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1 Status and next steps in Gigawatt silicon solar cell factory automation Innovationsforum Automation, Dresden Januar 2010 Dr. Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Director Business Management, Operations and Technology

2 Q-CELLS AT A GLANCE COMPANY Production and sales of silicon based solar cells Largest solar cell producer worldwide in 2007 and 2008 Strong focus on R&D Unique portfolio of nex technologies (thin film) Strategy: Growth and Cost Reduction Key figures Production (in MWp) 253,1 389,2 574,2 272,2 Revenue (in Mio. EUR) 539,5 858, ,2 EBIT (in Mio. EUR) 129,4 197,0 205,1-47,6 Employees Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology

3 CHANGES WHEN MOVING TO GIGAWATT CELL FACTORIES Conventional Si solar cell line x 10 Gigawatt Si solar cell factory capacity #tools / process MW MW 1-4 > 8-10 line concept material tracking data acquisition line control material transport 3 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology

4 Example QC Malaysia: 4 x 150MW line in one building SiN NB2 POCl NB1 Store Production Flow 4 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology

5 Utilization Larger number of tools / workcenter decreases variability in equipment availability and allows higher utilization and therefore higher capacity. Calculated example: 100% 95% Medium buffer #tools x 4 Utilization 90% 85% 80% 75% Small buffer fast line # tools / workcenter 5 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology

6 Workcenter based production concept Combine all equipments with similar process capabilities (e.g. POCL, texturization) into one workcenter Flexible access to multiple equipments per workcenter yields reduced variability of equipment availability higher capacity possible no equipment throughput matching required more equipment choices CoO optimization on each process step possible including automation and metrology Continous improvement: Easy integration/exchange of new equipment, capacity expansion through sequential debottlenecking 6 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology

7 CHANGES WHEN MOVING TO GIGAWATT CELL FACTORIES Conventional Si solar cell line x 10 Gigawatt Si solar cell factory capacity #tools / process MW MW 1-4 > 8-10 line concept material tracking inline *1 workcenter concept 7 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology *1: linked line in Europe

8 Material tracking in the line Material tracking is important for optimization of processes (correlation of process settings and cell results) separation of production orders / products root cause finding and containment of quality problems inventory control Flexible routing does not allow simple tracking assumptions used before (e.g. material from printer x has been processed in line x, one production order is processed in one line) Therefore Material in the line has to carry it s identity wafer mark carrier ID Tracking information has to be passed on through the line 8 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology

9 Material tracking Horizontal communication Mark Wafer Material Data Carrier ID Prod.Order Product & Process Flow Load Station Read ID Wafer ID Prod.Order Product & Process Flow Process Equipment Wafer ID Read ID Prod.Order Product & Process Flow Unload Station Carrier ID Prod.Order Product & Process Flow #wafers last process Workcenter internal Workcenter internal #wafers next process 9 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology

10 CHANGES WHEN MOVING TO GIGAWATT CELL FACTORIES Conventional Si solar cell line x 10 Gigawatt Si solar cell factory capacity #tools / process MW MW 1-4 > 8-10 line concept material tracking data acquisition inline *1 on order level *2 workcenter concept carrier/wafer tracking 10 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology *1: linked line in Europe *2: x cells

11 Data Acquisition / Status today Supply Chain Management ERP Quality Management Material Management Data Collection Equipment Tracking Database Reports Engine Communication Network Equipment Connect GUI Cell Tester 11 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology IN GROSSBUCHSTABEN: NAME DES VERFASSERS ABTEILUNG

12 Data acquisition from the manufacturing line Modern gigawatt cell factories have higher volume and complexity less obvious correlation between process data and product results higher quality requirements faster fault detection and learning requirements And therefore require extensive data acquisition from process equipments, measurement tools and handling units handling of massive data amount equipment integration full database functionality and analysis tools 12 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology

13 Data Acquisition + Material Tracking Unidirectional communication 13 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology IN GROSSBUCHSTABEN: NAME DES VERFASSERS ABTEILUNG

14 CHANGES WHEN MOVING TO GIGAWATT CELL FACTORIES Conventional Si solar cell line x 10 Gigawatt Si solar cell factory capacity #tools / process MW MW 1-4 > 8-10 line concept material tracking data acquisition inline *1 on order level *2 limited SPC workcenter concept carrier/wafer tracking full inline monitoring line control 14 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology *1: linked line in Europe *2: x cells

15 Line control Target: Optimized material routing based on equipment capability and availability in a workcenter based manufacturing facility Enabler (line monitoring): Realtime monitoring of equipment availability incl. planned downtimes Correlation Product Process Flow + Equipment Capability And now we need some intelligence to control the line: Dispatcher, Scheduler APS (Advanced Planning and Scheduling) Recipe select / download 15 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology

16 Line Control Bidirectional communication 16 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology IN GROSSBUCHSTABEN: NAME DES VERFASSERS ABTEILUNG

17 CHANGES WHEN MOVING TO GIGAWATT CELL FACTORIES Conventional Si solar cell line x 10 Gigawatt Si solar cell factory capacity #tools / process MW MW 1-4 > 8-10 line concept material tracking data acquisition line control inline *1 on order level *2 limited SPC manual, equipment to equipment workcenter concept carrier/wafer tracking full inline monitoring MES - material flow - recipe control material transport 17 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology *1: linked line in Europe *2: x cells

18 Example QC Malaysia: Material Flow SiN NB2 POCl NB1 Store Production Flow Spine 18 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology

19 Example QC Malaysia: Transport System Loops SiN NB2 POCl NB1 Store Production Flow Spine 19 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology

20 CHANGES WHEN MOVING TO GIGAWATT CELL FACTORIES capacity #tools / process line concept material tracking data acquisition Conventional Si solar cell line x 10 Gigawatt Si solar cell factory MW MW 1-4 > 8-10 inline *1 workcenter concept on order level *2 carrier/wafer tracking limited SPC full inline monitoring QC MYS line control manual, equipment to equipment MES - material flow - recipe control material transport inline, manual automatic (OHT, AGV), in carriers / boxes 20 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology *1: linked line in Europe *2: x cells

21 The next step: Standardization Gigawatt Si solar cell factory Standards capacity #tools / process line concept material tracking data acquisition production control material transport MW > 8-10 workcenter concept single wafer tracking full inline monitoring MES -material flow -recipe control automatic, in carriers / boxes Carrier / Loadport Horizontal Communication PV Equipment Interface PV Equipment Interface Carrier / Loadport 21 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology

22 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION CLEAN ENERGY FOR EVERYONE FOREVER A leading global Photovoltaic company, we provide the best technologies, products and solutions to rapidly drive solar energy to be the top energy choice for the benefit of all our partners, employees and most importantly our planet. 22 Innovationsforum 2010 / Ralf Plieninger, Q-Cells SE, Operations and Technology