Suitable process maturity model for PV thin film production

Maturity can be used to describe technologies, products or processes between development and their full, reliable and optimized usage. Maturing can generally be defined as a process from chaos to order. It also implies an increase of capability, reliability and quality. To assess maturity, various models have been developed. Those models provide a systematic framework for carrying out benchmarking and assessing performance improvement. In general, they have several different levels of maturity which are in a sequential staged order. Requirements are assigned to each maturity level that have to be fulfilled to reach the corresponding level. The models differ widely in their viewpoint and focus. The following chapters will summarize the most important maturity models today. It is distinguished between organizational maturity, which focuses on business processes and technical maturity, which focuses on technical (manufacturing) processes. Finally an approach is outlined how a possible maturity model for Photovoltaic can be established and used in a very practical manor.