UIS Technologies successfully deployed an advanced Wire Guide Roller (WGR) regrooving and recoating solution at the 2GW Mundra solar facility in India. The innovative solution aims to boost operational efficiency and resource optimization in the fast-growing renewable energy sector.
Wire Guide Rollers are vital in the wafer production process from silicon ingots, ensuring accurate guidance of diamond-coated wires used for slicing wafers. Even minor deviations can cause production defects, affecting the shape and thickness of silicon wafers, which in turn impacts the efficiency of solar cells.
Over time, WGRs face wear and tear due to exposure to abrasive particles and high pressure, leading to deterioration in the precision of their grooving teeth and pitch. This wear necessitates regular maintenance to ensure optimal performance. The maintenance process typically starts when customers send their used WGRs to a regrooving and recoating facility. Technicians then clean and inspect the polyurethane (PU) coating to determine whether regrooving is feasible or if a new coating is required.
The regrooving process involves using a customized CNC machine to create new grooves in the PU coating, which can be done four to five times before a new coating is necessary. Each regrooving can support 80 to 120 cuts, depending on the specific slicing requirements of the plant.
For the recoating process, a specialized PU formulation is mixed and poured into a mold around the steel core of the WGR, then cured in an oven for 8 to 10 hours. This process ensures a durable coating capable of withstanding the demands of the wafer slicing process.
As reported by ManufacturingToday, UIS Technologies customizes the groove dimensions to meet the specific needs of different customers, ensuring optimal wafer thickness and quality. By enhancing the precision and durability of Wire Guide Rollers, UIS Technologies helps manufacturers achieve higher efficiency and improved product quality, thereby contributing to the broader goal of advancing renewable energy technology.
