Abstract: A method for laser scribing of thin-films for the manufacture of solar cell panels comprises loading a workpiece with the transparent substrate facing downwards in an input station of a first machine; biasing a reference edge of the workpiece against a front and rear stopper associated with a linear drive; translating the workpiece back and forth between the input station and output station and firing two or more laser beams at a first frequency substantially vertically through a space between the input and output stations to pass through the transparent substrate of the workpiece to scribe parallel lines on the front electrodes with reference to the edge of the workpiece in contact with the front and rear stoppers; and indexing the two or more laser sources and repeating the back and forth translation of the work piece between the input and output stations.

Abstract: The present invention describes an apparatus for a first laser scribing (P1) on the front electrode of a thin film solar cell panel and a similar apparatus for subsequent laser scribing (P2,P3) on the semiconductor layer and semiconductor layer/rear electrode. Before starting scribing process (P1), the left hand edge or reference line on the left hand edge on a workpiece is aligned substantively parallel to the linear drive before translating the workpiece on the apparatus. Similarly, the first and second scribed lines (Lp1,Lp2) formed during the P1 and P2 processes are separately aligned parallel to the linear drive before starting the relevant process (P2,P3). Alternatively, parallelism of the workpiece is carried out for each batch of the workpiece. In both apparatuses, the laser sources are mounted on independently motorised axes.

Abstract: The present invention describes an adaptive clamp width adjusting device (200) for use in an integrated circuit package process machine. The device (200) includes a travel component (210) and a fixed component (310). The travel component (210) carries a clamp (220a,220b) with an adjustable width and a rotary screw (230a) operable for such adjustment by a driven wheel (232). The fixed component (310), mounted on a base plate (312), includes a motor (320) and a drive wheel (324) attached to the motor shaft. When the device (200) is in a clamp width conversion station (40a), the travel component (210) is aligned above the fixed component (310) so that when the base plate (312) is raised and the drive wheel (324) engages the driven wheel (232), the clamp width is operable to be adjusted by the motor (320) according to a width of a workpiece (W).

Abstract: The present invention describes an apparatus (100) for a first laser scribing (P1) on the front electrode of a thin film solar cell panel and a similar apparatus (100a) for subsequent laser scribing (P2, P3) on the semiconductor layer and semiconductor layer/rear electrode. Before starting scribing process P1, the left hand edge or reference line on the left hand edge on a workpiece is aligned substantively parallel to the linear drive (140) before translating the workpiece on the apparatus (100). Similarly, the first and second scribed lines (Lp1, Lp2) formed during the P1 and P2 processes are separately aligned parallel to the linear drive (140) before starting the relevant process (P2, P3). Alternatively, parallelism of the workpiece is carried out for each batch of the workpiece. In both apparatuses (100, 100a), the laser sources (150) are mounted on independently motorized axes.

Abstract: The present invention describes an adaptive clamp width adjusting device (200) for use in an integrated circuit package process machine. The device (200) includes a travel component (210) and a fixed component (310). The travel component (210) carries a clamp (220a,220b) with an adjustable width and a rotary screw (230a) operable for such adjustment by a driven wheel (232). The fixed component (310), mounted on a base plate (312), includes a motor (320) and a drive wheel (324) attacked to the motor shaft. When the device (200) is in a clamp width conversion station (40a), the travel component (210) is aligned above the fixed component (310) so that when the base plate (312) is raised and the drive wheel (324) engages the driven wheel (232), the clamp width is operable to be adjusted by the motor (320) according to a width of a workpiece (W).