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Are you aiming to elevate your project regarding both functionality and aesthetics? Opting for a custom LCD display might just be the solution you need, especially when compared to the traditional dot-matrix or seven-segment displays that are readily available and inexpensive. But how do you go about creating such a display, and what are the associated costs? Surprisingly, it's often more straightforward and economical than you might think. [Dave Jones] offers an insightful guide on designing and specifying custom LCDs.

The video below is part of a continuous series; previous installments addressed the design process, turning that design into specifications, and selecting a manufacturer; another covered the approval of the manufacturer’s design documents and the development of a testing plan for the module. This latest installment showcases the testing plan in action for the incredibly affordable modules—[Dave] managed to have a short run of five modules produced for only $138, which includes $33 shipping. This display is intended for a custom power supply and features over 200 segments, comprising four numeric sections, a clock display, a bar graph, and custom icons for volts, amps, millijoules, and watt-hours. It's a significant piece of glass, and the quality is impressive given the cost. While not flawless—[Dave] noted a group of segments sharing the same common lines was slightly dimmer than others—he was able to adjust it by modifying the supply voltage slightly.

It’s remarkable how accessible custom electronics have become, and even if you don't currently need a custom LCD, the tempting prices might prompt you to order one just because. Of course, you can also construct your own LCD display from the ground up.

New Vision Display stands out as a custom lcd display manufacturer catering to OEMs across various sectors. What differentiates us from other LCD manufacturers is our array of products and customization options. Our LCD range spans from budget-friendly monochrome displays to high-resolution, bright color TFT LCDs, along with everything in between. We also boast extensive experience integrating LCD displays into complete assemblies, featuring touch controls and protective covers.

Our displays include sunlight-readable options, ultra-low power consumption, bistable (resembling paper) LCDs, automotive-grade specifications, wide temperature ranges for operation/storage, and broad viewing angles, all with low tooling costs.

One of the benefits of partnering with NVD for your LCD manufacturing needs is our engineering team’s vast technical expertise. From concept to final product, our sales and technical staff provide professional insights and dedicated support to identify the optimal solution for your project.

Furthermore, our robust technology inventory and manufacturing capabilities enable us to produce high-quality products that adhere to your specific application requirements. To discover what makes us the perfect display manufacturer for your needs, reach out today.

As a top-tier LCD panel manufacturer, NVD develops tailored LCD display solutions for numerous end-user applications: medical equipment, industrial machinery, home appliances, consumer electronics, and beyond. Our advanced LCD factories are equipped to fabricate custom LCDs engineered for excellence in even the most demanding environments. Whether your product will be utilized outdoors or in a hospital, we can provide the ideal custom LCD solution for your specifications. Explore the markets we cater to below.

Ready to initiate the process or learn more about how we can assist your business? Call us at +1-855-848-XXXX, or complete the form below, and a company representative will be in contact within one business day.

Liquid Crystal Displays, or LCDs, are ubiquitous electronic components that facilitate our interaction with various devices. Most personal portable gadgets and even large industrial machinery utilize custom segment displays to convey data. For many portable consumer electronics, a segment LCD display significantly contributes to the overall cost of the device; hence, designing a custom display can reduce costs while optimizing display area utilization. These displays offer the lowest cost per unit, minimum power consumption, and nominal tooling expenses.

At first glance, designing a custom segment LCD can seem daunting, but it’s easier than you might expect. This article summarizes and compares available display types and technologies vital for constructing a custom segment LCD. We also provide a flowchart to guide you through each phase of your custom LCD design and share the process we followed, including a requirement sheet for communicating our needs to the manufacturer, alongside other data and quotations from the manufacturer.

Icons: Any silhouette can be placed on the glass to enhance data display capability. For instance, a heart symbol can symbolize heart rate, or a low battery icon can signal that the battery needs charging. Icons are counted as single pixels or segments, providing more information than similarly sized text.

LCD Bias: This pertains to the multitude of voltage levels used for driving the segments. Static drives utilize two voltage levels or bias, whereas multiplex drives can have multiple voltage levels. For example, a 1/3 multiplex drive will feature four bias voltage levels.

