Plant Applications: Multiaxis gantry system used in automated solar panel inspection

June 30, 2010

Situation

A large U.S. manufacturer of thin-film solar panels recently had a requirement to automate the optical inspection of glass solar panels using a specialized camera. To meet this requirement, the company required a multiaxis gantry system that could integrate with an existing product test station.

 The gantry system needed to incorporate an overhead transport system for moving the solar panels during the inspection process, and an integrated machine frame and protective panels were required.

Finally, because of solar panel testing parameters, the application required that the entire gantry system, machine frame, and hardware be nonreflective.

Resolution

The solar panel manufacturer chose a custom-configured Macron 6 gantry system from Macron Dynamics Inc. The system consists of dual MacBuilt 6 linear actuators with a connecting driveshaft along the X axis, a MacBuilt rail actuator in the Y-axis position, a third MacBuilt 6 actuator in the Z axis, and MacFrame machine frame and hardware. With their modular design, they can adapt to the customer’s custom configurations.

The gantry provides precision guidance for medium load capacities and moment loads consistent with the capabilities of the actuator. The dual-actuator, X-axis configuration stabilizes the Y axis, and the timing belt and pulley matching produces accurate alignment and travel control.

The Y-axis actuator provides the stiffness and strength to span wide distances to provide flexibility to the work envelope. Z-axis motion, enabled by a linear actuator, delivers precision guidance with light cart weight to allow end effector optimization.

Macron’s standard clear anodized aluminum components were custom-finished and coated in a nonreflective black for the application.

Macron Dynamics Inc., 100 Phyllis Drive, Croydon, PA  19021, 215-443-8888, macron@macrondynamics.com, www.macrondynamics.com