Instrumentation Monthly Test | Measurement | Control
Reading your instruments colour display in high ambient light can be a significant challenge for a design team to overcome especially if you have decided to use a touch input device as the main user interface.
The solution is to increase the panel’s brightness and then optically bond the touch sensor to the display. Traditionally this solution has required the involvement of four separate vendors, the original display manufacturer, the company fitting a hi-bright backlight, the touch screen manufacturer and finally the company optically bonding the touch and display together. A logistical nightmare, added to the expense issues, and who is responsible if it goes wrong?
The Ideal solution is to find a vendor that is able to produce the whole product at point of manufacture and take responsibility by providing a warranty covering the whole assembly. Now, one such company, NLT Technologies Ltd, formerly NEC LCD technologies ltd who have a history of manufacturing industrial TFT panels for over two decades, has developed the capability to manufacture its own projective capacitive touch sensor as well as build the TFT panel and then finally optically bond the two parts together. One product, one supplier!
The optically bonding of a touch panel to a TFT display reduces the glare introduced by the difference in refraction at each glass/air boundary (normally around 4%) by filling the air gap with a material that has a similar refractive index. It also has the added benefit of improving impact resistance.
Recognising that the industrial user usage is normally in the hundreds rather than the thousands, it has introduced the complete bonded, display and touch-screen package as part of a new standard range of products. With screen sizes including 6.5 inch, 7.0 inch, 10.4 inch, 12.1 inch through to 15 inch, some panels even feature hi-bright back lights still further increasing performance in sunlight. It has also designed a dedicated controller and tuning software package to complete the whole system requirement.
Some projects might not require the optical-bonding process. In this case, also included in the range is an option for air bonding, where the touch and TFT panel are bonded using a double-sided adhesive tape.
Detailed specifications are available for the whole touch display unit again simplifying the documentation process.
The P-Cap touch sensor features a narrow boarder design to avoid overhanging the display panel and enables the system to support multi-touch operation.
The touchscreen controller for the system comes with a range of support tools allowing customers to tune the sensor to the application, supported by a tuning team at the factory. A range of OS drivers are available for most common platforms.
In summary, the inclusion of an optical bonded display can be a positive experience, both for your customer because of improved usability of the product in high ambient light, and for the manufacturer where it can order a standard product, on a standard lead time with an all-inclusive warranty.
This exciting range of products is available in the UK through Review Display Systems Ltd, together with unrivalled integration support from our engineering team.
For more information, please visit www.review-displays.co.uk