are we moving towards tft lcd supplier
In this article, we are looking at the benefits of looking for Chinese TFT LCD manufacturers. Instead of resorting to other manufacturing means, opting for the Chinese is a much wiser and lucrative choice. If you are looking for Chinese LCD manufacturers, you should start with STONE Tech.
There is no doubt that China has taken the mass manufacturing business by storm. There are few products that we can encounter in our lives that don’t have the words ‘Made in China’ scribbled underneath. There is a glut of products that are mass-manufactured by the Chinese and then shipped out internationally to be sold.
Handbags, wallets, phone cases, and other similar items have become the favorites of wholesalers and bulk buyers. These products are directly sold to end consumers. However, the fascinating thing about the Chinese production and manufacturing business is that it does not only cover the end-consumer products. Rather, you can also acquire raw and basic materials needed for the further manufacturing of goods and products. One such product is LCD displays.
LCD displays have become something of a necessity in today’s world of tech advancement. Many things in our daily life have been automated, and are operated using an interactive user interface. For these kinds of machines and gadgets, LCD displays are typically necessary.
In this article, we are looking at the benefits of looking for Chinese LCD manufacturers. Instead of resorting to other manufacturing means, opting for the Chinese is a much wiser and lucrative choice. If you are looking for Chinese LCD manufacturers, you should start with Stoneitech.com.
STONE Tech is an LCD manufacturer located in Beijing, China. It was founded back in 2010, and it has been developing TFT LCD display modules ever since. These modules can be used for a variety of different machines including electric equipment, precision instruments, and civil electronics etcetera.
One of the main benefits that you get with Stoneitech.com is that there is a wide range of diverse products that you can purchase. For example, there are three different application types that you can choose from which include the Industrial Type, Advanced Type, and Civil Type. Similarly, there is a range of different sizes that you can choose from. There are 11 different sizes that you can buy, ranging from the smallest 3.5-inch display to the large 15.1-inch one. The same goes for the Android series which where you can choose between 4.5-inch and 31.5-inch displays.
When you are going to be ordering in bulk, you need to save up on costs as much as you can. The more you save up, the more profit you can make when reselling. Furthermore, lower costs can allow you to set lower prices when selling. This can attract more customers and your sales can increase.
In the initial period of your business, you want to build trust with your customers and give them more value than they expect. The best way you can achieve this is by making your products available for less than the average price. And this can only be done if you are saving up on costs yourself.
The same applies to LCD displays. When you save up on costs when buying LCD displays, you can set a lower price for the whole machine or gadget that you are producing.
This is a very useful benefit for small start-up companies. Generally, manufacturers in the USA are not going to be very willing to work with you unless you are a big company or unless you have a large recognition and following. Due to this, smaller companies can have trouble getting their demands heard. However, the refusal of suppliers to do so is not unjustified. Smaller companies are going to start off with smaller orders. Small orders are not very lucrative and beneficial for suppliers. The larger the order, the more convenient it will be for the manufacturer.
However, with Chinese manufacturers, this problem is minimized. The Chinese often don’t care how big a brand you are and what recognition your company has. As long as you meet the minimum order requirements, you can get your products easily. This is highly advantageous for smaller companies. Due to this, smaller firms can get started and kick off their business.
When it comes to LCD modules, the orders are not received by the hundreds or thousands as is the case with other smaller products such as handbags and wallets etcetera. One module can cost around $250, and it is for this reason that the dynamics are a little different with this business. That is why STONE offers single pieces for sale as well as multiple pieces. This encourages smaller businesses to make their purchases since they can easily purchase as many modules as they like. As long as you meet the limit stated by the supplier, you are good to go.
Typically, when you are paying less, you can have the expectation that the quality might not be good or the time taken may be too long. However, when you are buying from the Chinese, you don’t have to face any of these problems. While you are paying less, you can get satisfactory quality and even the production time is cut down.
The factories in China have more machines and workers working simultaneously. This means that you can get bigger orders more quickly. For example, if you are getting 10 units from a domestic supplier in 4 days, you will be able to get 12 units from a Chinese supplier in just 3 days. That means that the production rate is increased, and the time taken is also cut short. This is merely an example to show that both aspects of production are enhanced when you do business with the Chinese.
Another great benefit of getting production done in China is the option for expansion. What that means is that while you can transport your merchandise to your home country, you also have the option of making them available in China. Instead of only bringing the goods back home to resell, you can set up a business that makes your merchandise available for sale in China as well.
In the case of LCD modules, this benefit relates to a reselling business. For example, if you are planning on buying some modules to use in your machines etcetera, then there is not a very suitable opportunity for you to expand. If you want to start a business in another country, you will have to open a manufacturing unit there so that your products can be produced and then get sold. Or, you will have to transport your final products to the other country in order to run your business.
However, if you are buying the LCD modules to resale at a profit, you can use the Chinese markets to grow your business. You can buy the modules at a reduced price and then sell them at a profit in a different area or city where the people will be willing to pay more.
Now that we have seen the benefits of choosing Chinese manufacturers for LCD modules, let us narrow it down a bit and look at why you should choose STONE specifically.
STONE offers its customers ease when it comes to making a purchase. Generally, wholesalers and suppliers sell their merchandise in bundles of 10, 50, 100, etc. However, the STONE store gives you the option of buying single pieces so that you can buy as much as you presently need.
One of the main things that you have to look at in any supplier is the level of reliability and trust. This is usually determined by the level of experience and the time that the supplier has spent in the market. STONE was founded in 2010 and has been producing LCD modules for the past 10 years.
If you are looking to buy LCD modules in bulk, look no further than the Middle Kingdom. China has become the hub of mass manufacturing and is the favorite spot for wholesalers and business owners.
In case you need some convincing about buying from the Chinese, we have compiled a list of benefits that you can enjoy when looking for TFT LCD manufacturers in China.
Asia has long dominated the display module TFT LCD manufacturers’ scene. After all, most major display module manufacturers can be found in countries like China, South Korea, Japan, and India.
However, the United States doesn’t fall short of its display module manufacturers. Most American module companies may not be as well-known as their Asian counterparts, but they still produce high-quality display products for both consumers and industrial clients.
