REHM RFS

Best quality for best solar cells

Rehm’s new fast firing systems for typical mono and polycrystalline solar cell manufacturing are distinguished by their outs tanding quality, and by a modular design which allows for various production line layouts. The Rehm Fast Firing Systems are available as Fast Firing System RFS as well as with an integrated dryer as RFS-D. The low-maintenance concept used for these systems, as well as low energy consumption, high throughput levels and intelligent software solutions, set these top quality system for metallization lines apart from the competition. All systems are equipped with shortwave IR radiators for heating at the top and bottom. Solar cell metallization is thus carried out with greatest possible process reliability.  Rehm solar systems are designed to the highest quality requirements and produced based on decades of experience in the field of thermal system solutions.

Unique technology benefits

  • Lowest possible breakage rates
  • Maximum process reliability
  • High throughput levels
  • Low maintenance costs
  • Highly efficient solar cells

Award-winning technology: Solar Award “Excellent Product”

Energy efficiency and the sustainable use of resources are a central point of our company philosophy. We combine in the manufacture of our systems quality, energy-saving technologies with the requirements of a modern manufacturing company. With our environmentally friendly concept and the excellent deposition results, the technology implemented in our Thermal Oxidizer was already awarded in 2011 with the Solar Award in the category “Excellence” (Product).

Optimal process performance for best cell results

The RFS and RFS-D Fast Firing Systems Rehm Thermal Systems offer a variety of advanced process features and thermal settings which opens the photovoltaic manufacturers a new level of efficiency and productivity.

The process chamber consists of a multilayer ceramic insulation structure. Each zone can be controlled separately thanks to the ventilation concept integrated into the chamber. Cool process gas is fed over the outside wall, along the hot process chamber, and into its interior via the IR radiators. The gas is subsequently exhausted from the chamber in accordance with the Venturi principle. As a result, the outside wall of the cooling chamber remains at room temperature and energy loss is minimal. Beyond this, homogenous heat distribution is achieved without additional heating costs by laminar flow.

Single or dual lane – always safe through the system

The RFS offers a flexible conveyor system for a great variety of feed requirements. For example, different belt widths and belt types are available. A triple lane conveyor allows for throughput rates of up to 5700 wafers per hour with a top speed of 6800 mm per minute. All RFS belts are available with stand-offs.

Outstanding workmanship and top quality belt materials, as well as the use of quartz rods for belt guidance, assure low-vibration conveyance of the wafers. Thanks to good high temperature resistance offered by nickel-chromium V, the conveyor unit easily withstands operating temperatures of up to 1000° C which occur during the firing process

Divided transport system

The separate belt systems for the firing zone and the cooling zone are an additional advantage. This results in minimal heat carry-over into the cooling zone, and thus quick cooling of the wafers after the firing process. With separate conveyor belts, the outlet temperature of the wafers is less than 40° C, and thus considerably lower than temperatures for continuous belts.

In addition to this, energy consumption for wafer cooling is reduced by 2 kW thanks to the separate conveyor units, and operating costs are reduced as a consequence.

Stand-offs for safe wafer transport

The horizontal throughput ovens guarantee a safe transport through the oven optionally with mesh belt, teflon belt or pin chain for single or dual lane. The mesh belt is avaible with several belt stand-offs for secure transport of the wafers.

Ceramic stand-offs

Edge stand-offs

Welded stand-offs

99,9 % reduced VOC – The Thermal Oxidizer allows for it!

The Rehm Thermal Systems VOC counter-flow reactor (CFR), an advancement of the award-winning Thermal Oxidizer, is a very efficient exhaust after treatment system, for many different processes where the gas is loaded with high solvent (VOC) concentrations.

Destruction rates greater than 99 % can be achieved with the Rehm CFR. Therefor the exhaust gas is heated to about 750 °C. At this temperature the molecule chains of the VOC`s are cracked to mainly CO2 and water vapor. Due to the integrated heat recovery system, a highly efficient emission control and a very low energy consumption can be achieved. This gives lowest cost of ownership and compliance with the increasingly strict emission limits in legal environmental regulations. For this reason our excellent system guarantees a sustainable and efficient production.

The cooling zone: efficient – powerfull – easy maintenance

The cooling of the Rehm Fast Firing Oven operates on the basis of the forced convection principle. Thereby air is exhausted from the process chamber by high-performance blowers. Subsequently the cold air is steamed inside the chamber again and onto the wafers.

Cooling power can be regulated by the intensity of the blowers, or even over an integrated water cooling system. Therefore the optimal cooling gradient for the appropriated requirements can be adjusted.

The top of the cooling tract can be manually opened, like the process chamber, providing a good accessibility. The filter units are integrated in the system by a drawer appliance and can be easily changed in this vein.

Clever software solutions

You want to monitor, manage and report on all processes reliably? The Visu 2 includes process tools, remote maintenance and barcode connectivity. The RDS software has an intuitively designed interface that dramatically accelerates set up time and reduces operator training.  Extensive system documentation is available with a few keystrokes, and it offers password protected security levels as well as multilingual operations, data recording and maintenance logging.  A graph recorder for the process parameters drive speed and temperatures is also included.

Further Tools

  • Extensive online documentation
  • Multilingual Software
  • Data recording
  • Protocol Import/Export
  • Maintenance log
  • Barcode connection
  • Process interlocking
  • Remote maintenance