Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/265648
1 9 T h u r s d a y, J u l y 1 1 , 2 0 1 3 S o l a r P o w e r D a i l y N e w s percent waterproof and removable down the road? Making it removable was a big deal for me, because installers should be requiring that added flexibility." With a clearly stated problem to solve, Wiener consulted his own experi- ence of how similar problems with other kinds of installations had already been addressed by the construction industry. He adapted one of those meth- ods, the use of a bonded washer that could be drilled directly into the roof to create a waterproof fastening. "I didn't see any reason why this wouldn't work just as well on an asphalt roof, because the EPDM-type composite used in the bonded washers will also adhere to this type of roof under a variety of condi- tions," he said. "We designed a compression-type washer, activated by a collar on the hang- er bolt itself, and the hanger bolt has a drive on it which makes it removable," Wiener explained. "It also has a cut (Type 17) point in the lag thread, making it much easier to drive. We used the tech- nology and knowledge we have about driving into wood to make driving into roofs easier. The screw does the work itself rather than the installer." Substantial time and effort went into development of this product, but the result is a perfect product that works with or without flashing, is 100 percent water- Quickscrews (Cont'd. from p. 1) proof, and is easy for a solar installer to use, Wiener said. As Quickscrews continues to explore opportunities for increasing its involve- ment in the solar industry, the company is seeking partnerships with rack manufac- turers to develop removable mounting systems that incorporate the Quickscrews fasteners into products that are easy and quick to install. Wiener is also consider- ing a venture into manufacturing its own proprietary system. Either way, the future of solar at Quickscrews is very bright. For more information, visit Quickscrews in booth #9139 at Intersolar. After the show, visit www.quickscrews.com or call 800.743.6916 HERAEUS TECHNICAL SERVICE: THE CUSTOMER'S ADVOCATE The Heraeus Photovoltaics Business Unit is an industry-leading metallization paste supplier for c-Si solar cell manu- facturers. We have built a strong reputa- tion through innovative product devel- opment and a high level of support to our customers. Though each customer's manufacturing process is different, Heraeus continually invests in enhanc- ing our knowledge of metallization and our customer's product and process requirements. Heraeus' PV technical service team is committed to be the internal advocate for customers to facil- itate our technology development for a seamless integration of our pastes into our customers' manufacturing process. In this role, we attempt to be an exten- sion of our customers' organization within Heraeus. The metallization of solar cells is a fast moving technology landscape and no two cell manufacturers are identical. The interactions between cell manufacturer's input variables such as wafer type and quality; dopant chemistry and processing; screen design; furnace type, timing and temperature; print equipment and cycle times and many other factors, including the paste, must be understood to success- fully optimize the cells' performance. We strive to develop materials with broad processing windows, and we can also cus- tomize a paste to meet customers' unique product and process requirements. Heraeus' technical aervice profes- sionals allot significant time in build- ing our knowledge in metallization for photovoltaics cells. We attend numer- ous conferences and workshops where we give presentations and learn of new technologies and techniques across the photovoltaics value chain that may have an impact on how paste is applied and processed onto c-Si solar wafers. Our collaborations with leading insti- tutions and equipment suppliers world- wide is well documented, as we work together to stay up-to-date on the latest technology trends. We perform all these tasks to enhance our ability to help our customers obtain maximum cell performance. When visiting a customer, our goal is to understand their unique manufac- turing process and their product and production requirements. We use the expertise we have developed and share our knowledge to recommend the best paste and process steps to optimize product performance. We work in cus- tomers' labs or on their production lines, but we also have the capability in our labs to process, test, and characterize the interaction of our paste with their wafers. There are times when a standard paste requires optimization to the customer's process to maximize performance. That is when our techni- cal service team becomes the internal advocate for our customers. We work with our R&D and production teams, sharing the customer's needs, process variables and results to determine how best to modify our paste to maximize the performance of the customer's cell. Once modifications are made, we are able to work with the customer to incor- porate the new formulation into their manufacturing process. Over the years, we have been able to improve cus- tomers' efficiency and yields. We believe that an excellent techni- cal service organization is one that works for both an organization and its cus- tomers. At Heraeus, we are the advocate for our customers, sharing the knowledge we gain from experience, conferences, workshops and leading institutes, and using our internal resources to optimize the performance of their solar cells. We work to meet the current and future needs of our customers. For more information, go online to www.pvsilverpaste.com, call 610-825-6050 or email pv.techservice@heraeus.com. Visit booth #8611 at Intersolar North America. including the USA, as a standard for the safe commissioning of PV installations, both residential and commercial. As well as carrying out the tests, it is also important for installers to provide clients with evidence of the tests con- ducted during an installation. To aid installers, Seaward Solar has also devel- oped a bespoke software solution, SolarCert Elements, which is designed to provide handover commissioning docu- ments to clients. SPDN: Why is electrical testing important? AU: The testing of a PV Array at the time of installation has two main functions. The most important is to ensure that the system has been installed correctly, and that the system is electrically safe. The tests we carry out ensure that, should a fault condition occur, the system won't present an electrical hazard and thus a potential fire risk. The other benefit of Seaward Group (Cont'd. from p. 1) good testing, as well as regular periodic inspection, is to ensure that the system is working correctly, providing good out- put, and thus providing the customer with a good return on their solar investment. SPDN: How can our readers find out more about your company? AU: Firstly, they can come and visit us at booth #8137 at the Intersolar show, or feel free to visit my company's website: www.seawardsolar.com/usa. the assurance of a 100-percent code-com- pliant system, with PE wet stamps avail- able in most states. The ETL Classified FS Uno will be on display at Intersolar, booth number 9323. About Schletter Inc. Schletter (www.schletter.us) has designed, developed, and manufactured solar mounting products in the U.S. since 2008, while backed with more than 20-years of solar mounting experience from Schletter GmbH. Since opening its United States facilities, Schletter Inc. has manufactured more than 800 MW of installed PV mounting systems. Schletter Inc. offers products for roof mount and ground mount systems for residential, commer- Schletter (Cont'd. from p. 4) cial, and utility scale photovoltaic sys- tems. Schletter Inc. is an independent sub- sidiary of Schletter GmbH, which oper- ates subsidiaries in fourteen countries with more than 1,800 employees worldwide. For further information, visit Schletter, Inc. in booth #9323 during Intersolar. After the show, visit www.schletter.us, call 520-289-8700 or email mail@schletter.us.