In this post, we’ll list down 7 best display module TFT LCD manufacturers in the USA. We’ll see why these companies deserve recognition as top players in the American display module industry.
STONE Technologies is a leading display module TFT LCD manufacturer in the world. The company is based in Beijing, China, and has been in operations since 2010. STONE quickly grew to become one of the most trusted display module manufacturers in 14 years.
These products are all widely used in various industries such as in medicine, home security, automotive, energy field solar charging, and domestic equipment use.
Now, let’s move on to the list of the best display module manufacturers in the USA. These companies are your best picks if you need to find a display module TFT LCD manufacturer based in the United States:
Planar Systems is a digital display company headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon. It specializes in providing digital display solutions such as LCD video walls and large format LCD displays.
Planar’s manufacturing facilities are located in Finland, France, and North America. Specifically, large-format displays are manufactured and assembled in Albi, France.
Microtips Technology is a global electronics manufacturer based in Orlando, Florida. The company was established in 1990 and has grown into a strong fixture in the LCD industry.
Microtips also provides value-added services to all its clients. The company’s Electronic Manufacturing Services team gives product suggestions and shares insights on how clients can successfully manage their projects.
Taiwan and Mainland China are two Asian countries where Microtips set up their manufacturing plants. The factories boast of modern equipment, high-quality raw materials, and stringent quality control measures. Microtips even earned ISO9001 and ISO14001 certifications for excellent quality management.
What makes Microtips a great display module TFT LCD manufacturer in the USA lies in its close ties with all its customers. It does so by establishing a good rapport with its clients starting from the initial product discussions. Microtips manages to keep this exceptional rapport throughout the entire client relationship by:
Displaytech is an American display module TFT LCD manufacturer headquartered in Carlsbad, California. It was founded in 1989 and is part of several companies under the Seacomp group. The company specializes in manufacturing small to medium-sized LCD modules for various devices across all possible industries.
The company also manufactures embedded TFT devices, interface boards, and LCD development boards. Also, Displaytech offers design services for embedded products, display-based PCB assemblies, and turnkey products.
Displaytech makes it easy for clients to create their own customized LCD modules. There is a feature called Design Your Custom LCD Panel found on their site. Clients simply need to input their specifications such as their desired dimensions, LCD configuration, attributes, connector type, operating and storage temperature, and other pertinent information. Clients can then submit this form to Displaytech to get feedback, suggestions, and quotes.
Clients are assured of high-quality products from Displaytech. This is because of the numerous ISO certifications that the company holds for medical devices, automotive, and quality management. Displaytech also holds RoHS and REACH certifications.
A vast product range, good customization options, and responsive customer service – all these factors make Displaytech among the leading LCD manufacturers in the USA.
Products that Phoenix Display offers include standard, semi-custom, and fully-customized LCD modules. Specifically, these products comprise Phoenix Display’s offerings:
Phoenix Display also integrates the display design to all existing peripheral components, thereby lowering manufacturing costs, improving overall system reliability, and removes unnecessary interconnects.
Clients flock to Phoenix Display because of their decades-long experience in the display manufacturing field. The company also combines its technical expertise with its competitive manufacturing capabilities to produce the best possible LCD products for its clients.
True Vision Displays is an American display module TFT LCD manufacturing company located at Cerritos, California. It specializes in LCD display solutions for special applications in modern industries. Most of their clients come from highly-demanding fields such as aerospace, defense, medical, and financial industries.
The company produces several types of TFT LCD products. Most of them are industrial-grade and comes in various resolution types such as VGA, QVGA, XGA, and SXGA. Clients may also select product enclosures for these modules.
All products feature high-bright LCD systems that come from the company’s proprietary low-power LED backlight technology. The modules and screens also come in ruggedized forms perfect for highly-demanding outdoor industrial use.
LXD Incorporated is among the earliest LCD manufacturers in the world. The company was founded in 1968 by James Fergason under the name International Liquid Xtal Company (ILIXCO). Its first headquarters was in Kent, Ohio. At present, LXD is based in Raleigh, North Carolina.
LXD has research centers and factories in both the United States and China. The US-based headquarters feature a massive 30,000 square feet of manufacturing and research development centers. Meanwhile, LXD’s Chinese facilities feature a large 5,000 square meters of cleanrooms for manufacturing modular and glass products.
We’ve listed the top 7 display module TFT LCD manufacturers in the USA. All these companies may not be as well-known as other Asian manufacturers are, but they are equally competent and can deliver high-quality display products according to the client’s specifications. Contact any of them if you need a US-based manufacturer to service your display solutions needs.
We also briefly touched on STONE Technologies, another excellent LCD module manufacturer based in China. Consider partnering with STONE if you want top-of-the-line smart LCD products and you’re not necessarily looking for a US-based manufacturer. STONE will surely provide the right display solution for your needs anywhere you are on the globe.
TFT (Thin Film Transistor) LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) dominates the world flat panel display market now. Thanks for its low cost, sharp colors, acceptable view angles, low power consumption, manufacturing friendly design, slim physical structure etc., it has driven CRT(Cathode-Ray Tube) VFD ( Vacuum Fluorescent Display) out of market, squeezed LED (Light Emitting Diode) displays only to large size display area. TFT LCD displays find wide applications in TV, computer monitors, medical, appliance, automotive, kiosk, POS terminals, low end mobile phones, marine, aerospace, industrial meters, smart homes, handheld devices, video game systems, projectors, consumer electronic products, advertisement etc. For more information about TFT displays, please visit our knowledge base.
There a lot of considerations for how to choose a most suitable TFT LCD display module for your application. Please find the check list below to see if you can find a right fit.
It is the start point for every project. There aretwo dimensions to consider: outside dimension (width, height, thickness) and AA (active area or pixel area). Orient Display’s standard product line ranges from 1.0” to 32”. Our OLED size can go down to 0.66” which fit for wearable devices.
