Abstract: A method for laminating essentially plate-shaped work pieces with a thermally activated adhesive layer, particularly photovoltaic modules. Work pieces are inserted into a vacuum chamber having a compression element dividing the vacuum chamber in a gas tight fashion that can be raised and lowered by pressure differences. The compression element presses against the work piece which in turn presses against a heating plate which forms a lower side of the vacuum chamber, with processing heat being transferred into the work piece to soften the adhesive. The work piece is first impinged by the compression element with a slight load from approx. 2% to 10% of the defined processing load, and is simultaneously kept below the adhesive activation temperature. Thereafter, the slight load is lifted off the work piece and the work piece is heated to the activation temperature and impinged via the compression element with the processing load.

Abstract: A method for carrying out a belt run correction for a conveyor belt 5 of a press having at least one press layer 1, 1?, 1?, 1??. This layer includes a lower press plate 3 and an upper press plate 4 that can be moved relative to one another in order to open and close the press layer 1, a conveyor belt 5 that runs around the lower press plate 3 for conveying a workpiece into and out of the press layer 1, and at least one deflection roller 7, 8 for the conveyor belt 5, situated at an end face of the lower press plate 3, that deflects the conveyor belt 5 from the upper side to the lower side of the lower press plate 3 and vice versa. A tension device 6 for tensions and relaxes the conveyor belt 5, with the deflection roller 7 being movable by the tensioning device 6 relative to the lower press plate 3, and being moved axially as needed in order to carry out the belt run correction. A press is provided having a corresponding design.

Abstract: A method for laminating essentially plate-shaped work pieces with a thermally activated adhesive layer, particularly photovoltaic modules. Work pieces are inserted into a vacuum chamber having a compression element dividing the vacuum chamber in a gas tight fashion that can be raised and lowered by pressure differences. The compression element presses against the work piece which in turn presses against a heating plate which forms a lower side of the vacuum chamber, with processing heat being transferred into the work piece to soften the adhesive. The work piece is first impinged by the compression element with a slight load from approx. 2% to 10% of the defined processing load, and is simultaneously kept below the adhesive activation temperature. Thereafter, the slight load is lifted off the work piece and the work piece is heated to the activation temperature and impinged via the compression element with the processing load.

Abstract: A method for the production of a photovoltaic module, which essentially combines a transparent front substrate, such as a glass cover 1, a rear substrate, such as a rear film 6, a layer of solar cells 3 positioned therebetween, and a thermally activated softening adhesive layer 2 to form a laminar structure. For sealing the edges of the photovoltaic module, a linear body 7 framing at the edges and surrounding the layer of solar cells 3 having a thermally activated adhesive material 9 is placed between the front substrate 1 and the rear substrate 6, with the thermally activated adhesive material 9 of the linear body 7 being selected such that it does not soften or softens slower and/or at higher temperatures compared to the thermally activated adhesive layer 2 or has a higher viscosity in reference to the thermally activated adhesive layer 2. A photovoltaic module is also provided.

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for the production of composite work pieces of layers laminated to each other, with at least one layer representing a glass plate. First, at least one composite work piece is laminated in a lamination press under the effects of pressure and heat in order to at least activate the adhesive material used for lamination. Then the composite work piece is removed from the lamination press and transported into a curing station and/or cooling station for curing and/or cooling. A testing device for detecting broken glass in the composite work piece is arranged between the lamination press and the curing station or between the lamination press and the cooling station, which detects potentially present broken glass by testing the inherent stability of the composite work piece.

Abstract: A press for laminating essentially planar work pieces under the effects of pressure and heat is provided, having a bottom half of the press and a top half of the press, which are movable in reference to each other in order to open and close the press, with the bottom half of the press and the top half of the press, in the closed state, together with circumferential seals forming a vacuum chamber. A pliable diaphragm divides the vacuum chamber into a product space that can be evacuated and is provided to receive at least one work piece, and a pressure space that can be evacuated and/or impinged with pressure. The diaphragm is embodied and arranged such that due to the pressure difference in the vacuum chamber, created by evacuating the product space and/or by impinging it with pressure, the work piece is pressed directly or indirectly against the bottom of the vacuum chamber 14.

