ATW unveils screen-printing solution for copper-metallized solar cell

China-based solar PV equipment manufacturer Wuxi Autowell Technology (ATW) has launched a screen-printing solution for copper paste and silver-coated copper paste. The new product line targets TOPCon, back-contact (BC), and next-generation solar cell technologies.

“The sintering window, glass-frit compatibility system, and oxidation-prevention process for copper pastes differ fundamentally from those of silver pastes, demanding metallization equipment with novel process windows and more precise control capabilities,” the company said in a statement. “ATW leverages its expertise in screen printing and intelligent integration to tackle this challenge from the equipment side. Its three technological pillars – precision printing, accurate alignment, and precise thermal control – enable it to overcome key equipment bottlenecks from material to mass production.”

The solution comprises three main equipment offerings: a cell-printing line, a base-metal print-on-print line, and a carrier-type curing furnace.

The cell-printing line features a parallel dual-head architecture and achieves a cycle time of 0.68 seconds or less for 182 mm wafers, with printing and flood speeds of 400 mm/s and 1,400 mm/s, respectively.

According to ATW, the dual-track line achieves a stable throughput of 10,400 wafers per hour. It offers overlay accuracy within plus or minus 6 μm and supports super multi-busbar (SMBB), zero-busbar (0BB), and ultra-fine printing for TOPCon and BC cells.

The line accommodates wafer formats ranging from 182 mm to 210 mm, including rectangular 210R wafers, and wafer thicknesses from 100 μm to 180 μm. ATW said it can be customized to handle wafers as thin as 90 μm. The minimum total line length is 15.6 meters.

The base-metal print-on-print line uses a closed-loop, high-rigidity platform, charge-coupled device (CCD) alignment, and AI-driven offset compensation to achieve overlay accuracy within plus or minus 6 μm. It is designed for multilayer printing with copper and silver-coated copper pastes.

The carrier-type curing furnace, meanwhile, is designed to prevent copper paste from oxidizing during high-temperature curing. Its temperature-control system achieves temperature uniformity within 5 C across four tracks, while an inert-gas atmosphere protects the copper electrodes against oxidation.

The furnace also features a transport mechanism. ATW said it can operate alongside the company’s light-injection annealing furnaces and other supporting equipment.

ATW also announced plans for a Solar Cell Metallization Laboratory, where it will build experimental lines and testing equipment for post-cell processing. The facility will include equipment for environmental reliability testing, electrical performance testing, material characterization, and various processing steps.

“ATW emphasizes that reducing reliance on silver is not solely a cost competition but a fundamental issue concerning the environmental sustainability and resource viability of the PV industry,” the company said. “ATW will continue investing in R&D for copper printing, Print-on-Print precision, curing furnace thermal optimization, and ultra-thin wafer handling. By integrating precision equipment with intelligent algorithms, it aims to expand low-silver and silver-free process windows for its customers.”