From pv magazine Spain
After seven years of collaboration on different projects, and joint development work, Spanish PV production equipment company Mondragon Assembly has acquired 60% of China-based QHD Visual Automation Equipment Co Ltd. “This move will allow Mondragon to strengthen its position in the solar market by incorporating into its portfolio the newest laminator on the market,” a spokesperson from Mondragon told pv magazine.
The jointly developed device is the Pad-Press multi-stack laminator which Mondragon describes as the most efficient membrane-free laminating solution on the market.
Building PV
In addition to offering “the highest performance, in terms of quality, in the lamination process,” the new solution allows for a substantial improvement in overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) due to a significant reduction in downtime, which reduces operating costs of the line. “This step has been key in the development of this new laminator,” said Oier Aliaga, director of solar business processes and responsible for the development of this new solution. “With the Pad-Press system, we have combined the best laminate quality with a solution that will allow our customers to considerably reduce operating costs as well as increase the availability of the machine.”
This new laminator is suitable for any type of photovoltaic module but it is specially designed for glass-glass modules and new applications such as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and vehicle-integrated solar.
The solution also features an “innovative controlled hydraulic pressure system aimed at ensuring the highest quality, alignment, and uniformity of the panel, completely avoiding the edge-pinching effect,” said Mondragon Assembly.
QHD Visual Automation Equipment Co is a high-tech and experienced Chinese company engaged in the design and manufacture of PV module lamination equipment, automation and visual inspection systems. It has its headquarters located in the city of Qinghuangdao, where it provides automation solutions mainly for the solar, glass, and ceramics industries.
“The acquisition of QHD Visual Automation Equipment Co Ltd is part of the roadmap of our strategic plan, where we determined that we had to be proactive in the search for new alliances that would allow us to create new business opportunities and that would strengthen our competitive advantage over the competition,” said Iñaki Madina, director of Mondragon's solar business.
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