Resolution will decide the clearance. Nobody likes to see a display showing pixel clearly. That is the reason for better resolution, going from QVGA, VGA to HD, FHD, 4K, 8K. But higher resolution means higher cost, power consumption, memory size, data transfer speed etc. Orient Display offers low resolution of 128×128 to HD, FHD, we are working on providing 4K for our customers. For full list of resolution available, please see Introduction: LCD Resolution
TFT screen brightness selection is very important. You don’t want to be frustrated by LCD image washout under bright light or you drain the battery too fast by selecting a super brightness LCD but will be used indoor only. There are general guidance listed in the table below.
Orient Display offers standard brightness, medium brightness , high brightness, and high end sunlight readable IPS TFT LCD display products for our customers to choose from.
If the budget is tight, TN type TFT LCD can be chosen but there is viewing angle selection of either 6 o’clock or 12 o’clock. Gray scale inversion needs to be taken of carefully. If a high-end product is designed, you can pay premium to select IPS TFT LCD which doesn’t have the viewing angle issue.
It is similar to viewing angle selection, TN type TFT LCD has lower contrast but lower cost, while IPS TFT LCD has much high contrast but normally with higher cost. Orient Display provides both selections.
Normal TFT LCD displays provide wide enoughtemperature range for most of the applications. -20 to 70oC. But there are some (always) outdoor applications like -30 to 80oC or even wider, special liquid crystal fluid has to be used. Heater is needed for operating temperature requirement of -40oC. Normally, storage temperature is not an issue, many of Orient Display standard TFT display can handle -40 to 85oC, if you have any questions, feel free to contact our engineers for details.
Power consideration can be critical in some hand-held devices. For a TFT LCD display module, backlight normally consumes more power than other part of the display. Dimming or totally shutdown backlight technology has to be used when not in use. For some extreme power sensitive application, sleep mode or even using memory on controller consideration has to be in design. Feel free to contact our engineers for details.
Genetic Interfaces: Those are the interfaces which display or touch controller manufacturers provide, including parallel, MCU, SPI(,Serial Peripheral Interface), I2C, RGB (Red Green Blue), MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface), LVDS (Low-Voltage Differential Signaling), eDP ( Embedded DisplayPort) etc. Orient Display has technologies to make the above interface exchangeable.
High Level Interfaces: Orient Display has technologies to make more advanced interfaces which are more convenient to non-display engineers, such as RS232, RS485, USB, VGA, HDMI etc. more information can be found in our serious products. TFT modules, Arduino TFT display, Raspberry Pi TFT display, Control Board.
Touch panels have been a much better human machine interface which become widely popular. Orient Display has been investing heavy for capacitive touch screen sensor manufacturing capacity. Now, Orient Display factory is No.1 in the world for automotive capacitive touch screen which took around 18% market share in the world automotive market.
Based on the above three types of touch panel technology, Orient Display can also add different kinds of features like different material glove touch, water environment touch, salt water environment touch, hover touch, 3D (force) touch, haptic touch etc. Orient Display can also provide from very low cost fixed area button touch, single (one) finger touch, double finger (one finger+ one gesture) touch, 5 finger touch, 10 points touch or even 16 points touch
If you can’t find a very suitable TFT LCD Display in our product line, don’t be discouraged. The products listed on our website is only small part of standard products. We have thousands of standard products in our database, feel free to contact our engineers for details.
If you like to have a special display, Orient Display is always flexible to do partial custom solution. For example, to modify the FPC to different length or shape, or use as fewer pinouts as possible, or design an ultra-bright LCD display, or a cover lens with your company logo on it, or design an extreme low power or low cost TFT display etc. our engineers will help you to achieve the goals. The NER cost can start from hundreds of dollars to Thousands. In rare case, it can be tens of thousands of dollars.
A fully custom TFT LCD panel can have very high NRE cost. Depending on the size of the display, quantity and which generation production line to be used. The tooling cost can start from $100,000 to over $1M.
A TFT LCD, or a thin film transistor liquid crystal display, is one of the fastest growing forms of display technology today. The thin film transistor (TFT) is a type of semiconductor device used in display technology to enhance efficiency, compactness, and cost of the product. In conjunction with its semiconductor properties, the TFT LCD is an active matrix display, controlling pixels individually and actively rather than passively, furthering the benefits of this semiconductor device.
The TFT LCD is built with three key layers. Two sandwiching layers consist of glass substrates, though one includes TFTs while the other has an RGB, or red green blue, color filter. The layer between the glass layers is a liquid crystal layer.
The Architecture of a TFT Pixelbelow) from the other substrate layer of the device and control the amount of voltage applied to their respective sub-pixels. This layer also has pixel electrodes between the substrate and the liquid crystal layer. Electrodes are conductors that channel electricity into or out of something, in this case, pixels.
On the surface level is the other glass substrate. Just beneath this glass substrate is where the actual pixels and sub-pixels reside, forming the RGB color filter. In order to counteract the electrodes of the previously mentioned layer, this surface layer has counter (or common) electrodes on the side closer to the liquid crystals that close off the circuit that travels between the two layers. In both these substrate layers, the electrodes are most frequently made of indium tin oxide (ITO) because they allow for transparency and have good conductive properties.
The outer sides of the glass substrates (closest to the surface or closest to the back) have filter layers called polarizers. These filters allow only certain beams of light to pass through if they are polarized in a specific manner, meaning that the geometric waves of the light are appropriate for the filter. If not polarized correctly, the light does not pass through the polarizer which creates an opaque LCD screen.
Between the two substrate layers lie liquid crystals. Together, the liquid crystal molecules may behave as a liquid in terms of movement, but it holds its structure as a crystal. There are a variety of chemical formulas available for use in this layer. Typically, liquid crystals are aligned to position the molecules in a certain way to induce specific behaviors of passing light through the polarization of the light waves. To do this, either a magnetic or electric field must be used; however, with displays, for a magnetic field to be usable, it will be too strong for the display itself, and thus electric fields, using very low power and requiring no current, are used.
Before applying an electric field to the crystals between the electrodes, the alignment of the crystals is in a 90 degree twisted pattern, allowing a properly crystal-polarized light to pass through the surface polarizer in a display’s “normal white” mode. This state is caused by electrodes that are purposely coated in a material that orients the structure with this specific twist.
