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ncapsulation film produced on regular extrusion lines likes calenders or cast rolls are prone to shrinking, thus affecting the lamination process, says German supplier Breyer that is promoting its extrusion line able to extrude EVA film at a high speed but with low shrinkage.

A low shrinkage film allows a smooth and fast laminating process. The more shrinkage a film has the more carefully the warming up procedure must be controlled and could increase the lamination time. Breyer says its line avoids tension in the film from the start, thus doing away with post annealing systems. For solar module manufacturers it means their laminators can run smoothly and they will have the advantage of trouble-free production, says Breyer.

Furthermore, no PE interlayer is necessary and the rolls can be wound without PE film in between. Also there is no need to stock paper, which is sometimes used for the manufacturing of EVA film, thus saving not only costs but also resources.

The company also says its process can be termed as a "green EVA film production line", since it saves on the interlayer and carrying paper, does not use an annealing system and works on a closed-loop cooling circuit and a low-temperature extrusion process.

Its first line was tested by TÜV Rheinland of Germany, which has completed the module test with EVA encapsulation film produced on with the new line.

A pilot line in Breyers factory is ready for demonstration. The company says EVA resin as well as alternative materials for encapsulation can be tested at its facility.