LCDs leverage the light-modulating characteristics of liquid crystals observable through polarizing filters. These filters consist of special materials with aligned molecules; light waves passing through that match the filter's orientation will be absorbed by the filter, reducing light intensity and making it visible.

Essentially, when electric current is applied to the electrodes (i.e., the segment line and common line), it twists the Liquid Crystals relative to the polarizing filter, restricting light in that area, resulting in it appearing darker and more prominent.

A custom LCD is critical for maximizing display area efficiency by incorporating tailored symbols and characters. It also reduces costs and increases product energy efficiency. A greater number of custom symbols and specific positioning of numbers and letters make the display more informative and user-friendly. This elevates it above the typical standard displays available in the market. Additionally, you can specify the viewing angle, contrast, and other attributes to enhance durability or boost value for intended use. A sample Custom Segment display will be discussed further in the article.

The LCD display does not emit light independently; therefore, a supplemental light source or reflector is required to read it in dim settings.

While designing a custom segment LCD display, we can select many parameters affecting the end product. From the display’s color to illumination method and light color, as well as input pin types—all these design factors are explained below:

Positive and negative displays differ based on character and background color. When displays are used in environments with strong ambient light, select positive segment LCD displays for better visibility than negative ones without backlighting.

Since LED displays lack self-emitted light, we can apply various illumination methods to display them in darker environments. Common LCD illumination methods are compared below:

For budget-oriented, compact, and robust devices, LED lights are often favored for their durability and low operating costs. For heightened brightness, CCFL and incandescent lights may be employed.

A polarizing film is a crucial component in an LCD display, enabling character visibility through light control. There are three polarizers types applicable in LCD displays, with properties and differences outlined below:

If your products require a switchable backlight, trans-reflective reflectors are preferable for front reflectors. For devices without backlighting, reflective polarizers are best for back panels, as they provide optimal contrast ratios.

Displays fall into two categories: passive and active. Passive displays are simpler to manufacture (two connections per segment), with conductors from Indium Tin Oxide forming images. Active displays utilize thin-film transistors (TFT) in a grid layout, allowing control over each pixel.

If your displays consist of fewer segments, static LCD drives are advisable due to easier control, lower construction costs, and improved contrast ratios. Conversely, displays with over 30-40 segments should utilize multiplex drives, which possess multiple common pins and require fewer total pins.

Regarding connector selection, for prototyping or direct Microcontroller connections, pin-type connectors are economical and effective. If the display connects to final products with high production volumes requiring durability but compact designs, opt for Flex-type LCD connectors.

LCDs experience limited viewing angles and lose contrast when viewed obliquely. Viewing angles are determined by the angles perpendicular to the display center towards its right, left, up, and down (noted as 3:00, 9:00, 12:00, and 6:00). Viewing angles signify levels at which segment contrasts are distinguishable.

To enhance viewing angles in LCDs, a Bias is included in the design, altering the nominal viewing angle with an offset. Increasing voltage also impacts the bias angle, enhancing display clarity when viewed from different angles.

For instance, the viewing angle of a TN type TFT LCD is 45-65 degrees. Extra-wide polarizing film (EWP) can boost the viewing angle by 10 degrees, while employing an O film polarizer can facilitate 75-degree viewing angles, albeit at the cost of reduced contrast.

Anti-glare filters are affixed with top polarizing filters using adhesives, enhancing viewability by redirecting light waves to decrease reflections back towards the observer. New materials can minimize front glare to below 0.3%.

LCD control chips or driver chips can be mounted on either the flex cable, the display, or externally on a PCB. The chip placement can influence design costs and the display’s size. The leading chip placement methods are Chip on Board (COB) and Chip on Glass (COG), detailed below:

COG is often used for its cost-effectiveness and simpler assembly. However, if there's a constraint on dimensions, COB is also a viable choice.

We intended to design an air quality monitoring system, which required a custom segment LCD for the device. The product needed to display 2.5-micron and 10-micron particulate matter suspended in the air, expressed in parts per million (PPM), CO2 concentration in the air in PPM, and total volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in parts per billion (PPB). To improve usability, time in 24-hour format was included along with temperature in °C, battery status, loudspeaker status, Bluetooth status, and Wi-Fi status. We further added three smiley icons to indicate room air quality.

