a single production line has been increased from 60,000 pieces to 360,000 pieces. IV detection accurately measures core parameters such as open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current, with an error of no more than ±0.5%. EL detection is equipped with an AI defect recognition algorithm, trained on over 10 million defect samples. It can automatically identify 15 types of defects such as hidden cracks, broken grids, and false welds, with a recognition accuracy rate of ≥99.7% and a missed detection rate of ≤0.3%.
"Now the power attenuation of the components is controlled within 2%, the customer return rate has dropped from 7% to 0.9%, and the loss per batch has been reduced by 5.5 million." " Engineer Wang's tone was full of approval: "The most surprising thing is the dual-inspection data linkage. Each battery cell generates a unique traceability code, and the electrical performance parameters and defect information are bound and archived. Customer complaints can be quickly traced to the root cause, and the satisfaction rate has increased to 98%." " The equipment adopts a dual-side light source + wide-angle lens design to solve the problem of blurred imaging at the edges of large-sized battery cells. It is compatible with all sizes ranging from 166-210mm and does not require fixture replacement. The model change time is no more than 8 minutes. Previously, the cost of importing double-inspection equipment was 9 million yuan, with a delivery period of 8 months. The customized model from Saifan is only 4.5 million yuan, delivered within 40 days, and offers free operation training, helping us complete the commissioning of the new production line three months ahead of schedule. Wang Gong added, "Now all five mass production lines of our group are equipped with Saifan equipment as standard. During the TUV audit, they all praised that 'the detection accuracy and data traceability capability have reached the world-class level.'"
Ii. AI Intelligent Sorting: Unmanned operation saves 13 workers, with a grading deviation of ≤0.8%
Li, the quality inspection manager of a certain photovoltaic module manufacturer, once encountered the "efficiency bottleneck" of manual sorting: "After traditional inspection, 15 workers need to manually sort, classify according to electrical performance parameters and defect grades, and each person can sort no more than 700 pieces per hour. Not only is the speed slow, but there is also human error." The grading deviation of the same batch of solar cells exceeds 3%, resulting in poor power consistency of the modules and weak premium pricing ability of the products. What is even more worrying is that labor costs have been rising year by year. The annual labor cost for a single production line exceeds 1.2 million yuan, and the problems of difficulty in recruitment and management are prominent.
The "intelligent sorting" function of the Saifan IV+EL battery automatic sorting machine precisely resolves the human resource predicament. The equipment is equipped with an AI intelligent grading algorithm, which can customize the sorting standards from 1 to 10 levels according to customer needs. It automatically performs precise grading based on IV electrical performance parameters and EL defect grades, with a grading accuracy rate of ≥99.2% and a batch consistency deviation of ≤0.8%. Equipped with high-speed sorting robotic arms, the sorting speed can reach 4,500 pieces per hour, achieving fully unmanned operation throughout the "inspection - grading - material feeding" process. Only two maintenance personnel are needed for each production line, reducing labor costs by 85%.
"Now, the annual labor cost for a single production line has dropped from 1.2 million to 180,000, saving 1.02 million yuan a year. The equipment investment can be recovered within three years." " Engineer Li did a detailed calculation: "The misjudgment rate of traditional manual sorting is 3%, with an annual loss of over 3.5 million." The misjudgment rate of intelligent sorting is ≤0.5%, and the annual loss is reduced by 3.3 million. Moreover, the equipment operates continuously for 24 hours without any fatigue, generating 20% more output than manual sorting and increasing the annual output value by over 25 million yuan." Engineer Li particularly emphasized: "Our overseas customers have extremely high requirements for component consistency. After the solar cells sorted by Saifan equipment are assembled into components, the power deviation is ≤1%. The customers directly granted 'exemption from inspection' authorization and have now listed Saifan as a core supplier." "
Three. Large size stable adaptation: High rigidity design + precise positioning, stable and reliable test data
Mr. Zhang, the technical manager of a certain new energy photovoltaic enterprise, was once worried about the compatibility of large-sized solar cells: "We mainly focus on 210mm + super-large-sized high-efficiency solar cells. When traditional equipment is used for detection, there are problems such as inaccurate positioning and poor contact, resulting in an electrical performance test error of over 1%." The edges of EL imaging are blurred, the defect missed detection rate exceeds 4%, and the deviation in the assessment of the yield rate exceeds 5%. Moreover, the equipment operates with significant vibration. Every month, the production line needs to be shut down for two days for calibration, resulting in a capacity loss of over 1.2 million."
The customized design of the Saifan IV+EL battery automatic sorting machine perfectly meets the requirements of large sizes. The equipment adopts a 6061-T6 high-rigidity body and a precise positioning platform, with a positioning accuracy of ≤±0.05mm. It is equipped with an adaptive elastic probe to ensure uniform contact pressure between the edge and the center of large-sized battery cells (pressure fluctuation ≤±0.1N), and stable electrical performance test data. The EL imaging module adopts an ultra-wide field of view lens and distributed uniform light technology. The imaging range comprehensively covers 210mm + battery cells. The clarity of the edge and center imaging is consistent, and there are no blind spots in defect identification.
"Now, the testing error for 210mm + battery cells is ≤±0.5%, and the deviation in the yield assessment is ≤1%, significantly enhancing the stability of the production line." " Zhang Gong said with deep feeling, "We have conducted continuous 720-hour stability tests. The equipment's precision drift is ≤±0.3%, eliminating the need for frequent calibration. The annual downtime for calibration is ≤6 hours, reducing production capacity loss by 95%." The equipment also supports seamless integration with the MES system, allowing real-time upload of test data and achieving visual management of the production process. "Previously, production scheduling relied on experience. Now, through the data dashboard, the detection efficiency and defect rate can be monitored in real time, and production parameters can be adjusted promptly. The yield rate has increased from 92% to 97.5%." Zhang Gong added, "The technical team of Saifan responded extremely quickly. We proposed the requirement of adapting to the 230mm super-large size, and they completed the solution upgrade in just 30 days. In contrast, imported equipment would take three months and an additional 1.5 million yuan in modification fees would be charged."
Iv. Core Technology Unveiling: Three Major Breakthroughs, Redefining Photovoltaic Quality Inspection Standards
The core competitiveness of the Saifan IV+EL battery automatic sorting machine stems from three breakthrough technologies in the industry:
Dual-inspection synchronous fusion technology: Independently developed IV-EL synchronous trigger module, enabling simultaneous electrical performance testing and defect imaging. The single-piece inspection takes only 1.3 seconds, with real-time data linkage and no blind spots for traceability.
AI intelligent grading algorithm: Based on deep learning models, it integrates electrical performance parameters and defect features, with a grading accuracy rate of ≥99.2%. It supports custom grading standards and is suitable for mass production needs in multiple scenarios.
Large-size compatible design: High-strength body + precise positioning platform + adaptive probe, compatible with 166-230mm + full-size battery cells, clear edge imaging, stable and reliable test data.
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