Recently, two customized inspection systems developed by Yoha Solar for a domestic photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer completed production and commissioning and were officially shipped to the customer. The two systems are a Solar Module EL Defect Inspection System and an IV Tester.
Unlike conventional standardized equipment, both systems were specifically designed around the customer's actual production requirements. Customization covers the inspection area, core hardware configurations, testing methods, and software functions, ensuring better compatibility with the customer's existing module specifications and production inspection processes.
Yoha Solar’s Customized EL Tester(L) & IV Tester(R)
Customized Inspection Areas for Specific Production Requirements
The customized inspection area was one of the key considerations in the equipment design.
Changes in PV module dimensions and production specifications place different demands on the effective working range of inspection equipment. For this project, both the EL Defect Inspection System and the IV Tester were customized with an effective inspection area of 6000 mm × 500 mm.
To accommodate this large-format inspection requirement, Yoha Solar adapted the structural layouts and inspection systems of both machines. This helps prevent mismatches between the inspection range of conventional equipment and the actual dimensions of the customer's modules, allowing the systems to better meet the customer's specific testing requirements.
Customized EL Inspection Configuration for Reliable Defect Identification
For the EL inspection system, the configuration was optimized to meet the imaging requirements for identifying internal defects in PV modules.
The system adopts a six-camera area-scan imaging configuration with upward-facing cameras, complemented by customized industrial cameras and dedicated image-processing software. It achieves an EL imaging resolution of 24 megapixels.
Through coordinated multi-camera image acquisition and image stitching, the system can identify various module defects, including cell fragments, microcracks, broken fingers, contamination, poor solder joints, and detached solder joints. Automatic image-processing functions are also integrated to support the customer's PV module defect inspection requirements.
EL Test
Customized IV Testing Configuration for Comprehensive Electrical Performance Analysis
The IV Tester was specifically configured to meet PV module electrical performance testing requirements.
The system uses a pulsed xenon lamp to simulate sunlight and is equipped with a four-wire measurement system, a high-speed synchronized data acquisition card, and a dedicated electronic load. It can measure key electrical parameters such as open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and maximum power, while automatically generating I-V and P-V characteristic curves.
To support test-condition correction and subsequent data management, the system also features non-contact infrared temperature measurement, automatic irradiance and temperature compensation, barcode input, data storage, and summary report printing. Wireless data transmission is supported as well, facilitating the integration of inspection results with the customer's production management system.
I-V Test
Comprehensive Customization Beyond Standard Equipment Configurations
The configurations of these two systems demonstrate that this customization project involved far more than simply modifying equipment dimensions or external structures. Instead, it required comprehensive adaptation of mechanical structures, image acquisition, light-source systems, data acquisition, and software functions based on the customer's actual inspection tasks.
EL inspection focuses on identifying internal defects in PV modules, while IV testing focuses on measuring their electrical performance. Each system has its own distinct technical requirements, presenting different challenges in customized design and system integration.
For PV module manufacturers, the compatibility of inspection equipment with their product specifications and production workflows directly affects equipment performance in practical applications.
The successful delivery of these two customized systems demonstrates Yoha Solar's practical capabilities in the design of large-format PV module inspection equipment, functional configuration, and system integration.
Looking ahead, Yoha Solar will continue to develop customized equipment based on different customers' module dimensions, inspection standards, and production-line operating conditions. Through targeted EL inspection, IV testing, and complementary inspection solutions, Yoha Solar aims to provide PV manufacturers with equipment that better meets their individual production and quality-control requirements.