It became evident that offering all the needed data through a standard market LCD was impossible; thus, we chose to create a custom LCD for our requirement.

A systematic flowchart is provided below to guide you through essential steps in selecting components and having your custom segment LCD manufactured.

We initiated by listing our requirements and crafted a mock-up of the display. After finalizing segment and icon placements on the prototype sketch, we identified which icons and segments needed to remain constantly on versus those that needed dynamic input. Recognizing the overwhelming number of segments, characters, and icons, we selected a multiplex drive with 8 common pins, reducing the estimated total from 180 pins to below 40.

As our device was meant for indoor environments, typically well-lit and shielded from external conditions, we opted for a positive mode display. For enhanced contrast and improved viewing angle, we selected a Film Super Twisted Nematic Display (FSTN) with a driving scheme of 1/8 Duty and bias arrangement of 1/4.

Normally, displays are positioned at a height of roughly 4.5 feet from the ground; thus, we determined a 12 o'clock viewing angle, operating at a frequency of 64Hz. We chose a transmissive polarizer for the front glass and a reflective one for the back glass so that ambient light could illuminate the front panel, achieving maximum contrast without backlighting. Pin-type connectors were utilized for prototyping, suitable for tough environments with vibrations and shocks, aligning perfectly with our needs.

In the image of a custom display design sent to the manufacturer, the red lines over multiple characters indicate them being counted as a single segment. For simplicity, we included labels like T, S, U, B to represent Text, Symbols, Units, and Battery respectively. Numerals followed these characters to aid in communication with the manufacturer. For example, if we needed any text or symbol fixed in place, we could specify that precisely using the associated label.

We reached out to multiple LCD manufacturers, who are plentiful online. Most manufacturers maintain competitive pricing and respond within a week. A sample requirement form is illustrated above, which customers fill out to communicate specifications to the manufacturer.

This is a typical Custom Segment LCD quotation we received from one manufacturer. The cost varies based on quantity; higher quantities yield lower unit prices. Additionally, there exists a tooling fee—a one-time charge by the manufacturer concerning technical design, support, and product customization. Specialty PCB or LCD tooling may drive the tooling fee up or down.

The time and cost of tooling depend on the design precision and accuracy provided to the manufacturer. They subsequently supply the exact dimensions and technical specifications for manufacturing. Upon your confirmation of the design, they begin production and ship the product, which may take four to eight weeks based on order size and shipping method.

A custom segment LCD can enhance product personalization while also decreasing the final product’s total cost. The full process generally spans two to three months, including design, prototyping, and delivery of your custom segment LCDs. Higher order quantities correspond to lower per-piece pricing, thereby reducing your product's total costs.

For over 20 years, we have been helping clients worldwide by designing, developing, and manufacturing custom LCD displays, screens, and panels across all industries.

Newhaven Display boasts extensive expertise in manufacturing a wide array of digital display products, encompassing TFT, IPS, character displays, graphic displays, LCD modules, COG displays, as well as LCD panels. In addition to these products, we specialize in crafting high-quality, economically feasible custom LCD solutions. While our emphasis remains on premier LCD products, we also offer an assortment of graphic and character OLED displays within our manufacturing capabilities.

As a longstanding leader in LCD manufacturing, the production of top-quality LCD modules and panels remains our utmost priority. At Newhaven Display, we take immense pride in being recognized as a reliable and amicable custom LCD manufacturing entity.

In our capacity as a custom LCD manufacturer, we maintain rigorous control over the reliability of our custom displays by adhering to the industry's highest quality standards. Our design, development, production, and quality engineers collaborate closely to assist our clients in transforming their ideas into reality through comprehensive custom display solutions.

Our exemplary in-house support is a hallmark of Newhaven Display, distinguishing us from other display manufacturers. Any amendments regarding customization are tackled in our facility in Illinois, enabling us to guarantee fast turnaround times.

Customer support inquiries made through email, website form, or our support forum typically receive responses within 24 hours. For custom LCD project requests, response time may vary from a few days to weeks, contingent on the complexity of your display customization requirements. With diversified production facilities and a robust supply chain, we are poised to provide rapid turnaround times for display customizations.

