Will your product last? Put it to the test.

With your reputation on the line, why risk failure when you canhave confidence that your products will live up to your claims?As the global leader in weathering testing, Atlas® providescustomized weathering testing programs and productsspecifically for the Photovoltaics, Concentrated Solar Power,Solar Thermal and Building Integrated Photovoltaic industries.

We help you determine the durability and efficiency of thematerials, cells and modules in your system – so you can obtaina clear understanding of your products’ long-term performanceand durability in the shortest period of time.

For more than 30 years, we have provided the solar energyindustry with certified and accredited testing services andproprietary programs to test how products will stand up underthe harshest conditions.

Put the power of the elements to work for you, test yourproducts with state-of-the-art technology and services onlyAtlas can provide.

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Laboratory Weathering

Instruments

Solar Simulation Systems

UV Pre-conditioning

Custom Systems

Consulting Solutions

Photovoltaic Testing Services

Weathering Testing Services

Solar Test Center

Solar Thermal Testing

Solar Weather Station

Atlas 25PLUS

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Table of Contents

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Atlas has the solar products you need. Easily identify what you are looking for bychoosing the product on the left-hand sideor by industry segment across the top.

Materials

Screening

Durability

IV Performance

Cell

Module

Single Cell Characterization

Cell Durability

Module Durability

UV Light Soaking

UV Fluorescent/Condensation

Humidity/Freeze

Damp Heat

Thermal Cycling

Service Life Estimation

Ci S

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Xen

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SUNTES

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Sola

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Sola

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Corr

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UVTe

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XR36

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Laboratory Weathering Instruments

As a global leader in weathering testing, Atlas® manufactures arange of laboratory weathering instruments with special emphasison solar testing. These products facilitate accelerated weatheringtesting through controlled methodologies that closely simulatenatural environments.

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Atlas® Laboratory Weathering Instruments

Ci Series

A family of Weather-Ometers that delivers uniform levels of irradiance and precise temperature and humidity control.

+ Uses advanced water-cooled xenon arc lamps to deliver constant radiant exposure

+ Best price/sample capacity ratio in the industry

Xenotest® Series

These machines incorporate a variety of optional features and can meet virtually all global weathering and lightfastness test requirements.

+ Rotating rack maximizes exposure uniformity

+ Digital touch screen to track test progress and status

SUNTEST® Family

Flatbed xenon available as a tabletop or stand alone instrument that offers best-in-class lightfastness and weathering capabilities.

+ Spectral output most closely matches the spectral distribution of global solar radiation

+ Perfect for screening new materials for various end-use environments

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UVTest™

An economical instrument that improves test reproducibility and lowers operating costs.

+ Simple touch screen operation and control

+ Advanced calibration technology

XR360

Has the ability to test over 90% of current PV modules while combining advancements in environmental chamber and xenon solar simulation technology.

+ Test capacity for large modules up to 190 cm x 140 cm

+ Full climate functionality and state-of-the-art control system and user interface

SolarClimatic Series

Utilizes full spectrum metal halide light sources with high irradiance capabilities for testing finished products as well as PV modules.

+ Spacious test chambers offers four testcapacities for testing large surface areas

+ Influencing parameters can be individually programmed

Corrosion Cabinets

Capable of replicating automatic cycling between several environmental conditions to reduce the need to move or otherwise handle test specimens.

+ Design provides maximum testing volume with minimum floor space

+ Large solution reservoir for longer unattended testing

Solar Simulation Systems

From our small and medium chambers to our customized systems, Atlas Solar Simulation Systems are designed to elicit environmental durability effects, define light-induced defects and measure performance characteristics. Custom tests canalso be designed to meet your specific needs.

SolarCellTest 575/SolarTest 1200

Portable laboratory devices that test small-sized samples, theysupply a spectral distribution similar to the global radiation at airmass 1.5. Components include:

Radiation Unit

Consists of a radiation source, reflector system and filter system. The 575 or 1200 W metal halide lamp works in tandem with the reflector and filter to produce high irradiance levels with uniform distribution.

