Alpha to Showcase New Flux Technologies at SNEC PV Power Expo in Shanghai

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Alpha Assembly Solutions will introduce their new ALPHA PV-38i Liquid Flux at the SNEC PV Power Expo taking place April 19–21 in Shanghai, China.

ALPHA PV-38i Liquid Flux is the latest generation tabbing and stringing flux with the lowest level of solids in the industry and is designed for high throughput, automated tabbing and stringing equipment, using both dip and spray-on cell flux applications.

Photovoltaic energy has become cheaper and more available in the market, while achieving growth in recent years. As this growth curve persists, PV module manufacturers increasingly require higher throughput of their production lines with higher degrees of automation and flexibility.  As the number of busbars in the photovoltaic cells increases from four to five and six busbar models, the bussing and interconnect soldering process becomes a bottleneck in the production line.

"Most liquid spray fluxes currently used have been taken directly from the electronics assembly industry and are not specifically designed or suitable for these newer advanced busbar models," said Michael Previti, Global Product Manager for Liquid Flux and Chemicals. "These liquid flux materials have higher solids in their formulas that pollute the current generation of high-volume automated tabbing and stringing machines, as well as clog the spray nozzles, requiring the production line to shut down for periodic cleaning. Therefore, Alpha's development focused specifically on designing a liquid spray flux to meet the current high throughput challenges of PV module assemblers of four, five and six busbar models. The resulting ALPHA PV-38i liquid spray flux contains the lowest level of solids commercially available in the industry, causing less pollution inside the machine and reduced instances of clogged spray nozzles."

In addition, Michael Previti will be presenting a paper entitled "Benefits of Reduced Solids Tabbing & Stringing Fluxes for PV Module Manufacturing" from 09:30 am to 09:45 am on April 20 in the Pudong Ballroom 5-7 at the Kerry Hotel. This paper will discuss the benefits of low solids fluxes developed specifically to meet the soldering and production speed challenges of the latest PV module assembly processes.

To learn more about Alpha Assembly Solutions, please visit us at the SNEC PV POWER EXPO at Booth #W3-103 and ask about our new photovoltaic product technologies.

About Alpha Assembly Solutions

Alpha Assembly Solutions, a MacDermid Performance Solutions Business, is the global leader in the development, manufacturing and sales of innovative specialty materials used in a wide range of industry segments, including electronics assembly, power electronics, die attach, LED lighting, photovoltaics, semiconductor packaging, automotive and others.

With a unique global presence in over 30 locations throughout the Asia Pacific, Americas and Europe regions, Alpha supplies a full line of ALPHA® electronics assembly material products, including Solder Paste, Exactalloy Solder Preforms, Cored Solder Wire Solder, Wave Soldering Fluxes, Bar Solder Alloys, and Stencils.  It offers die attach product technologies to the power electronics segment in its Argomax, Atrox and Fortibond brands.

For the LED segment, Alpha offers its Lumet products covering applications from die attach to systems assembly in the LED manufacturing process.  Alpha also offers product technologies for the Photovoltaic segment, including high performance liquid fluxes and solder alloys for producing standard ribbon and bus bar, as well as, solder pastes, cored wire, conductive adhesives and preforms for use in PV module assembly. Also, Alpha’s Advanced Materials unit is the leader in electronic polymers and solder materials for semiconductor packaging applications. 

Since its founding in 1872, Alpha has been committed to developing and manufacturing the highest quality specialty materials. For more information, click here.