Hail Impact Test Device
eProjects
Heng-Jui Chang, Zachary Makey, William Petruzzi, Jonathan Strickland, Cody White
Summary
The solar industry faces challenges with hailstorm-damaged panels, as insurance companies are hesitant to insure them in hail-prone areas due to a lack of data on panel durability. Array Technologies has tasked the team with creating a device that replicates the impact of hail — varying in size, speed and angle — to test panel resilience. The team has determined that a pneumatic device, repurposed from a tire bead seater, is the best solution for simulating these effects.
Sponsor