Electronic Power Supply

It is an EPS-module which supplies the radiation source with square wave current and keeps the output setting constant. It provides an individual intensity control between 50-100%.

Whatever the climate or condition,Atlas® designs solar chambers for environmental testing of photovoltaicand solar thermal related products.

SolarTest 1200

SolarCellTest 575

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Custom Solar Simulation Systems

Specially designed to match the requirements of tests with solar radiation, and configurable according to any specified panel surface size, SolarConstant technology accurately reproduces theGlobal Radiation or UV spectrum of sunlight. The SolarConstantSystem is available in several sizes and features components that include:

Radiation Unit

A combination of a metal halide lamp, reflector and filter, the SolarConstant offers high irradiance efficiency and a superior spatial uniformity.

Electronic Power Supply

To achieve optimal performance, the EPS drives the lamp with square-wave current. This reduces the modulation of the radiation to less than +/- 1% offering a nearly steady light as given by natural solar radiation. Furthermore, the EPS controls the intensity and offers a stabilized power output, even when incoming power varies. The EPS provides optimal operation conditions for the metal halide lamps resulting in extended lamp lifetime.

Control System

Depending on the configuration of the solar simulation system, the control layout may vary from a simple manual touch screen control to a more sophisticated, though user-friendly, computer control such as the proprietary SolarSoft software.

Positioning System

If required by specific test setups, the positioning system enables either a manual or a motorized movement of the solararray. This movement easily adapts to different angles and height configurations or to simulate natural solar day cycles.

Custom solar simulation system using SolarConstant 1200 luminairies

Custom solar simulation systemusing SolarConstant 4000 luminairies

UV Pre-conditioning Custom Systems

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Atlas® provides custom designed high ultraviolet radiation solutions that can meet the requirements for both crystalline silicon module and thin-film module qualification testing. By usingthe SolarConstant UV650 or the SolarConstant UV1000 Luminaryunits, the respective spectral band energy and total energy requirements for up to five sun UV levels can be met. By providingmulti-sun levels, tests can be accomplished in less time improvingtest sample throughput.

The custom designed SolarConstant UV650 and UV1000 systemsprovide full compliance for UV Pre-conditioning tests according toIEC 61215-10.10 and IEC 61646-10.10., assuring that the panelunder test accumulates the correct energy distribution and energyamount for uniform exposure and reliable tests results.

XenoCal Solar Sensor

XenoCal technology has been widely used in weathering instruments to measure, control, and calibrate irradiance.Based on this proven technology, Atlas has developed theXenoCal Solar sensor with the following features:

+ User-friendly, precise measurement and calibration exclusively for UV Pre-conditioning, as specified in IEC testing standards for crystalline (IEC 61215) and thin-film (IEC 61646) PV modules

+ Water-tight with the ability to operate in environments up to 70° C

+ Interfacing capabilities for exporting data to be used with our XENOSOFT® software

+ A variety of pre-programmed, commonly-used light sourcescan be selected from a menu. Up to 10 additional spectral correction factors for specific light sources can be programmed

Atlas® has developed the XenoCal Solar sensor to provide user-friendly, precisemeasurement and calibration exclusively for UV Pre-conditioning of PV modules.

UV650/1000 Luminary

XenoCal Solar Sensor

Consulting Solutions

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Atlas® Consulting Solutions offers design and implementation of complete testing and durability solutions. We help customers achieveobjectives through all stages of the value chain from materials to cellsand modules, arrays to full-scale solar systems.

Atlas Consulting Solutions provides four steps to help you complete the right weathering testing solution for your products.

1. Needs assessment2. Management of test programs3. Development of test methods and strategies4. Failure Mode and Effects Analysis

Atlas consulting helps you: + Meet durability and testing goals+ Back up warranty statements+ Avoid premature failures+ Save time and money+ Strengthen market position+ Manage changes+ Achieve the best possible correlation,

precision and acceleration of your tests

Want to know what type of weatheringtesting is right for your products?