Abstract: A press for laminating essentially plate-shaped work pieces under the effect of pressure and heat is provided, with a lower press half (2) and an upper press half (3) that can move relative to each other in order to open and to close the press. The lower press half (2) and the upper press half (3) form, through the use of peripheral, one-part or multi-part seals (12, 13), in the closed state, a vacuum chamber (14). A flexible membrane (11) divides the vacuum chamber (14) into a product space (16) that can be evacuated and that is provided for holding at least one work piece (1) and into a pressure space (17) that can be evacuated and/or pressurized. The membrane (11) is constructed and arranged so that it presses the work piece (1) directly or indirectly against a bottom side (2) of the vacuum chamber (14) due to a pressure difference generated through evacuation of the product space (16) and/or through pressurization of the pressure space (17) in the vacuum chamber (14).

Abstract: A multi-layer laminating press including hot plates arranged over top of and movable in reference to each other, conveyers revolving around the hot plates, sealing elements that assist in forming vacuum chambers between each of a first hot plate and a respectively adjacent second hot plate arranged thereabove when the press is closed. The second conveyor lower run of the second hot plate rests on the first conveyor upper run of the first hot plate and the work piece to be laminated is arranged between the first conveyor upper run and the second conveyor lower run in the vacuum chamber. Connections are provided to pressurize and/or evacuate the vacuum chambers. The vacuum chambers are limited by either the first hot plate and the second conveyor lower run, or the second hot plate and the first conveyor upper run, without the interposition of another membrane for laminating the workpiece.

Abstract: A method and a laminating press for laminating work pieces which have at least one adhesive layer that can be activated by heat, under the effects of pressure and heat. Here, at least one work piece is introduced into an open press chamber of a laminating press that can be closed in an air-tight fashion. The press includes an upper chamber half and a lower chamber half. They are movable in reference to each other in order to open and close the press chamber, and a circumferential gasket is arranged between the upper and the lower chamber half. A membrane is mounted directly or indirectly at the upper chamber half and divides the press chamber in an air-tight fashion, and a heater is located to heat the work piece.

Abstract: A method and a device for laminating essentially planar work pieces with at least one adhesive layer that can be activated by heat, under the effects of pressure and heat. Initially at least one work piece is inserted into a vacuum chamber of a vacuum lamination press which is divided by a gas-tight flexible compression member into a product half and a pressure half. In the product half of the vacuum chamber, the work piece is subjected to a lamination process under the effects of heat, in which the product half is evacuated and the compression member is pressed directly or indirectly against the bottom of the vacuum chamber by the pressure difference developing here and/or by an additional pressurization of the pressure half of the vacuum chamber. The lamination process is interrupted by opening the vacuum lamination press, the work piece is transferred into a laminator, and here it is subjected to a temperature at or above the activation temperature and/or the curing temperature of the adhesive layer.

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for the production of composite work pieces of layers laminated to each other, with at least one layer representing a glass plate. First, at least one composite work piece is laminated in a lamination press under the effects of pressure and heat in order to at least activate the adhesive material used for lamination. Then the composite work piece is removed from the lamination press and transported into a curing station and/or cooling station for curing and/or cooling. A testing device for detecting broken glass in the composite work piece is arranged between the lamination press and the curing station or between the lamination press and the cooling station, which detects potentially present broken glass by testing the inherent stability of the composite work piece.

Abstract: A press and a method for laminating essentially plate-shaped workpieces under the effect of pressure and heat. In the closed state, a lower press half and an upper press half form a vacuum chamber utilizing a peripheral, one-part, or multi-part seals. A flexible membrane divides the vacuum chamber into a product half that can be evacuated that holds at least one workpiece and a pressure half that can be pressurized. The membrane is constructed and arranged so that it presses the workpiece directly or indirectly against a bottom side of the vacuum chamber due to a pressure difference generated in the vacuum chamber due to the evacuation of the product half and/or due to the pressurization of the pressure half. The membrane is mounted on a membrane frame that can be handled separately and that is connected detachably to the upper press half and that can be mounted on the membrane frame or tensioned in the frame from outside of the press.

Abstract: A multi-layer laminating press for laminating essentially planar work pieces under the influence of pressure and heat, including: a number of hot plates arranged over top of each other and movable in reference to each other; a number of conveyers revolving around the hot plates each having an upper run and a lower run; sealing elements each arranged between the hot plates and the conveyers to form vacuum chambers between each of a first hot plate and a respectively adjacent second hot plate arranged thereabove when the press is closed. The lower run of the second conveyer of the second hot plate rests on the upper run of the first conveyer of the first hot plate and the work piece to be laminated is arranged between the upper run of the first conveyer and the lower run of the second conveyer in the vacuum chamber. Connections are provided to pressurize and/or evacuate the vacuum chambers.

