============================================================ TITLE: The Triple Test TYPE: article VERSION: 1 VERSION_ID: 9d9e47e3-483a-47b6-933d-d5be865d4d1e GENERATED_AT: 2026-06-01T15:34:46.327Z SUMMARY: We take great pride in our products and quality is of the utmost importance. To ensure quality, periodic tests are performed throughout manufacturing. AUTHOR: Daniel Stieler, Phd DATE PUBLISHED: October 20, 2017 DATE MODIFIED: January 13, 2026 READING TIME: 4 min WORD COUNT: 647 SOURCE URL: https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/education/the-horizon-blog/2017/10/20/the-triple-test ============================================================ KEY TAKEAWAYS: * At PowerFilm, we take great pride in our products, and quality is of the utmost importance * To ensure quality at a reasonable price, periodic tests are performed throughout the manufacturing process * Today we focus on the testing procedure of the material built into a foldable product, but this testing process is similar for all products 1 min read # The Triple Test Seth Hansen : Updated on January 13, 2026 Solar Education At PowerFilm, we take great pride in our products, and quality is of the utmost importance. To ensure quality at a reasonable price, periodic tests are performed throughout the manufacturing process. Today we focus on the testing procedure of the material built into a foldable product, but this testing process is similar for all products. Throughout the process, material quality is monitored by measuring the thickness, resistivity, and optical transmission of each of the thin film layers of the solar cell. Once cell fabrication is complete, a roll of material is tested on a custom-built piece of equipment called a roll-to-roll auto-tester. For this test, a roll of the finished material is loaded on the machine, and each module in the roll is placed consecutively under a light source at 100% and 25% sun while measurements are performed. This creates a roll performance map of the material. Watch this video to see the machine and test process in action: (President: Dan Stieler, PhD) Upon completion of the auto-testing, the roll is then designated to be used for a specific product.  Then the material has the buss bar, and laminate is applied to it and is converted from a roll of material into individual panels. After the material is panelized, it is tested again using another auto-tester. This second auto-tester is designed to pick panelized modules from a stack, test individual modules, and sort them based on performance. ​​(President: Dan Stieler, PhD) Next, the individual modules are built into the final form factor, and one last electrical test is done to confirm the final assembly is functioning properly before shipping to customers. All the test stations at PowerFilm are built around a proprietary LED light source that is spectrally matched to outdoor light in the range of wavelengths of light that amorphous silicon responds to. This is done using nine different LED colors and adjusting their individual intensities until the overall light spectrum is well-matched to outdoor light. In addition to the light spectrum matching, the testers are also built to provide a very uniform light intensity at the test surface, as expected in ideal outdoor conditions. Want to learn more about our entire manufacturing process? Do you have an application that we can help power? We would love to connect and learn more about how we can help make your product a reality! Contact us or leave a comment belo How To Determine The Voltage & Current of a Solar Panel Daniel Stieler, Phd : January 26, 2018 Solar Education Read More LightSaver Max: Thousands of Hours Seth Hansen : August 26, 2016 Solar Education Read More Which Battery Chemistry is Best: A Comprehensive Comparison Seth Hansen : November 6, 2023 Solar Education Read More #### How To Determine The Voltage & Current of a Solar Panel Daniel Stieler, Phd : January 26, 2018 #### LightSaver Max: Thousands of Hours Seth Hansen : August 26, 2016 #### Which Battery Chemistry is Best: A Comprehensive Comparison Seth Hansen : November 6, 2023 ------------------------------------------------------------ ABOUT THIS CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------ Source: https://blog.powerfilmsolar.com/education/the-horizon-blog/2017/10/20/the-triple-test Author: Daniel Stieler, Phd Published: October 20, 2017 This content is provided for informational purposes. Please visit the original source for the most up-to-date information.