Our services include:

Weathering Technology Consulting

+ Process Assessment+ Process Management+ Service Life Solutions+ Test Facility Design

Test Methods and Experiments

+ Test Method Review and Design+ Test Method Implementation+ Weathering Experiments+ Numerical Simulation

Education and Training

+ Seminars+ Workshops+ In-House Programs+ Technical Conferences

Identify Bias

Testing

Methodology

Interfaces

Failure Modes

Environmental

Stresses

Critical

Effects

Material

Contributio

ns

ModifiedAtlasFMEA

Solar Test Center

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The Atlas Solar Test Center is an ISO 17025, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and Solar Rating and Certification Corporation(SRCC) accredited laboratory offering a complete portfolio of testingservices to evaluate the performance, durability and reliability ofsolar cells, modules, complete arrays, concentrated solar powerproducts and solar thermal collectors.

Atlas capabilities include test programs designed to industry standards, qualification and certification programs and proprietaryR&D testing. As a global industry leader in the weathering anddurability of materials, Atlas offers test services to understandthe impact of long-term exposures via a global network of outdoor exposure locations. Additionally, Atlas provides material evaluations, optical properties measurements and radiometric measurements to better understand the performance of solar devices in end-use environments.

Photovoltaic Testing Services

The Atlas Solar Test Center holds a variety of industry accreditationsand offers complete program testing to many industry standards.

+ Strategic alliance with UL to provide increased UL certification testing capacity and long-term durability testing expertise to support warranty and performance claims

+ UL approved “Third Party Test Data Program” laboratory providing UL 1703, IEC 61215, IEC 61646, IEC 61730, IEC 62108 testing services and support

+ ISO accredited outdoor, "real-time" exposures in over 20 worldwide locations, including benchmark locations in Florida and Arizona

+ ISO accredited, accelerated artificial weathering and durability studies using fluorescent, metal halide and xenon light sources

The Atlas® Solar Test Center offers performance,durability and industry qualification testing at astate-of-the-art facility in Phoenix, Arizona.

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Photovoltaic Testing Capabilities

The expansive Atlas® Solar Test Center is located in the pristine Arizona desert possessing high levels of solar radiation and elevatedtemperatures. The site includes both indoor and outdoor testing capabilities including:

+ Over 40 acres of outdoor test area to support large arrays

+ Electrical grid tied capabilities for arrays of all sizes

+ Fixed angle, single axis and dual axis tracking mounts

+ Comprehensive state-of-the-art weather station providing solar and climatic data

+ Six luminary SolarConstant steady-state simulator

+ SolarClimatic chamber for temperature cycling under solar loading

+ Large walk-in environmental chamber with four luminary simulator for temperature cycling with or without solar loading for large modules

+ UV Pre-conditioning chambers

+ Large walk-in corrosion chamber

+ IV curve tracing measurements

+ FLIR thermal imaging and analysis

Ultra-Accelerated Exposure Testing

The ultra-accelerated weathering device tracks the sun while concentrating reflected sunlight on test specimens mounted in a target area. The patented mirror system has very high reflectance in the UV and near visible wavelength ranges while attenuating reflectance in the longer wavelength visible and IR portions of thesolar spectrum. This allows for very high concentrations of UVenergy without excessive heating of test samples.

Using multiple focusing mirrors arranged on the curve of a 10 metersphere, the UV energy may be variably concentrated on a target area approximately 10 cm X 10 cm. Custom mounting and cooling can be added depending upon specific material exposure requirements. Optically the mirror system has a direct normal 100:1 concentrationfactor and can provide 63 years of South Florida ultraviolet radiationin a single year.

Ultra-Accelerated Weathering System

Solar Test Center

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Solar Thermal Testing

Atlas® is ISO 17025 and Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) accredited to perform solar thermal collector efficiency testing.