However, when the electric field is applied, the twist is broken as the crystals straighten out, otherwise known as re-aligning. The passing light can still pass through the back polarizer, but because the crystal layer does not polarize the lights to pass through the surface polarizer, light is not transmitted to the surface, thus an opaque display. If the voltage is lessened, only some crystals re-align, allowing for a partial amount of light to pass and creating different shades of grey (levels of light). This effect is called the twisted nematic effect.
The twisted nematic effect is one of the cheapest options for LCD technology, and it also allows for fast pixel response time. There are still some limits, though; color reproduction quality may not be great, and viewing angles, or the direction at which the screen is looked at, are more limited.
Fig. 3:The top row characterizes the nature of alignment in using IPS as well as the quality of viewing angles. The bottom row displays how the twisted nematic is used to align the crystals and how viewing angles are affected by it.
The light that passes through the device is sourced from the backlight which can shine light from the back or the side of the display. Because the LCD does not produce its own light, it needs to use the backlight in the OLED) have come into use as well. Typically white, this light, if polarized correctly, will pass through the RGB color filter of the surface substrate layer, displaying the color signaled for by the TFT device.
Within an LCD, each pixel can be characterized by its three sub-pixels. These three sub-pixels create the RGB colorization of that overall pixel. These sub-pixels act as capacitors, or electrical storage units within a device, each with their own independent structural and functional layers as described earlier. With the three sub-pixels per pixel, colors of almost any kind can be mixed from the light passing through the filters and polarizer at different brightness based on the liquid crystal alignment.
The statistic shows the supply and demand for large thin-film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT LCD) worldwide from 2015 to 2021. Demand for large TFT LCDs is expected to rise to around 217 million square meters in 2021.Read moreLarge thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT LCD) supply and demand worldwide from 2015 to 2021(in million square meters)CharacteristicDemandCapacity---
Statista. (July 19, 2018). Large thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT LCD) supply and demand worldwide from 2015 to 2021 (in million square meters) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 25, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/883811/worldwide-tft-lcd-display-supply-demand/
Statista. "Large thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT LCD) supply and demand worldwide from 2015 to 2021 (in million square meters)." Chart. July 19, 2018. Statista. Accessed December 25, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/883811/worldwide-tft-lcd-display-supply-demand/
Statista. (2018). Large thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT LCD) supply and demand worldwide from 2015 to 2021 (in million square meters). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 25, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/883811/worldwide-tft-lcd-display-supply-demand/
Statista. "Large Thin-film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display (Tft Lcd) Supply and Demand Worldwide from 2015 to 2021 (in Million Square Meters)." Statista, Statista Inc., 19 Jul 2018, https://www.statista.com/statistics/883811/worldwide-tft-lcd-display-supply-demand/
Statista, Large thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT LCD) supply and demand worldwide from 2015 to 2021 (in million square meters) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/883811/worldwide-tft-lcd-display-supply-demand/ (last visited December 25, 2022)
This statistic shows the TFT LCD automotive display panel unit shipments worldwide in 2017, by supplier. Japan Display lead the market in 2017, with 26.4 million unit shipments.Read moreTFT LCD automotive display panel unit shipments worldwide in 2017, by brand(in millions)CharacteristicShipments in millions--
IHS Markit. (April 4, 2018). TFT LCD automotive display panel unit shipments worldwide in 2017, by brand (in millions) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 25, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/929832/worldwide-automotive-display-panel-shipments-supplier/
IHS Markit. "TFT LCD automotive display panel unit shipments worldwide in 2017, by brand (in millions)." Chart. April 4, 2018. Statista. Accessed December 25, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/929832/worldwide-automotive-display-panel-shipments-supplier/
IHS Markit. (2018). TFT LCD automotive display panel unit shipments worldwide in 2017, by brand (in millions). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 25, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/929832/worldwide-automotive-display-panel-shipments-supplier/
IHS Markit. "Tft Lcd Automotive Display Panel Unit Shipments Worldwide in 2017, by Brand (in Millions)." Statista, Statista Inc., 4 Apr 2018, https://www.statista.com/statistics/929832/worldwide-automotive-display-panel-shipments-supplier/
IHS Markit, TFT LCD automotive display panel unit shipments worldwide in 2017, by brand (in millions) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/929832/worldwide-automotive-display-panel-shipments-supplier/ (last visited December 25, 2022)
If you are in the market of color TFT LCD displays and you haven’t already been affected by the recent changes in the global market, then it’s just a matter of time. If you have recently asked, ‘What is going on with TFT-LCD panel prices lately?’, you are not alone. Here at Phoenix Display we have had a lot of questions regarding the TFT-LCD panel price increase that the market is seeing. We want to help explain what is happening, why it’s happening, and what to expect in the near future so that you can be aware of the effects and adjust accordingly.
In recent months there has developed a fair amount of uncertainty in regards to manufacturing conditions for TFT panels at the TFT glass fab level. This has caused a lot of fluctuation and volatility in both the supply and price of TFT panels. We are seeing that the price of TFTs has increased from 25% to 70% on average, and have seen some instances of a 2.5 times increase for the less common configurations. Combined with the fact that lead time is now only confirmed upon placing an actual order with payment in advance, in makes planning and producing around your color display product even more challenging.
One of the important things to realize with regards to TFT market conditions is that flat TFT panels in almost every size are currently in short supply. This is the first time this has happened in almost 20 years.
Some of the larger panel manufactures are exiting TN TFT manufacturing to focus on newer, more profitable technologies. The market has seen a trend towards low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) TFT LCD panels, which provide customers lower power consumption along with higher resolution, along with a big shift into OLED to support wearables, the latest smart phone designs, and even the flat panel Television market as well.
In 2016 there has been a rise in the proportion of LTPS/Oxide TFT smartphone panel shipment production, rising to 34.6% market share compared to 29.8% in 2015. In the coming year we expect to see a variety of panel makers including CSOT, Taiwanese AUO, Chinese Tianma, and Japanese JDI, roll out new LTPS capacities eclipsing and impacting conventional TFT manufacturing. In May the industry had a shortage of television panels which was followed by a similar supply-demand dynamic for notebook and smartphone small panels. This was largely due to JDI, LG Display Co. and Samsung Display Inc., shutting down their production lines in these verticals.
