Xpanner Introduces X1 Panel Lift, an Intelligent Automation System for Solar Panel Installation
One machine, one button, one workflow: X1 automates repetitive panel handling so installation crews can focus on alignment, fastening, and quality
SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. and SEOUL, South Korea, July 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xpanner, a leader in construction automation, today announced the release of its X1 Panel Lift, an intelligent, excavator-based panel installation system engineered to address one of the solar industry's most persistent constraints: the availability of skilled installation labor at scale. The platform, previously deployed on pile drivers for solar piling applications, has now been expanded to automate panel lifting and placement as well.
Utility-scale solar projects depend on large crews to manually carry, position, and place heavy panels across thousands of module locations. That work is physically demanding, slows down as crews fatigue, and requires ongoing training to keep pace with project timelines. The X1 Panel Lift is designed to take on this repetitive material handling directly, allowing installation crews to spend their time on the higher-value work of aligning, fastening, and quality-checking each panel.
“Solar installation has long been held back by its dependence on large skilled crews and complex equipment setups,” said Henri Lee, co-founder & CEO of Xpanner. “Our solution changes that equation entirely, and now handles not just solar piling, but panel lifting as well. One machine, one button, one workflow, any operator can run it from day one.”
The X1 Panel Lift transports the PV panel box, picks panels directly from it, and installs them using a single excavator, without the need for separate feeder equipment such as a compact track loader or forklift. By combining panel transport, pick, and placement into one machine, X1 reduces the number of pieces of equipment and specialized roles a project needs to keep an installation crew productive. Its one-button automated workflow guides the operator through the full installation sequence, pick-up, lifting, placement, and pre-release, through an intuitive visual interface that requires no specialized training, helping contractors staff and scale crews more easily in a tight labor market.
X1 automates repetitive panel handling while keeping the operator in full control through a simple remote interface. Rather than replacing the installer, the system assists the crew with automated vacuum handling and assisted panel positioning, while built-in Precision Align Assist helps ensure consistent, uniform panel placement across every cycle. Sensor-controlled handling is designed to maintain the same precision and pace from the first panel to the last, and a standardized installation sequence with audible and visual cues helps crews follow a repeatable process on every job.
Manual panel handling is one of the more physically demanding and injury-prone parts of solar installation, involving repeated lifting, carrying, and walking heavy panels across uneven terrain. By shifting that material handling from workers to the machine, X1 is designed to reduce manual lifting and the associated strain and injury risk for installation crews. The system's remote operation keeps personnel clear of the load path during lifts, and its standardized, sensor-guided sequence is intended to make each installation cycle more predictable and controlled.
The X1 is powered by Mango, Xpanner's proprietary automation controller built for real-time decision-making and precision control across hydraulic, electric, and mechanical systems. The system fuses data from LIDAR, vision, and GNSS sensors to build a live 3D model of the jobsite, giving it the situational awareness needed to hold consistent output across variable field conditions. Because the platform's automation software and sensing stack sit on top of a standard excavator, Xpanner intends to extend the same architecture to additional jobsite workflows over time, delivering new capabilities to existing customers through software updates rather than new equipment purchases.
Xpanner offers the X1 Panel Lift under a single, all-inclusive subscription that covers hardware, the X1 kit and license, Xpanner Connect software, and on-site field operations support (XFO). There is no upfront capital investment required and no vendor juggling. The subscription includes Xpanner Connect, a real-time dashboard that gives project managers live visibility into machine status, production progress, and fleet activity. The Xpanner Field Operations (XFO) team provides hands-on support at every stage, from demo and site validation through project scope and setup, training and operation, maintenance, and subscription end.
Solar contractors and project developers interested in a site demonstration or subscription inquiry can visit xpanner.com, Xpanner's booth (#8) at BuiltWorld's 2026 Construction Tech Conference, or the company's new demo yard in Aledo, TX (to book a visit, email hello@xpanner.com).
ABOUT XPANNER
Xpanner is a ConTech startup pioneering construction site automation through robotics and Physical AI. With its Automation-as-a-Service (AaaS) model, Xpanner delivers field-proven solutions that are forward deployed – boosting productivity, safety, and quality on active job sites. This solution automates essential jobsite workflows addressing labor shortages and cost challenges. From equipment automation to site-wide orchestration, Xpanner is shaping the future of autonomous construction. Xpanner’s headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, CA and has an office in Seoul, Korea.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kristen Grossi, talkTECH
Kristen@talktechcomm.com
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