+ SRCC accredited laboratory to provide solar thermal testing services

+ SRCC Standard 100 - “Test Methods and Minimum Standards for Certifying Solar Collectors” certification testing

+ Accredited testing per ISO 9806 - “Test Methods for Solar Collectors”

+ ASHRAE Standard 93 - “Methods of Testing to Determine the Thermal Performance of Solar Collectors”

+ Pristine Arizona desert location with state-of-the-art test facilities

+ Optical properties measurements including solar transmittance, reflectance and emissivity per ASTM and ISO standards

EMMAQUA®

EMMAQUA® is unique in that it concentrates natural sunlightvia 10 highly reflective, specially coated mirrors onto the specimen target area with an intensity of approximately eight suns. The device tracks the sun and exposes specimens to the full spectrum of sunlight, making it one of the most realisticaccelerated tests available.

Capable of exposing individual cells or other components, over 500 test devices are available including one SuperMAQ which accommodates exposures of modules up to 30 cm in width.

EMMAQUA®

Dual Axis Solar Tracking Rack

Additional Solar Products and Services

Atlas® provides many additional services and products, leveragingindustry leadership in solar radiometry, climate data acquisitionand optical properties measurements.

+ Spectroradiometric measurements

+ Reference cell and silicon cell measurements

+ Continuous temperature, reference cell and power output for complete systems

+ Instantaneous or continuous I-V curve tracing measurements

+ ISO accredited solar simulator (steady state and flash) classification measurements per IEC and ASTM standards

+ Solar weather station for on location measurement of solar and climatic parameters

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Solar Weather Station

Atlas 25PLUS ™

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Atlas 25PLUS is a proprietary, multi-dimensional durabilitytest program designed to subject photovoltaic modules to the environmental degradation stresses which can be expected over long-term service. It also provides a crucialmissing component to the IEC type design qualification tests.

Atlas 25PLUS – Comprehensive PV Durability Testing

+ Simulates long-term environmental exposure effects

+ Subjects modules to combined stresses

+ Natural simultaneous exposure to solar radiation load with temperature/humidity and freeze/thaw cycles; additional corrosion and condensing humidity

+ Short-term diurnal and long-term seasonal cycles closely simulate nature

+ True analog of the synergistic effects of weathering in end-use conditions

+ Complements short-term IEC qualification tests with long-term durability and reliability assessmentto support warranty and performance claims

Two modules provide baseline data using outdoorsolar tracking in subtropical South Florida and theArizona Sonoran desert for one year.

This is the question most crucial to the development of a new product.Atlas 25PLUS provides the answers.

Will my module last outdoors?

UV Conditioning1 Salt SprayCorrosion

2 CondensingHumidity

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Modules &B

One PV module is run through the Atlas 25PLUS laboratorytesting sequence over the course of 12 months.

Module A

C

Solar/Thermal/HumidityCycle

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Atlas 25PLUS ™ provides the data needed to demonstrate long-term durability and support warranty and performanceclaims while reducing the costs associated with aftermarketfailure. Knowing how your product will hold up in the longhaul is crucial to its success. Atlas 25PLUS will give you aclearer picture of how long your modules will last.

Arizona SolarTracking includingPeak Summer

6 Initial, Final andMultiple IntervalMeasurements

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Results and data8

Solar/Thermal/Humidity/FreezeCycle

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Visual inspections, IV curves, infrared thermographs and digital photography included.

Completion of the Atlas 25PLUS

program provides test data thatwould be otherwise unattainable with current test methods.

A report details all data, imagesand analyses at the end of theone year test sequence.

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THE COMPONENTS OF A

COMPLETE WEATHERING

TESTING PROGRAM

DESIGN OF EXPERIMENT

MATERIALSCREENING

ACCELERATEDLABORATORYTESTING

OUTDOORWEATHERINGTESTING

INDEPENDENTLABORATORYVALIDATION

Atlas® Material Testing Technology • www.solardurability.com • www.atlas-mts.com© 2010 Atlas Material Testing Technology. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

Pub. No. 2098 • BV Pub. No. 56352540+1-773-327-4520 • +49-6051-707-140