This new, innovative machine was especially developed for processing flexible glass by the equipment manufacturer VON ARDENNE, which is based in Dresden, Germany. It is the first of its kind worldwide. As all the components of the system are working very precisely, the sensitive glass can be wound, heated and coated. As the material is thinner than one-tenth of a millimeter, enormous technological expertise is required to guarantee the reliability of the process.

Within the KONFEKT project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (funding reference number 13N13818), the two partners seek to open up new fields of application and to demonstrate the efficiency of the system. SCHOTT AG and TESA SE, who are also involved in this project, provide, optimize and ensure the further processing of the substrate material.

The LOPEC 2017 will take place on 29 and 30 March 2017 in Munich. There, at booth 318 in hall B0, Fraunhofer FEP will present coating samples of the FOSA LabX 330 Glass for the first time. VON ARDENNE will introduce the machine at booth B0 / 210.

“We have achieved excellent results on this system already during the first tests with transparent electrodes”, enthused Dr. Matthias Fahland, deputy manager of the business area Flat and Flexible Products at the Fraunhofer FEP. “ The system offers our customers a high potential for the development of innovative layer systems on flexible substrates”, he continued.

The exceptionally high quality of the coatings reached with the FOSA LabX 330 Glass is the basis for high-quality electrodes for organic light emitting diodes (OLED). These electrodes power organic light emitting diodes (OLED) with a size of up to 30 cm × 30 cm in a steady manner. This is only one example for the numerous possible applications for the machine – be it for coatings or for layer developments in optoelectronics.

“Because of its outstanding properties, flexible glass will play a vital role as material of the future”, said Dr. Andreas Nilsson, Vice President Web Coating at VON ARDENNE. “We are looking forward to the new possibilities that this material offers. In the joint project with our long-term partner Fraunhofer FEP, we are transferring the necessary roll-to-roll vacuum coating process of flexible glass from a laboratory to an industrial scale. From this, we expect important cost benefits for everyone involved in the vale chain.” Dr. Nilsson explained.

At present, the scientists of both companies are working on the manufacturing of the first demonstrators. At the same time, they have already been working on further layer systems. The focus is mainly on optical layers, such as anti-reflection layers or optical filters. Fraunhofer FEP and VON ARDENNE will be pleased to share their technical and technological expertise in thin-film vacuum processing with potential partners in order to join forces to develop applications for the FOSA LabX 330 Glass, to coat further samples and evaluate the material.

On 4 and 5 April 2017, the new web coating system FOSA LabX 330 Glass will be presented to the general public during a workshop at the Fraunhofer FEP titled VISION | Flexible Glass.

More information about the workshop VISION | Flexible Glass:
www.fep.fraunhofer.de/visionflexible

About VON ARDENNE
VON ARDENNE develops and manufactures equipment for industrial coatings on materials such as glass, wafers, metal strip and polymer films. These coatings give the surfaces new functional properties and can be between one nanometer and a few micrometers thin, depending on the application. The coated materials are the basis for products such as architectural glass, solar modules or touch screens.

VON ARDENNE is a leading provider of architectural glass coating equipment and coating systems for thin-film photovoltaics. The family-owned company with subsidiaries in China, Japan, Malaysia and the USA relies on customer proximity in order to offer ideal on-site service. VON ARDENNE equipment is in operation in more than 50 countries around the world.

VON ARDENNE
Ingo Bauer
Tel.: +49 351 2637 9000
Fax: +49 351 2637 308
E-Mail: presse@vonardenne.biz

Meet VON ARDENNE at LOPEC 2017 in Munich from 29 to 30 March 2017: Hall B0, booth 210

Fraunhofer FEP at LOPEC 2017:
Trade Fair: Hall B0, booth no. 210

Talks during scientific conference:

29.3.2017
Session: Materials III; 15:40 – 17:20, Room 14c
Claudia Keibler, Fraunhofer FEP
Novel simplistic method for bending tests on flexible electronic devices

30.3.2017
Session: Flexible Displays & Lighting; 11:30 – 12:50, Room 13a
Dr. Stefan Mogck, Fraunhofer FEP
Flexible OLED lighting Integration into glass-glass composites