What They Say
The Elec reported that Samsung Display (SDC) is switching to using optically clear resin (OCR), which is a liquid, instead of optically clear adhesive (OCA), which it uses in a film form in its foldable OLEDs with the aim of reducing cost. The OCA is said to take longer to place than the OCR which is to be applied by inkjet, the report says. The IJPs will come from STI which has already supplied other IJP equipment to SDC in Cheonan. The new machines will be used in Vietnam during module assembly after a trial. IJP is able to avoid getting OCA on the cameras, speakers or holes, the Elec reported.
Using OCA may also reduce the size of bezels and the thickness.
What We Think
Over the years, I have often discussed optical bonding, which is a key process both in original display manufacture and in adapting COTS displays for specialist and demanding applications. It’s never quite as simple as it sounds, but if I was picking a company to be good at process control, SDC would probably be in the list!
Samsung is reported to still be aggressive in growing folding display and device sales this year, so given the economic headwinds, cost reduction is going to be a big topic.
I wrote about some of the issues with different layers in folding and rolling last year, after LG presented an interesting paper at Display Week. Using OCA would change some aspects of how the device works and I doubt this kind of change is trivial for SDC. (Roll On a New Smartphone Form Factor) (BR)
Samsung Display showed this slidable horizontal OLED at Display Week. The picture is not that great, I’m afraid, but it felt as though Samsung had made it deliberately difficult to get good shots! The reflective information panels were also a failure as far as we were concerned. Image:Meko
