Executive summary
Maxeon is a leading and innovative supplier of solar PV
modules. In 2016, it provided the technology that powered
Solar Impulse 2, the zero-fuel airplane, on its record-breaking
fly around the world. To respond to the challenges brought
about by an explosive market demand and falling solar panel
prices, the company has turned to automation and smart
manufacturing. The opportunity for change came with
the building of a new factory in Ensenada, Mexico.
The manufacturing system combining smart equipment,
improved processes, high degree of plant automation and MES
software delivered on traceability and compliance requirements
as well as on efficiencies. Capacity per line doubled and overall
cost/watt reduced by approximately 6%.
Aggressive growth comes with its own challenges
In the last 10 years, Maxeon has hugely benefitted from
the increasing popularity of renewable energy sources that
are outpacing conventional energy sources. Around the
world, individual homeowners and big corporations are
turning to solar power. But explosive growth comes with
its own challenges.
With the cost of PV modules continuously falling, it is a tall order
to stay competitive, compliant and innovative at the same time.
In recent years, Maxeon implemented cost reduction plans,
such as setting up plants in low-cost locations. However, with
operations still largely manual and competition continuing
to intensify, the company found these measures insufficient.
Maxeon had already seen the benefits of using MES software
to meet its traceability and compliance requirements. As it was
planning for a new assembly plant in Mexico, the management
decided it was now time to leverage the new opportunities
offered by the combination of high degree of plant automation
and MES software.
Maxeon Ensenada: Automation + MES = Smart Manufacturing
Maxeon set up a cross-functional team and embarked in the
process of redesigning its manufacturing system to take full
advantage of automation, with a goal to deliver ROI within
12-18 months. MES software would play a central part in making
plant operations smarter.
Setting out the business objectives
The general objective was for the future factory to produce
about 3,000 high quality modules, i.e., 1 megawatt per day, at
full capacity. How would the company ensure it would achieve
this however? From the onset, it quantified targets in terms of
throughput, capacity per line, reduction in direct labor and
cost/watt. The design of the solution would need to deliver
on these goals.
Choosing a partner to deliver the MES software application
The MES software application would need to serve as the
brain of the smart manufacturing operations. It would need
to integrate seamlessly with existing tools, and while offering
scalability at minimum investment so that new lines could
be added easily—and at low cost.
“The MES system needed to fit into the overall design, be able
to support quick fire implementation, be within budget and
easy to learn. We chose Infor® MES, which we already used in
other plants, as it met these requirements well," says Manoj
Kumar Gona, Director - Enterprise Applications in charge of key
initiatives across the plants.
Infor MES
To achieve the degree of automation desired, the MES had
to be embedded deep in process. This has been enabled
through a constant dialogue between the MES and the
machines, via automated scanners and sensors fitted where
necessary on the equipment.