engineering the solar age - Suppliers for Photovoltaics

Ultrasound air bearing technology, production solutions for the photovoltaic industry

Zimmermann & Schilp Handhabungstechnik GmbH (ZS-Handling) develops, manufactures and distributes ultrasound air bearing systems for non-contact handling of highly surface-sensitive and fragile products. ZSH is the only company worldwide with patented industry standard solutions in the field of ultrasound air bearing handling technology.

The focus is on high-tech systems for the handling of highly sensitive products as customized solutions. The devices and systems are offered as individual modules or automated total solutions.

As well as customized solutions, ZSH also offers standard products like grippers, linear transfer units, buffers and chucks.

In contrast to other non-contact handling systems, ultrasound air bearing technology enables a completely new process design with huge potential in terms of yield, total cost of ownership, energy consumption and simplification of process chains. Higher quality standards can be reached through the reduction of wafer-breakage, surface damage and contamination.

The markets:

• photovoltaic industry (crystalline solar wafers and thin-film glass substrates)
• semiconductor industry (semi-wafers)
• Flat Panel Displays (FPDs)
• specialized fields (foil, paper, micro/macro parts, medical/pharmaceuticals)

The core competence of ZS-Handling lies in its internally developed ultrasound air bearing technology for non-contact handling. The physics behind ultrasound air bearings is based more on fluid-mechanical descriptors than on acoustics. The pressure in the gap between the workpiece and the oscillating surface of the ultrasonic transducer (sonotrode) increases due to the cyclic compression and decompression of a thin gas film. Repelling forces allow the ultrasonic transducer to apply considerable repelling force on the workpiece, ensuring friction-free movement.

Due to the equilibrium of repelling ultrasound forces and attracting low pressure forces, thin-film glass substrates or c-Si wafers can be transported by being gripped from the top side or in top-side inline systems without any surface contact and zero effect on highly sensitive coatings.

The benefits:

• ultra safe: reduced handling forces for lowest breakage rates (c-Si solar wafer)
• ultra fast: highest throughput >7,000 c-Si solar wafers/h
• ultra clean: reduction of particles (cleanroom conditions up to ISO class 2)
• ultra smooth: highest quality with lowest energy consumption