We are dedicated to ensuring that personalized support remains accessible and dependable. Our extended support hub is available via our website, featuring example codes, IC datasheets, font tables, engineering updates, a resource library, and responses to frequently posed inquiries. You can access our knowledge center and community forum for further assistance, revive topics, and communicate with fellow engineers in the display and electronics sectors.

Our stellar in-house support, along with custom display modifications, sets Newhaven Display apart from other LCD display manufacturers. Ranging from TFTs, IPS, sunlight-readable displays, HDMI modules, EVE2 modules, to COG, character, and graphic LCDs, our customization enhancements are managed in our Illinois facility, thus maintaining quality and swift turnaround times.

As a display manufacturer, distributor, and wholesaler, we are positioned to provide the premier-quality displays at unbeatable prices. Design, manufacturing, and product assembly happen through our headquarters located in Elgin, Illinois. Newhaven Display International guarantees superior quality in LCD products throughout the industry with our newly expanded facility, which includes an updated production and manufacturing area.

The protocol for transforming your LCD concept into tangible prototype samples is uncomplicated and involves several simple steps (see PDF download).

Frequently, FocusLCDs' lead time for custom LCD samples is merely 6-7 weeks following your approval of our counter drawings and datasheets. This timeframe extends by 4-6 weeks from November to early February due to the Chinese New Year. For standard production orders of custom displays, lead time spans approximately 10-12 weeks, with potential extensions of 2-4 weeks during the Chinese New Year.

Focus Display Solutions offers numerous LCD technologies, with many of these displays being customizable to meet your needs. Below is an introductory overview of each variety of LCD.

The Ultra-Wide Viewing Display (UWVD) is a cutting-edge technology recognized for its most notable trait—it can be viewed from all angles. Additionally, this method provides a contrast superior to other options and permits multiple color outputs. Consult one of our design specialists today to determine if UWVD suits your technology needs.

Thin-Film-Transistor Liquid Crystal Displays (TFTs) are among the most commonly encountered technologies in daily use. Frequently observed in smartphones, tablets, cameras, and numerous other devices, this technology presents hundreds of thousands of colors and high pixel counts, ensuring unrivaled visual clarity. Furthermore, all TFTs are available off-the-shelf with both resistive and capacitive touch panel options.

Character LCDs have been widely utilized since the early s. They offer 256 selectable characters and are available with multiple font tables catering to diverse languages. They are particularly lauded for their simplicity in programming, coupled with a variety of sizes, character arrays, and color options.

In addition to custom LCD displays, we also provide personalized PCB assemblies and turnkey solutions featuring Displaytech LCDs. As a display manufacturer, our engineering and production personnel are well-equipped to manage the design and manufacture of printed circuit board assemblies for front panels, rack-mounted equipment, handheld devices, and numerous other products.

Beyond available standard LCD/TFT/OLED display products, Winstar extends tailor-made display solutions. Our extensive portfolio allows for the development of custom solutions fitting specific applications. With advanced display technologies ready for your design incorporation and the flexibility to modify any of our existing LCD/TFT/OLED displays, we can fulfill your requirements. With over 23 years of experience, our sales and engineering teams will support you throughout the entire development process, ensuring that semi- or fully customized displays are effectively tailored to the individual application.

Our LCD/TFT/OLED custom design solutions come in various arrangements according to customer specifications. Winstar is positioned to provide various alternatives concerning backlight types, pin connectors, cabling, resistive (RTP) or projected capacitive (PCAP) touch screens, anti-reflective or anti-glare coatings, custom cover lenses, ZIF PPC, or personalized PCB boards, or a fully customized solution suitable for your application, alongside System Integrated Solutions.

There are three types of LCD Displays: Tint, MNF, glass 727 display, 16NF and 16NF; all are various types of color LCD Displays. Another kind is the digital LCD display (T LCD), which occupies a liquid crystal display (LCD) framework, encompassing TL, TL, and 7LF displays. This digital LCD option is implementable in other formats such as IPS, TN, and VLA. Additionally, there are three types of primary color LCD displays. This type is a digital LCD display designed for use across IPS, TN, and TN variants; also included are different types of liquid crystal display technology, which can format as frames or glass 27 27 displays utilized in IPS, TN, and TN contexts.

