Schiller LLC

Schiller Wins Additional Thin Film Fab Automation Contracts

Sonnenbuehl, Germany - May 10, 2011 - Schiller Automation GmbH & Co. KG, a leading provider of production solutions to the solar industry, announced today that it has been awarded contracts for a new thin film factory. Based on the Schiller design already in use in 8 operating thin film factories, the new contract expands the company's growing base of business in China.

With over 1 Giga-Watt of Thin Film Fab Automation installed or contracted, Schiller is among the most experienced companies in this field. This is critical in ensuring all stages of the project from design and procurement through project management, installation and ramp. Schiller's Installation teams are highly experienced and trained to quickly install automation systems and connect third party equipment in the fab.

Schiller offers a variety of fab automation choices that align with each customer's unique requirements. Most are Hybrid lines offering the benefits of a distributed flow process utilizing Schiller's BackBone and ProLoad systems combined with serial flow in areas where it is most cost effective. All automation schemes can be combined with Schiller's proprietary Line Control (LC) software system. This fab-proven software provides a complete and ongoing picture of the status of production, and combines process and inspection data for factory managers to control their process. Schiller LC software is operating in thin films Fabs seamlessly with MES and other fab-level software but can operate "stand alone" without the need for any higher-level MES package. Schiller's LC software in already in use at eight factories, producing thin film modules successfully in continuous operation 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Schiller has brought many concepts from years of experience in the Flat Panel Display (FPD) market to the solar industry. As a leader in this segment, Schiller has developed unique solutions to handle very thin glass substrates that are much larger than standard thin film solar modules. Substrate sizes with thicknesses down to 0.7mm and dimensions of 1 x 1.5 M are common and Schiller has developed handling equipment suitable for such environments. FPD automation has allowed Schiller to gain experience handling substrates coming from a variety of process tools including those at very high temperatures.

Recently highlighted for advanced manufacturing by Greentech Media, Schiller Automation is a significant and growing player in Solar Fab Automation for Thin Film and Crystalline market segments.

For More information contact info@schiller-llc.com or www.schiller-llc.com