Frames
Aluminium and steel frames: profiles, surface treatment and selection
Articles
- Composite Frames Offshore: The Real Test Is Not Salt Mist, but a Slowly Opening SlotGlass-fibre composite frames are promoted for offshore PV because they insulate, need no grounding and shrug off salt mist. But polymer frames fail differently from aluminium: aluminium corrodes, composites relax slowly under moisture, load and time. This article explains the three effects of absorbed water and the mechanics of slot creep, reviews what T/CPIA 0081-2024 does and does not test, and proposes a five-step method for estimating the 25-year decay of slot retention force, plus selection advice.
- Frame Materials: Why 6063 Aluminum Alloy?Why are almost all module frames made of 6063 aluminum alloy? Starting from how 6xxx alloys are strengthened, we compare 6063, 6005 and 6061, explain T5, T6 and T66, run the numbers on wall thickness versus aluminum price, and flag two traps: strength is not stiffness, and recycled aluminum needs impurity control.
- Steel Module Frames: How Far Has Mass Production Got?With aluminium above 23,000 CNY/t and frame processing fees squeezed into losses, steel frames are back in the spotlight. This article covers market-share data, cost drivers, how steel and aluminium frames differ, progress in China and the US, five sticking points, a rough per-watt cost comparison, the applications likely to scale first, and a validation checklist for materials and process engineers.
- What a PV Module Frame Actually Does: The Module's SkeletonThe frame is the most expensive auxiliary material in a PV module, yet it is often treated as a mere casing. In this first article of our frame series, we explain its five jobs (structural support, edge protection and sealing, mounting interface, grounding safety and transport protection) and why any cost-cutting substitute must pass each of them.