In the last 5 months the TFT cell glass cost has been rapidly increasing, largely due to the influence of upstream LCD panel maker’s supply. As a result of these market fluctuations almost all TFT mother glass suppliers have increased their pricing across the board. Due to these new market impacts, we highly doubt that any of the major TFT mother glass manufacturers will reopen lines that have previously been closed. In fact, current trends lend us to believe that if these lines were ever reopened, they would be used for OLED production rather than TFT. We believe that the capacities problems the market is seeing is not a short-term problem, and will likely not ease until the second quarter of 2017, at the earliest. This leaves the current state of the market in a fair amount of turmoil as the suppliers battle the glass shortage and while offloading the increased cost to manufacturers.
While there is a trend at the manufacturing level to diversify away from traditional color TN TFT LCD display, the positive is there is still be a strong market for this product for years to come due to TN TFTs lower cost advantage and availability. In short, we don’t see TFT displays going away any time soon, but we will be impacted by higher costs and longer lead times for the near future.
You’ve already taken the first step by educating yourself on the issue. By preparing your business and supply chain for the increase in price and decrease in supply which lead to longer lead-times, you can mitigate potential delays and issues in your production. If you have any additional questions about TFT panels or any other standard or custom display needs, please
Samsung Display, one of the leading amorphous silicon (a-Si) TFT LCD manufacturers for the past 20 years, is shutting down its first G7 line, Line 7-1, from as early as the end of July and there are rumors of a few more fab closures to come. Its a-Si TFT LCD footprint is expected to shrink dramatically over the next few years with potentially just one a-Si fab in operation in 2018 to serve its market-leading TV business.
Panasonic LCD is also rumored to be shutting down most or all of its G8.5 line. Based on the near term decline in a-Si TFT LCD capacity, Credit Suisse upgraded AUO and Innolux on this news and their shares surged.
Samsung’s Line 7-1, which began operation in October 2004 and production in May 2005, is rumored to be shutting down from the 30th July through the end of the year. It has a unique glass size (1,870 x 2,200mm), which was the largest in the world at the time of its introduction and is optimized for both 40” and 46” LCD TV panel production. It was also the site of the Samsung-Sony joint venture, S-LCD, established in April 2004. This line enabled Samsung and Sony to rapidly take share from smaller G6 fabs optimized for 32” and 37” panels. During that time, the two companies competed aggressively in retail while establishing 40” and 46” as mainstream sizes. The JV with Sony ended in 2011. S-LCD also built an 8th gen fab that began production in Q3’07, and Samsung built a second G7 line (L7-2) on its own, with even more capacity at over 170,000 substrates per month. L7-2 began production in Q3’08.
Displays are already a weak spot in Samsung’s financial performance. The category caused the device solutions division to be the only one to suffer a loss among all major divisions within Samsung in Q1’16, and its revenues of KRW6 trillion ($5.2 billion) were the lowest in two years. The display division alone posted an operating loss of KRW270 billion ($233 million) in Q1’16 resulting in an operating margin of -4.4%. While Samsung has a number of technology and capacity advantages in OLEDs for mobile displays, its a-Si TFT LCD business has matured and is increasingly becoming commoditized, as new entrants from China with government support are taking share. In addition, most of the a-Si TFT LCD market segments have become stagnant or are in decline, which points to more losses given the growing Chinese competition. On the other hand, OLEDs and flexible OLEDs are poised for rapid growth as they take share. As a result, it makes good business sense for Samsung to exit much of the a-Si TFT LCD market.
Line 7-2, newer and larger than 7-1, is also rumored to be for sale and is expected to be shut down in 2017, but probably depends on profitability. Line 7-2 has been producing 3-4 million 40” panels and 300,000 75” panels annually, as well as monitor panels. Twinstar is also a potential customer for the manufacturing equipment and this line may also be utilized for OLED production in the future.
Samsung is expected to begin shipping for the first OLED iPhone in volume from Q3’17, with input capacity from the modified Line 7 ramping up to between 90,000 and 120,000 substrates per month. Apple is expected to purchase 70 million OLED panels in 2017, according to sources.
That is not all, however. Line 6, Samsung"s last 5th gen line with 1,100 x 1,300mm substrates and around 190,000 substrate per month capacity, is also expected to be shut down, according to industry insiders. That line, which features a-Si and oxide TFT LCD production, has been producing tablet, notebook PC and LCD monitor panels. Those markets have also been hit by stagnant demand, growing competition from China, commoditization and declining margins. This line is expected to be shut down between the end of 2016 and 2017. Line 6 is predicted to be converted to a semiconductor facility, making application processors for smartphones and tablets.
If Samsung closes down Line 6 and Lines 7-1 and 7-2, its a-Si production will be down to just two G8.5 fabs: one in Suzhou, China and one in Tangjong, Korea. The Suzhou fab, ramping to over 100,000 substrates per month, is also rumored to be a candidate for sale with Chinese and Indian TFT LCD suppliers as potential customers. If Samsung licenses its latest a-Si TFT LCD or oxide TFT LCD technology, that would certainly make the sale more attractive. This means Samsung would have just one a-Si TFT LCD fab: Line 8.
I believe Line 8 will be sufficient for Samsung to support its internal TV brand with leading edge panels for the TV market as it has a monthly capacity of 400,000 2,200 x 2,500mm (G8.5) substrates. Samsung’s TV business would likely continue to outsource its low-end panels for its TVs to other LCD manufacturers and focus this fab on higher margin products such as 8k, HDR, QD WCG, etc. I cannot see Samsung abandoning LCD TV panel production until it believes OLEDs are cost effective enough to takeover the mid-range high end of the TV market. This likely means not until OLED materials can be inkjet printed, Samsung is still likely to focus all of its TV panel production on LCDs.
If this occurs as described, Samsung Display"s output of 42" and larger panels would be LCD, and sub-42" would be OLED, although it may not have much production between 15" and 40". This would be an amazing, but expected, transformation given the supply/demand and profitability outlook for the a-Si market.
