Joint PV Project for Rofin-Sinar, Manz

Rofin-Sinar of Plymouth, Mich., a manufacturer of high-performance laser beam sources and laser-based solutions, announced a strategic alliance with German thin-film solar module maker Manz Automation. The alliance aims to develop a new type of manufacturing equipment for the photovoltaic industry that integrates two normally successive processes, laser edge ablation and laser cutting of thin-film solar modules, into a single production line. Engineering partner Manz Automation will develop the production systems and integrate the laser technology; Rofin-Sinar will develop the laser cutting, which will be used exclusively by Manz in the photovoltaic sector. The joint project is scheduled to begin in September, and will take approximately one year before it’s market-ready.