LCDs toughen up for industrial applications

The Strong2 series of display modules combines high luminance, high contrast ratio, extended temperature range and a high capacity to withstand mechanical stress.

Sharp Microelectronics Europe has released the first two displays in its new Strong2 series of products, combining high luminance, high contrast ratio, extended temperature range and a high capacity to withstand mechanical stress.

Consequently, these modules have been designed for industrial automation applications, in particular, but also for use in outdoor sales or information terminals, where displays have to meet the highest demands in terms of reliability, clarity and legibility.

Strong2 LCDs boast a high contrast ratio of 600:1 at the preferred viewing angle by optimising the pathway of the pixels' voltage potential while the equipment is on.

Additionally, the overall improvement in brightness of the display is made possible by using glasses with improved transmission coefficients, new backlighting lamps and optimised coating on the backlight mounts to attain higher light-emitting efficiency.

Overall these improvements increase the brightness of the display to 450cd/m2.

Strong2 modules are considerably more shock-resistant than traditional displays.

New materials and a redesigned housing for the LC display have been deployed specifically to absorb jolts and vibrations.

In contrast to other displays, the electronics "float" freely within the housing, rather than being firmly fixed to the frame.

In addition, plastic buffers used as insulating material provide protection for the glass from both sides.

The housing for the backlight was also optimised in order to give better protection to the lighting elements.

As a result, most shocks are now absorbed directly by the housing and the insulating material.

In vibration tests, the new, heavy-duty TFTs can withstand accelerations of up to 19.6m/s2 in the 57-500kHz range while the equipment is on or off.

In the standard shock test, the displays can withstand jolts with acceleration rates of up to 490m/s2, when turned off.

When used outdoors in particular, but also in industrial environments, displays are subjected to sharp variations in temperature due to process or waste heat.

Thanks to improved polarisers and RGB filters that allow a temperature range of -30 to +80C in both the on and off modes, the Strong2 modules are also able to cope with these temperature fluctuations.

Samples of the LQ121S1DG61 and LQ104V1DG61 10.4 and 12.1in TFT LCDs are now available worldwide through Sharp's sales offices and distribution partners.

High-volume production is scheduled for Q1 of 2006.

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