Egyptian Solar Manufacturer Upgrades to Full Automatic Stringer in 2021

In 2021, an Egyptian photovoltaic company completed a significant upgrade to its solar panel production line by introducing a full automatic tabber stringer machine. The move was part of the company's effort to increase production capacity and improve cell soldering quality as demand for solar energy in the North African region continued to grow.

Background

Egypt has been ramping up its renewable energy ambitions in recent years, with the government targeting a larger share of electricity from solar sources. Local manufacturers have been under pressure to modernize their equipment and move away from semi-automatic processes to keep pace with growing domestic and export demand.

The company previously relied on semi-automatic stringing equipment, which limited throughput and required more manual intervention. After evaluating several options, they decided to adopt a full automatic MBB tabber stringer to handle the soldering and stringing process for multi-busbar solar cells.

Impact of the Upgrade

According to people familiar with the project, the new stringer brought noticeable improvements:

• Higher throughput — production speed increased substantially compared to the old semi-automatic setup

• Better soldering consistency — automated control reduced cold solder joints and cell micro-cracks

• Lower labor costs — fewer operators needed on the stringing station

• Compatibility with MBB cells — the machine handled multi-busbar cell formats used in mainstream module designs

The upgrade reflected a broader trend across Africa and the Middle East, where solar module factories have been investing in automation to meet rising quality standards and compete in international markets.