Panasonic is also following Samsung’s lead. It is expected to reduce the glass input of its G8.5 line from around 50,000 per month to just 10,000 per month by September. Given the limited scale and cost effectiveness of this Japanese factory and the loss of share of Panasonic"s TV brand in many regional TV markets, the company is better off purchasing panels from LG and lower cost Chinese suppliers. Otherwise it would be trying to run a high cost fab in Japan, in a market where commoditization is becoming increasingly common and a large wave of new, lower cost capacity from China is on its way. The company may keep 10,000 of capacity for some period for Panasonic-branded products, but it is hard to imagine operating a fab at just 10,000 per month for long, as the lack of volume will further increase costs relative to other higher volume players.
Interestingly, with both Samsung and Panasonic reducing their a-Si capacity in the near term, Credit Suisse has upgraded its outlook for AUO and Innolux to outperform, and both companies have seen significant share price increases as a result. Credit Suisse indicated that the closure of L7-1 will reduce supply by 12 million 40” panels - or 1/3 of the 40” market - which will tighten supply in the 40”-43” market and produce a better pricing environment. AUO’s earnings per share (EPS) was raised from NT$10.20 to NT$13 ($0.32 - $0.40), while Innolux’s EPS was raised from NT$10.10 to NT$14 ($0.31 - $0.43). Both companies" stock prices have taken off, with AUO’s stock price rising by 22% in the US in three days.
As Japanese and Korean players take more a-Si capacity offline, it will create a better environment for the Taiwanese and Chinese suppliers, enabling the market to better digest all the new capacity being brought online in China. However, there is a tremendous amount of capacity coming and much of this older capacity from Samsung and Panasonic may get sold and reintroduced. As pointed out at SID 2016, by 2019 China is expected to have:
2016 and 2017 are expected to be back-to-back years of over $12 billion in LCD/OLED equipment spending. Unless these fabs struggle with their ramp and their yields, the a-Si market will continue to be oversupplied although conditions should improve in the 40”-43” market in the second half of 2016.
Rather than battle it out with government-subsidized Chinese players, Samsung appears to be accelerating its exit of the increasingly commoditized a-Si TFT LCD market. This should please its shareholders, especially if it can sell all its old equipment and license its a-Si technology for a royalty, but will be harmful to some of its suppliers. It is also likely to protect its TV business by holding onto its most competitive fab, but will increasingly become an OLED company. Interesting questions as a result of these moves include:
A couple of days after this article was originally posted, it was claimed - and later denied by a company official - that Samsung will move its a-Si TFT LCD operations out of Samsung Display and into Samsung Electronics. Such a move aligns perfectly with its intention, indicated above, to close its a-Si fabs as in a couple of years its a-Si TFT LCD operations may be limited to providing panels to its TV business. - Ross Young
Ross Young is the CEO and Founder of Display Supply Chain Consultants. He also serves on the Board of Directors of publicly traded touch sensor manufacturer UniPixel and diamond semiconductor developer Akhan Technologies. He previously founded DisplaySearch and served as its CEO from 1996 - 2007 where he launched most of their categories of coverage. He has also held executive positions at Samsung LCD and IMS Research.
TFT LCD Monitors are primarily discussed in our previous blogs. TFT LCDs are an everyday landscape, with TFT LCD being an extensively used display in different ways looking, from medical equipment, automobiles or advertisements, and smartphones.
One of our blogs, TFT LCD MONITOR: WHAT YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS TO KNOW, clearly mentioned how customers value Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) for the clear, high-quality images it produces. However, industry professionals are increasingly incorporating new technology into creating LCD screens. New inventions have recently taken the tech world by storm, replacing outdated LCD versions, such as the TFT LCD Monitor.
For businesses, open frame displays are a wonderful option. They are long-lasting and simple to install. Open frame displays can be available in a wide variety of sizes.
Open frame monitors are devices without bezels located mainly in bare metal enclosures. These are ideally used in kiosks, ATMs, point-of-sale terminals, marine, medical, transportation, industrial automation, commercial display, and outdoor use.
Compared to CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors, flatscreen monitors are much thinner and lighter. The technology also enables more transparent images, higher resolutions, and flicker-free displays, which are easier on the eyes, require less energy, and emit no electromagnetic radiation.
In today’s cars, there are a growing number of displays. This article explains the most important trends in automotive displays that you must know in 2022.
Nowadays, electromechanical switches and controls are being increasingly replaced by electronic controls, which include touchscreen displays. Even smaller controls, such as those to control the air conditioning, the position of a car’s exterior mirrors, or the buttons on the multifunction steering wheel, are involved.
The terms reflective, transmissive, and transflective describe how LCD modules illuminate. Compared to emissive display technologies such as OLED displays (organic light-emitting diode) and VFDs (vacuum fluorescent displays), LCDs need an ambient light source like the sun, artificial light, or a merged backlight.
Some displays use ambient lighting instead of backlights. This mode of operation is termed reflective. A mirror is installed behind the liquid crystal layer in this mode, which is either on the LCD cell or the rear polarizer...Read More
Display interfaces are used to exchange information across different components. It operates over three primary functions, i.e., image decompression, image assembly, and communication to and from the display daemon.
LVDS signaling is considered ideal for large displays, e.g., TV, laptops, and other computers. Its capability of transferring large pixels in less time makes it a popular and favorable choice for developing PMOLED, AMOLED, TFT, and different types of displays.
