Following four years of intensive research and development, Brave C&H Supply, a Taiwanese precision printing screen firm, has rolled out its cutting-edge PI process F9900 series, which has received a warm market reception and is expected to give the local PV industry a strong boost following its massive application in the second half of 2019.
The new process represents a major technology breakthrough for the PV power market, which has been expanding vigorously in recent years. According to the latest BNEF report, the volume of the world’s new PV capacities topped 100 GW for the first time ever during 2018; despite its strong growth, the industry is still years away from reaching its peak.
To achieve a higher conversion rate, more and more PV power firms have begun to adopt the selective emitter (SE) process at a massive scale since 2018. With the arrival of advanced technologies, many have also begun to shift from using 30μm conducive metal lines to those that are either 25μm or narrower than 20μm. The PI process F9900 series is specifically designed to cope with these trends and developments.
Brave C&H’s F9900 series uses advanced laser processes, screen materials, and inks. The features of PI materials are high acid- and alkaline-endurance levels and low swelling. F9900 products can be divided into conventional screen-SF1, CF1 and CF2 knotless screens, and CF5 knotless & angle screen. It boasts the advantages of high conversion rate, high printing endurance, and low paste consumption, as proven by the test results at major firms in China, South Korea, India, and Japan.
The products with the conventional and knotless screens feature 50% more endurance, are capable of handling 30-200% more printing times than the other processes, and can save paste consumption by 10-15%, according to the general manager of the company, Chen Kan-fu. With these advantages, it will become easier for manufacturers to improve their production costs and conversion efficiency. According to Chen, the CF5 knotless & angle screen is the only knotless screen on the market that can match the SE process.
With its current technology, Brave C&H aims to continue refining the PI process for its F9900 series. The company aims to develop advanced screens that feature even thinner lines and even less paste consumption. In light of its recent success, the company’s product should be able to gain significant recognition in 2H19.