As a part of a strategic alliance with brightLeaf Technologies, Composite Mirror Applications (CMA) says it has delivered its first 1,000 off-axis solar collectors. Replicated off of five mandrels, CMA produced carbon-fiber-reinforced-polymer (CFRP) mirrors with a proprietary four-layer silver coating.
The off-axis mirror surfaces are geometric in nature and are not defined by a body of revolution, making replication an ideal process for production, according to the company. In order to accommodate production, CMA has expanded its factory space by 7,000 square feet and hired eight new employees.
The second generation of this system is expected to employ an 11′ x 11′ CFRP mirror. The tooling for this design is currently being produced, and manufacturing is scheduled to begin in March, at a rate of 1,000 mirrors per month.
