--- title: High-Precision Solar Cell Research Platform with Meca500 description: Discover how the University of Montreal uses the Meca500 robot to automate solar cell research, increasing throughput by 10x for greener energy solutions. image: https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/hubfs/engineer-in-solar-cell-assembly-lab.jpg --- [![home](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Canadian%20Robotics%20Council/images/module-icons/House.svg)](https://www.roboticscouncil.ca/) ![arrow](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Canadian%20Robotics%20Council/images/module-icons/left-arrow-canadian.svg) [ CASE STUDIES ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/) # High-Precision Solar Cell Research Platform with Meca500 [ Large Enterprise (500+ FTE) ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/large-enterprise-500-fte) [ Foundational Technologies & Research ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/foundational-technologies-research) [ Quebec ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/quebec) [ Indoor ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/indoor) [ High Mix/Low Volume (HMLV) ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/high-mix-low-volume-hmlv) [ Fully Automated (lights out) ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/fully-automated-lights-out) [ Pick & Place, Sorting ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/pick-place-sorting) [ Dispensing ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/dispensing) [ Resilience & Risk ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/resilience-risk) [ Specialized (Humanoid, Soft, Micro/Nano) ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/specialized-humanoid-soft-micro-nano) [ Structured ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/structured) [ Sampling ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/sampling) [ Production & Efficiency ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/production-efficiency) [ Quality, Consistency & Waste ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/quality-consistency-waste) [ Industrial (6-axis, SCARA, gantry, etc) ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/industrial-6-axis-scara-gantry-etc) [ Canadian-Based Suppliers ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/canadian-based-suppliers) [ Material Handling & Logistics ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/material-handling-logistics) [ Inspection & Analysis ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/tag/inspection-analysis) Show More BY: Mecademic Industrial Robotics | Feb 20, 2026 ![engineer-in-solar-cell-assembly-lab](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/engineer-in-solar-cell-assembly-lab.jpg?width=700&height=700&name=engineer-in-solar-cell-assembly-lab.jpg) #### AT A GLANCE ###### CLIENT: [![University of Montreal](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/20067422/024f506d-aea3-4e7c-913e-be00e61c6005.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/20067422/024f506d-aea3-4e7c-913e-be00e61c6005) LOCATION: **Montreal, Quebec ** SECTOR: ###### Foundational Technologies & Research SUPPLIER: ###### Mecademic Industrial Robotics [![Mecademic Logo](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/mecademic-logo-white.png?width=245&height=62&name=mecademic-logo-white.png)](https://mecademic.com/)   TECHNOLOGY / PRODUCT USED: ###### Meca500 Six-Axis Industrial Robot TARGETED APPLICATION ###### Solar Cell Research and High-precision Sample Characterization. LEARN MORE ###### Read The Full Case Study** [Here](https://mecademic.com/case-studies/solar-cell-research-platform-udem/)** ### Accelerating the University’s research on solar cells for greener, cleaner energy 10x ##### Increase in throughput ↑↑↑ ##### Research Quality ↑↑↑ ##### Reproducibility and speed ###### By automating solar cell testing with the Meca500, the University of Montreal addressed the bottleneck of tedious, manual sample handling that was prone to human error and slow data collection. The new platform achieved a 38-fold increase in measurement speed and ensured micron-level consistency. This allows researchers to move away from repetitive manual positioning and focus their expertise on high-level data analysis and materials innovation. ###### *How Dr. Daniel Chartrand utilized Meca500 to automate solar cell research platform and accelerate the University's research on solar cells for greener energy * ### The Problem   **Dr. Chartrand needed to automate the fabrication and characterization of small test solar cells in inert atmosphere enclosures.** Solar cell production isn’t always environmentally friendly due to the materials and energy it consumes. Thus, researchers worldwide are seeking better ways to produce them. ### The Solution **To achieve these goals, Dr. Chartrand decided to build an automation platform designed to streamline the fabrication process and enhance research throughput.** For the robot component, Dr. Chartrand selected the world’s smallest six-axis robotic arm, the Meca500. Mounting the robot on a linear axis greatly enhanced its reach beyond what would have been possibly gained from using a larger robot. The robot’s minute and reproducible positioning removed the need for an alignment system using vision or other means. First, the robot places a rack on its base. Then, it transfers a glass substrate from the base to the spin-coater. Next, a liquid handler prepares and deposits liquids on the glass substrate, followed by a heating plate for annealing (heat treatment). Once a set time is reached, the robot removes the glass substrate from the plate, flips it, and deposits it in a tray, which, once full, is loaded by the robot into a vacuum chamber for metal deposition. ### KEY FEATURES ##### World's Most Compact Design:   Small footprint allows for easy integration. ##### Mounted on a Linear Axis for Enhanced Reach:   This configuration greatly enhanced the robot's reach beyond what would have been possibly gained from using a larger robot. ##### Minute and Reproducible Positioning:   The precision of these movements removed the need for an alignment system using vision or other means. ### RESULTS   **Thanks to this platform, throughput is increased by a factor of 10.**** **Minute, reproducible movements are possible, and so are variable solution preparations and annealing times. This translates into higher research quality. Above all, Dr. Chartrand’s automation frees researchers from the tedious, repetitive aspects of their work so they can focus on innovating in service of the environment. 0 ###### Increase in throughput ###### Higher research quality ###### Freed researchers from tedious, repetitive aspects of their work ###### Allowed researchers to focus on innovating in service of the environment ## RELATED CASE STUDIES [![](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/glue-dispensing-process-in-a-micro-camera-assembly-application.jpg?width=352&name=glue-dispensing-process-in-a-micro-camera-assembly-application.jpg) ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/xvp-photonics-automates-high-precision-optical-assembly-with-the-meca500) ###### [ How XVP Photonics automates high-precision optical assembly with the Meca500 ](https://resources.roboticscouncil.ca/xvp-photonics-automates-high-precision-optical-assembly-with-the-meca500) By: Mecademic Industrial Robotics [ Read more 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