Key takeaways:
SC Solar launched the iLink Module Laminator and OptiPure Clear Layer Laminator for production and process development, respectively
The showcased portfolio at SNEC and Intersolar 2026 also included equipment for BC, TOPCon, HJT, perovskite and tandem cell manufacturing
Flexible manufacturing and support for emerging cell technologies remain key directions in PV equipment development
It is now a common trend across all the cell and module production equipment suppliers that they are offering tools and solutions for advanced and next-generation cell architectures. The most common ones are BC and perovskite technologies.
SC Solar is one among such suppliers. The company not only focuses on cell production but also on module production equipment. At SNEC in Shanghai and at Intersolar Europe in Munich, SC Solar showcased its equipment and solutions for BC and perovskite manufacturing. Additionally, the company launched 2 new laminators at SNEC: the iLink Module Laminator and the OptiPure Clear Layer Laminator.
The iLink Module Laminator is developed for mass production and is based on a modular design. It allows module manufacturers to configure 1 to 3 lamination modules within their line depending on the requirement. Each laminator module can stack up to 4 PV modules, allowing 4-, 8-, or 12-layer configurations. Compared to a conventional arrangement of 3 laminators operating in parallel, SC Solar states that its modular design reduces production line footprint by 62% and increases the output per unit area by 220%. The laminator employs a ‘single-piece’ flow process, in which each module is laminated independently in a lamination cycle time of 70 seconds.
The OptiPure Clear Layer Laminator is typically used in process development and validation. Unlike conventional laminators, in which the lamination process remains hidden inside the chambers, the OptiPure Clear Layer system uses a transparent chamber that enables real-time observation of material behavior during lamination. The system allows researchers to study material interactions and optimize lamination parameters before transferring new designs into production. According to the company, this platform supports mainstream technologies including TOPCon, HJT, BC, and PERC. At the same time, it is also compatible with perovskite, tandem, CdTe, CIGS, amorphous silicon, and BIPV module technologies.
SC Solar also showcased its cell and module production tools for BC and perovskite manufacturing. The silicon PV cell production portfolio includes wet chemistry tools for TOPCon, BC, and HJT technologies. It also offers perovskite and tandem cell equipment that ranges from cleaning, coating, drying, crystallization, and evaporation equipment. The company highlighted ‘large width linear evaporation equipment’ and ‘crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem vacuum flash evaporation & crystallization equipment’. These tools, with larger processing areas and compatibility with crystalline silicon, are significant for process stability and continuous production capabilities – a path towards industrial-scale perovskite cell manufacturing.