Today, there is a high demand for electronic devices featuring high brightness displays. Liquid Crystal Display Technology (LCD) is one of the most popular display technologies in use today. They are found in various electronic devices right from mobile phones, computer monitors, tablets, touchscreen displays, tablets, television sets, and more. Over the years, there have been variations to these displays. TFT LCDs have gained immense popularity in recent years. These are thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal displays, which utilize thin-film transistors to optimize image qualities. These LCD displays are nowadays available in different configurations. Of these, 10.25 inch TFT LCD displays offered by Microtips USA have gained popularity in recent years due to various reasons...Read More
TFT, which stands for thin film transistor, is an advanced offshoot of the LCD technology. These are active matrix LCDs, which immensely improve the quality of color, contrast, image clarity, and more. This is one reason why TFTs are used in displays of many electronic devices, along with capacitors. The 3.9-inch bar type color TFT LCD display comes with such amazing quality and features in terms of the resolution, size, interface, and so on. This display finds applications in many industrial equipment, marine equipment, point of sale (POS) terminals, automobiles, advertising displays, server systems, and so on. There are many 3.9-inch TFT LCD module manufacturers making this display although features may slightly differ based on the manufacturer...Read More
TFT or thin film transistor is a variant of the LCD technology. TFTs are active matrix LCDs, which help improve contrast, color, and picture quality. Thin film transistors are used along with capacitors to improve image quality in many electronic devices. Owing to their several advantages, these TFT displays are available in various specifications. The 4.3 inch TFT display is one of the most popular among them. The 4.3-inch TFT LCD display module touch screen has a resolution of 480X272 with an RGB interface. This display finds applications in mobile phones, cars, embedded systems, and certain industrial equipment among others. There are many 4.3-inch TFT LCD module manufacturers making this display; however, certain features may slightly differ based on the manufacturer...Read More
Over the years, various display technologies have gained popularity across the world and the liquid –crystal display technology, abbreviated as LCD, stands tall among them. This technology has become a choice for manufacturers of electronic devices such as mobile phones, televisions, computers, and more, owing to several advantages offered by them. However, the advances in this technology have opened new options for device manufacturers. Thin-film-transistor is one of the most popular types of LCDs used by electronics manufacturers all over the world. Today, it is produced in various specifications to meet your application requirements. However, the 12.3 inch TFT LCD display by Microtips Technology has gained the attention of electronic device manufacturers...Read More
Touchscreens have changed the way people expect to interact with their devices. When it comes to smartphones and tablets, touch is the way to go. Even handheld game consoles, laptops, and car navigation systems are moving towards touch. Manufacturers of these devices need to give their respective consumers the responsiveness these consumers are looking for. Selecting the right TFT-LCD display to use for different devices is important.
For touch-sensitive displays, two types of technologies are used: resistive and capacitive. The main difference is in how they respond to touch. Mobile phone comparison site Omio indicates that resistive technology is more accurate but capacitive technology is more responsive.
Capacitive touchscreens, on the other hand, offer more responsiveness with better optical clarity and multi-touch performance. They detect more complex finger gestures. These qualities are shown to be more important for general interaction so it’s more dominant in smartphones and tablets, as well as in other devices with small to medium screen sizes.
As you can see, capacitive screens get general usage while resistive screens cater to more specific applications. With this, TFT-LCD module manufacturers, like Microtips Technology, focus on continuously improving capacitive screen technology.
Electronic Design states that many technological advances can be used to integrate touch sensors directly into the display. In some, manufacturers stack-up the touch sensors and integrate the controller with the display driver ICs. These advances allowed thinner and smarter capacitive touchscreens – a trend that you see in many devices today. For example, Windows phones originally worked exclusively with resistive touchscreen technology but later on moved over to capacitive. If the continuous development of capacitive touchscreen technology becomes successful, these screens may soon have abilities they don’t possess at the moment, such as hover support, non-finger support, and many more.
Pacer offers an extensive range of colour TFT LCD panels from 1.8″ through the popular 3.5″ and 5.7″ sizes to 82″. Our range includes sunlight readable panels from 5.6″ to 70″, bar cut panels, and SMART TFT displays with built-in control. We offer TFT displays with high brightness, high contrast ratio, wide viewing angle, wide temperature operation, longer lamp life, and lower power consumption.
TFT displays are used extensively in many industrial, commercial and scientific applications, including ATMs, POS terminals, kiosks, security systems, lottery and gambling gaming machines, medical equipment, factory automation, digital advertisement signage, transportation information, and marine equipment.
TFT technology is being used to replace Mono LCD in many applications, and Raystar Optronics now offers a 5.2″ TFT module designed specifically to fit the footprint of the industry standard RG24064-series 240×64 mono graphic STN LCD. The RFS520A can replace traditional STN displays of 8×2 or 16×2 format as it shares the same 16 pin footprint.
Our TFT modules are fully supported with a variety of options including wide operating temperatures, high brightness and contrast, built-in DC-DC and temperature compensation circuitry and most with white LED backlights. Resistive Touchscreens and Projected Capacitive Touchscreens are available for most models. Many panels can be configured as a kit – see our Interface Kits page for more details.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT – Mitsubishi has decided to end production of TFT-LCD modules, as the company is no longer able to maintain the products’ competitiveness after significant price falls in the global market. Production of TFT-LCD modules is scheduled to end in June 2022 with a Last Time Buy date of June 2021. Please contact us as soon as possible to discuss last time buy or identification of suitable alternative displays.
Raystar is a professional TFT (Thin Film Transistor) module manufacturer. Whether you need a TFT display with control board, high brightness, wide viewing angle, monochrome or bar type, we have TFT active matrix display models for you to choose from.
Mitsubishi’s Electric Diode InfraRed sensor (MelDIR) is a thermal sensor for applications in the fields of security, surveillance, crime prevention, people counting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and smart buildings.
LITEMAX® Industrial Display solution provide a wide range of reliable displays from 5.7″ to 85″ including LCD panel modules, open frame LCD displays, outdoor displays, and panel mount monitors. LITEMAX have developed and focused on LCD display technologies such as high brightness technology, optical bonding solutions, and color enhancement technology that bring more add-on value to enhance their products.
If you are in the market of color TFT LCD displays and you haven’t already been affected by the recent changes in the global market, then it’s just a matter of time. If you have recently asked, ‘What is going on with TFT-LCD panel prices lately?’, you are not alone. Here at Phoenix Display we have had a lot of questions regarding the TFT-LCD panel price increase that the market is seeing. We want to help explain what is happening, why it’s happening, and what to expect in the near future so that you can be aware of the effects and adjust accordingly.