Abstract: A method and a device for laminating essentially plate-shaped workpieces 20, 21 with at least one adhesive layer 402 that can be heat activated and cured under the effect of pressure and heat is provided. A number of workpieces 20, 21 is inserted into a multiple-stage vacuum lamination press 200, in which the workpieces 20, 21 are laminated in press stages each with a vacuum chamber divided by a flexible pressure member 30b, 31b, 32b, 150, 151 into a product half 141 and a pressure half 131 under the effect of heat, wherein the product half 141 of the vacuum chamber, in which at least one workpiece 20, 21 is arranged, is evacuated and the pressure member presses the workpiece 20, 21 directly or indirectly against a bottom side of the vacuum chamber due to the resulting low pressure and/or due to an additional pressurization of the pressure half of the vacuum chamber, which is arranged on the side of the pressure member facing away from the workpiece 20, 21.

Abstract: A method and a device for printing board-shaped work pieces in a printing gap are provided. The printing gap is formed by two printing rollers that are adjustably spaced apart from each other, with the board-shaped work piece being transported on a transporting device to the printing gap and being printed when passing through the printing gap. Prior to or during the transport to the printing gap, a thickness of each work piece is measured and the printing gap is adjusted prior to the printing process via a parallel or offset change of the distance between the two printing rollers in reference to each other, according to the measured thickness of the work piece.

Abstract: An arrangement for printing flat workpieces is provided and includes an application roller which rolls on the workpiece surface 6 to be printed and thereby applies a printed image to the workpiece surface 8, the application roller forming a printing cylinder 5 or a transfer roller 1 cooperating with a printing cylinder 5, a counter-roller 2 which forms in cooperation with the application roller a printing gap 3, through which the workpiece 4 passes during the printing process, and a transport device 7 for feeding the workpiece 4 into and out of the printing gap 3 formed by the application roller and the counter-roller 2.

Abstract: An arrangement for printing flat workpieces is provided and includes an application roller which rolls on the workpiece surface 6 to be printed and thereby applies a printed image to the workpiece surface 8, the application roller forming a printing cylinder 5 or a transfer roller 1 cooperating with a printing cylinder 5, a counter-roller 2 which forms in cooperation with the application roller a printing gap 3, through which the workpiece 4 passes during the printing process, and a transport device 7 for feeding the workpiece 4 into and out of the printing gap 3 formed by the application roller and the counter-roller 2.

Abstract: An apparatus for uphill low pressure casting of molten metal in sand molds conveyed in synchronized manner with a casting station located at the conveyor, a gas pressure holding furnace containing the molten metal and located at the casting station with a rising casting tube connectable to the sand molds has a device for refilling the holding furnace with molten metal. To permit a rapid casting cycle and high casting capacities, the refilling device has at least one pressure-tight melt container and a filling tube located in the holding furnace with a seal positioned outside the same. The melt container is couplable in pressure-tight manner by means of its outlet to the holding furnace filling tube. The holding furnace is connected to the melt container by means of a pneumatic pressure compensating line.

Abstract: An apparatus for uphill low pressure casting of metals in split sand moulds and having a sprue in one of the two moulds, to which can be connected the casting tube of a melt container and which is connected to the lowest area of the mould cavity, and having a sealing plug integrated into the mould and which after the filling of the mould cavity can be brought into the closed position by means of an external drive engaging in the mould, including a seal which does impairing casting quality and moulding sand preparation. Between the sprue and the mould cavity is provided a casting channel connecting the sprue and the mould cavity. The sealing plug is constructed as a sand mould body and in a shaped-in guide of the mould is displaceable between an open position and a closed position, and seals a casting channel and a metallostatic pressure of the molten metal in the mould acts against the guide on the sealing plug.

Abstract: In the case of uphill low pressure casting of metals, particularly light metal, a casting mold is connected by its gate, via a riser to a melting container and the melt contained therein is displaced under pressure through the riser into the mold. For increasing the casting capacity while maintaining a high quality of the casting, most of the melt volume necessary for filling the mold is displaced into the latter at the maximum casting speed, then the melting column in the riser is sheared and a residual volume remaining between the shearing point and the gate is displaced into the mold with a negative speed gradient. An apparatus for performing the above process is includes a tubular portion provided between the riser and the gate, the tubular portion forming a residual volume, an opening being formed between the riser and the tubular portion.