Table 4. Elements of a QA guideline or “System”
• Guideline element / Parts of review
• QA system: Company-wide QA system/program including responsibility of each organization, document control, and Warranty return program
• Materials qualification: List of materials used in module fabrication; qualification program, process, criteria (properties tracked), and records for each of these materials
• Process control: Statistical process control and/or other process
control system including: Calibration of sensors, change control, and log of data collected to support traceability
• In-line testing: List of measurements completed, frequency of these measurements, log of data collected
Table 4. Elements of a QA guideline or “System”
• Traceability: Documentation from ingot to module shipment;
maintenance of records to trace future failures, ID marking of modules
• Retest schedule: Frequency of qualification or other module-level testing, log of data
• Warranty return program: Documentation of number of returns, identified failures, and corrective actions
• Factory inspection procedure: Frequency of inspection, fraction of manufacturing lines inspected, and evaluation criteria
• Audit: Internal/external audit program including factory audit procedures and retest of qualified product.
Additional Quality Management
System “Elements”
• Quality Policy: Establish a Company “Quality Policy”, what the company stands for, values, etc.
• Quality Manual: Establish a “Quality Manual” that Describes;
– How the company works / organized
– Documentation system
• Document control / configuration control
• Design control, release system
– Calibration control
• From “hand tools” to final test simulators
– Training / qualification of employees
• Who is qualified to do what task?
“The Creation of a Solar
Module”
Concept / Design
Prototype
Pre-release
Production
•Get samples
•Graphics
•Sketches
•Drawings
•Material bids
•Eng. Build
•Test
•Establish BOM’s and Drawings
•Establish Tooling
•Make small runs or lots
•Test, send samples to Labs for
Certification
•Formal release all drawings, parts, etc.
•Make changes as required
•Achieve certs.
•Qualification / Performance
•Safety
•Manufacture the module!
•Protect the incoming supplies
•Storage temperatures
•Inventory “turns” & Shelf Life
•Establish Work Instructions,
SOP’s
•Assemble Strings of Cells
•“Lay up” glass, EVA, Strings,
Buss bars, EVA, Back Sheets &
Laminate
• Attach Junction Box /Cap,
Frame, continuity / Hi Pot
•Flash Test,
•Label
•Packaging
•Ship
Example of Process Capability
Where do we focus?
• Approximately 95% of a Module’s costs is in purchased materials
• Variation in the incoming materials significantly affect Reliability and mfg. efficiency • “Variation Costs you Money”