Utilizing an LCD LCD sign is ideal for small businesses. Ideally, large electronic LCD signs are needed for businesses, retail outlets, and restaurants. Custom projection display LCDs can also serve as signage for businesses in retail stores, restaurants, bakeries, and various sectors.

It’s common for OEMs to have unique demands to fulfill specific product specifications. Because PDI focuses exclusively on OEMs to deliver mid-volume standard, custom, and semi-custom LCD displays, we can collaborate directly with individual clients to supply LCD product solutions.

The minimum order quantity (MOQ) for each production run fluctuates between 500 to 1,000 pieces. Occasionally, particular color TFT projects may require up to 2,000 pieces. Hence, the MOQ isn't as daunting as it may appear. Frequently, your supplier can even arrange deliveries of a 2K order to spread over six months to a year.

These aspects often translate to unit price decreases, enhanced integration and assembly, or overall product improvement. This results from the display solution being tailored and optimized to your specific application requirements.

Surprisingly, significant reductions in MOQ for LCD displays have not occurred in recent years. Still, options for standard availability have expanded, encouraging manufacturers to modify their offerings to meet diverse demands.

To learn more, please visit our website ORIC Electronics.

Industry-standard lead times typically range from 8 to 12 weeks, inclusive of build and shipment time. Of course, PDI also partners with those needing expedited orders.

If customers have urgent requirements for faster turnaround, we can implement a manual expedite process, scrutinizing every component to identify potential improvements. In some cases, we've seen substantial time gains.

For time-sensitive transitions from design to production requirements, we also adopt a risk-buy strategy for components posing minimal design risks, directing our fast-tracking efforts towards the smaller subset of components necessitating a prototyping phase before mass production.

The tooling cost for a complete monochrome design is approximately $6,500. This amount becomes quite manageable when amortized over 5,000+ units, especially since there often exist cost benefits derived from a custom product’s efficiency.

The tooling expense for a complete color design hovers around $80,000 with standard TN color TFT displays. For high-end designs using IPS technology, this figure can reach approximately $150,000. It’s worth noting that typical order sizes for these designs come in at 10,000+ units. However, many color TFT projects can be semi-custom. This means adapting existing LCD glass platforms to design a custom solution around the standard glass. In such scenarios, tooling costs drop significantly, ranging from $3K-$6K.

Unlike MOQ and lead times, tooling costs have seen notable decreases over the last 5 to 10 years. A decade ago, custom color TFT tooling would have tallied around $500,000.

The reasoning behind this shift can primarily be traced back to the television market. With standard TV sizes increasing (55'', 70'', 85''), TFT foundries expanded as well to accommodate these dimensions. Older, smaller TFT production lines were subsequently sold off to companies focused on smaller platform markets.

It is essential to note that PDI distinguishes itself from many competitors concerning tooling in two ways: First, tooling is integrated into our process rather than discouraged or avoided by some display suppliers. Second, we remain flexible regarding how we handle tooling costs. In some cases, clients may prefer not to bear immediate tooling expenses; thus, we can amortize those costs in certain situations.

For mid-range orders (5,000 to 100,000), custom solutions tend to be more cost-effective. This occurs because LCD display suppliers specializing in this market can design in cost-saving opportunities.

Given that we tailor and manufacture displays according to customer specifications, the display will be appropriately sized, feature the necessary attributes, and integrate seamlessly within the end product's manufacturing process. Practically, this ensures simpler assembly, allowing us to eliminate redundancies such as connectors and other components, further driving down costs.

Regardless of whether the project is custom or standard, fundamentally, the production processes remain the same; the only distinction being that standard products are pre-tooled and ready to build, while custom displays necessitate initial design and tooling phases. After that, the production process is identical. Consequently, there’s no difference in the production costs between custom and standard LCD displays.

The prevalent myths within the LCD display industry are numerous, and it is essential to understand that for small-format, mid-volume applications, custom LCD displays frequently represent the optimal (and more economical) solution.