In the second part of our display enhancement blog series, learn how Boyd ruggedizes display modules and improves durability
In our previous blog, we explored different display enhancements that improve visibility and user experience. In the second blog of our display enhancement series, we focus on display module durability and ruggedization.
Why Enhance Display Durability?
Once a display design meets visual and user experience specifications, it is important to ensure that it performs optimally throughout the life of the device. Displays are often subject to heavy use, drop shock, sudden impact, extreme weather, a variety of possible contaminants, and other hazards that can damage essential components and lead to malfunction.
From strengthening the housing to tempering the cover glass, there are many enhancements to help displays weather impact and heavy use without impeding function. This is especially important for devices in eMobility, medical, aerospace, or defense applications, where malfunction or device failure can negatively impact user safety.
Some of the most common types of display module durability enhancement at Boyd include:
- Optimizing Bezels and Enclosures: Different types of plastic and metal can have a significant impact on the durability of housings and the enclosed display. Materials like acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and engineered polymers such as polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) have excellent impact resistance and strength, making them durable choices for display enclosures. Even for bezel-less frames, our display design experts can offer guidance for new or existing housings and bezel designs that optimize material selection and display protection.
- LOCA Bonding: The method used to bond display module components together can have a massive impact on durability. Liquid Optical Clear Adhesive (LOCA) bonding offers the most robust and best overall performance of any bonding technology. Because the display layers are bonded together with a liquid adhesive instead of a framed air gap or adhesive tape, it resists extreme temperatures, condensation, and significantly improves overall impact strength. This bonding technology is particularly useful for devices that may be exposed to a rugged environment or repeated heavy use, such as consumer electronics.
- Gasketing and Sealing: Display gaskets are flexible, resilient, and often utilized to ruggedize screens and improve durability. These include front frame gaskets and seals, foam adhesive tapes and gaskets, bezel bonding seals, foam spacers, cushions, or dampers, touch display mount tapes, housing seals, and other solutions. They absorb shock and vibration to prevent screen cracking and dust ingress while also enabling heat dissipation, and acoustic or mechanical energy damping. Gaskets also protect sensitive internal display electronics and sustain long term optical clarity against dust, water, heat, oil, or other contaminants. Boyd can integrate multiple engineered materials and thermal technologies into single, efficient display gasket solutions for greater efficiency, easier assembly, and even better durability.
- Tempering Cover Glass: Tempering glass is a popular enhancement using heat or chemicals to increase cover glass strength by changing the compression and tension of the glass. This enables display structures to withstand more force and significantly improves impact resistance. Depending on the thickness and strength requirements for the cover glass, Gorilla Glass™ or Dragontrail™ are both tempered aluminosilicate glass commonly used for consumer devices that require the highest level of impact protection.
- Display Protection Films: Protection films provide an optically transparent barrier to improve display resistance to scratches, impact, UV, and water, while maintaining maximum optical transmittance. Protective films can be designed for long- or short-term use. Long-term applications are intended for use throughout device lifespans to protect sensitive components like cover glass, screens, and other surfaces from scratching or cracking during frequent and repeated use. Short-term applications temporarily protect screens through manufacturing, build, and sales processes to be removed by the owner. There are many options available depending on the level of protection needed, including anti-shatter and cover glass reinforcement solutions.
Boyd has decades of experience providing different display technologies to OEMs and Tier 1 partners for a wide variety of industries. Our supplier relationships and access to advanced engineered materials allow us to streamline your supply chain and combine multiple display enhancements into a single integrated display solution.
Not sure about the best way to enhance your display module, or curious about all the different options that Boyd offers? Request a consultation with our experts today to find the right solution for your next project.
