The six-axis positioning system is used to handle sensitive solar cells. The task of the pick & place system is to pick up the solar cells - that arrive from a central feeding belt linearly and clocked - align them and place them on two parallel, following belts. For this, the position information of the solar cells are collected by a camera system and transmitted by the machine control to the positioning system. Thus, this can precisely place the solar cells in correct position on the following belt. In parallel, the soldering ribbon is fed to the system and wetted with soldering flux. In the following soldering process the solar cell and the soldering ribbon are connected with each other.
For this purpose Module 160/15 G is used. The variant "G" is characterised by two independently moveable slides. For this, two toothed belts are driven by two motors. This significantly saves installation space. The linear unit is positioned in a way that allows the grippers that are fixed on both slides, to alternately move to the centre and pick up the cells. To afterwards place them exactly in the correct position on the transport unit to the soldering equipment, Module 68 D was chosen. This precise linear adjusting unit with toothed belt drive is equipped with a turning axis realised as hollow shaft. To monitor the traversing range, the end positions of the linear axis and the turning unit are equipped with integrated, inductive proximity switches that are guided on a collective plug.