In recent months there has developed a fair amount of uncertainty in regards to manufacturing conditions for TFT panels at the TFT glass fab level. This has caused a lot of fluctuation and volatility in both the supply and price of TFT panels. We are seeing that the price of TFTs has increased from 25% to 70% on average, and have seen some instances of a 2.5 times increase for the less common configurations. Combined with the fact that lead time is now only confirmed upon placing an actual order with payment in advance, in makes planning and producing around your color display product even more challenging.
One of the important things to realize with regards to TFT market conditions is that flat TFT panels in almost every size are currently in short supply. This is the first time this has happened in almost 20 years.
Some of the larger panel manufactures are exiting TN TFT manufacturing to focus on newer, more profitable technologies. The market has seen a trend towards low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) TFT LCD panels, which provide customers lower power consumption along with higher resolution, along with a big shift into OLED to support wearables, the latest smart phone designs, and even the flat panel Television market as well.
In 2016 there has been a rise in the proportion of LTPS/Oxide TFT smartphone panel shipment production, rising to 34.6% market share compared to 29.8% in 2015. In the coming year we expect to see a variety of panel makers including CSOT, Taiwanese AUO, Chinese Tianma, and Japanese JDI, roll out new LTPS capacities eclipsing and impacting conventional TFT manufacturing. In May the industry had a shortage of television panels which was followed by a similar supply-demand dynamic for notebook and smartphone small panels. This was largely due to JDI, LG Display Co. and Samsung Display Inc., shutting down their production lines in these verticals.
In the last 5 months the TFT cell glass cost has been rapidly increasing, largely due to the influence of upstream LCD panel maker’s supply. As a result of these market fluctuations almost all TFT mother glass suppliers have increased their pricing across the board. Due to these new market impacts, we highly doubt that any of the major TFT mother glass manufacturers will reopen lines that have previously been closed. In fact, current trends lend us to believe that if these lines were ever reopened, they would be used for OLED production rather than TFT. We believe that the capacities problems the market is seeing is not a short-term problem, and will likely not ease until the second quarter of 2017, at the earliest. This leaves the current state of the market in a fair amount of turmoil as the suppliers battle the glass shortage and while offloading the increased cost to manufacturers.
While there is a trend at the manufacturing level to diversify away from traditional color TN TFT LCD display, the positive is there is still be a strong market for this product for years to come due to TN TFTs lower cost advantage and availability. In short, we don’t see TFT displays going away any time soon, but we will be impacted by higher costs and longer lead times for the near future.
You’ve already taken the first step by educating yourself on the issue. By preparing your business and supply chain for the increase in price and decrease in supply which lead to longer lead-times, you can mitigate potential delays and issues in your production. If you have any additional questions about TFT panels or any other standard or custom display needs, please
TFT stands for thin-film transistor, which means that each pixel in the device has a thin-film transistor attached to it. Transistors are activated by electrical currents that make contact with the pixels to produce impeccable image quality on the screen. Here are some important features of TFT displays.Excellent Colour Display.Top notch colour contrast, clarity, and brightness settings that can be adjusted to accommodate specific application requirements.Extended Half-Life.TFT displays boast a much higher half-life than their LED counterparts and they also come in a variety of size configurations that can impact the device’s half-life depending on usage and other factors.TFT displays can have either resistive or capacitive touch panels.Resistive is usually the standard because it comes at a lower price point, but you can also opt for capacitive which is compatible with most modern smartphones and other devices.TFT displays offer exceptional aspect ratio control.Aspect ratio control contributes to better image clarity and quality by mapping out the number of pixels that are in the source image compared to the resolution pixels on the screen.Monitor ghosting doesn’t occur on TFT displays.This is when a moving image or object has blurry pixels following it across the screen, resembling a ghost.
TFT displays are incredibly versatile.The offer a number of different interface options that are compatible with various devices and accommodate the technical capabilities of all users.
There are two main types of TFT LCD displays:· Twisted nematic TFT LCDs are an older model. They have limited colour options and use 6 bits per each blue, red, and green channel.
In-plane switching TFT LCDs are a newer model. Originally introduced in the 1990s by Hitachi, in-plane switching TFT LCDs consist of moving liquid pixels that move in contrast or opposite the plane of the display, rather than alongside it.
The type of TFT LCD monitor or industrial display you choose to purchase will depend on the specifications of your application or project. Here are a few important factors to consider when selecting an appropriate TFT LCD display technology:Life expectancy/battery life.Depending on the length of ongoing use and the duration of your project, you’re going to want to choose a device that can last a long time while maintaining quality usage.
Touch type and accuracy.What type of activities are you planning on using your device for? If it’s for extended outdoor use, then you should go with projected capacitive touch as this is more precise and accurate. Touch accuracy is important for industrial and commercial applications.
Image clarity.Some TFT displays feature infrared touchscreens, while others are layered. The former is preferable, especially in poor lighting conditions or for outdoor and industrial applications, because there’s no overlay and therefore no obstructions to light emittance.
The environmental conditions make a difference in operation and image clarity. When choosing a TFT for outdoor or industrial applications, be sure to choose one that can withstand various environmental elements like dust, wind, moisture, dirt, and even sunlight.
As a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-quality digital displays in North America, Nauticomp Inc. can provide custom TFT LCD monitor solutions that are suitable for a multitude of industrial and commercial indoor and outdoor applications. Contact us today to learn more.
Raystar is a professional TFT (Thin Film Transistor) module manufacturer. There are different models of our TFT active matrix display with various features. Whether you need TFT display with control board, high brightness, wide viewing angle, monochrome, bar type, we have some options for you to choose from. We also offer customization service of backlight and FPC. The available diagonal sizes of our standard TFT display modules are 0.96", 1.77" 2.4", 2.8", 2.84", 3.5", 3.9", 3.97", 4.3", 4.6", 5", 5.2", 5.6", 5.7", 6.2", 7", 8", 8.88", 9",10.1", 10.2", 12.1" and 12.3.
The new line of 3.5” TFT displays with IPS technology is now available! Three touchscreen options are available: capacitive, resistive, or without a touchscreen.
This statistic shows the TFT LCD automotive display panel unit shipments worldw