Displays are often the most important component in an application. Consider devices such as smartphones or tablets – without the display, they would lose all their functionality. At the same time, displays can become a weak element of your device. For example, they may break when users drop the device.
That’s you should consider the question of protecting your display before adding it to your application. This makes your device more durable and delivers a fantastic experience to the end-users.
In this article, we zoom in on several methods for protecting displays manufacturers use today. They not only protect your device from different risks but also increase the quality of user experience and build a solid reputation for your brand.
1. Anti-reflective coating
The goal of this coating is to reduce reflection. An anti-reflective coating works similarly to the antiglare coating but is far more effective. If you apply several anti-reflective coatings on your display, you can reduce the light reflection factor even by up to 1:50 (that’s 2%).
The most popular combinations of anti-reflective coatings are:
- front and rear antireflective film that reduces light reflection by 2%,
- polarizer and front antireflective film that reduces even 4.5% of light reflection,
- pure polarizer that reduces light reflection by 6%.
All in all, this coating is essential if light reflection could become a problem for end-users – it depends on the particular environment where your device is going to be used.
2. Anti-fingerprint coating
The anti-fingerprint coating is another measure to consider for protecting your display. This type of coating is also called oleophobic coating with a plain texture that ensures that all the contaminations (including grease from users’ fingers) don’t adhere to the display.
If you equip your display with an anti-fingerprint coating, you will never see any marks and smudges on its surface.
But that’s not everything. The anti-fingerprint coating also boosts your display’s tolerance to slight mechanical damages such as scratches. However, if you’re looking to protect your display fully against this kind of risk, you’re going to need something more serious like Gorilla Glass.
3. Gorilla Glass
Gorilla Glass is a chemically strengthened alkali-aluminosilicate glass developed by Corning, an American company based in Corning, New York. The main advantage of using Gorilla Glass in your application is that it provides unparalleled resistance to mechanical damages for your display.
One thing you should know about Gorilla Glass is that there are several generations of Gorilla Glass available on the market. For example, the latest generation – the sixth – can survive 15 consecutive drops from 1m height onto a rough surface. This makes it even twice as robust as the previous version of Gorilla Glass (generation five).
4. Anti-shatter coating
The anti-shatter coating comes in handy if it’s likely that the device might be dropped by the user and the display could get smashed. The value of the anti-shatter coating is that it prevents glass splinters from spreading once the display is broken.
You can choose from two types of anti-shatter coating hardness: 3H or 7H. Note that the light transmission of such a coating amounts to around 89% (+/- 3%).
5. Anti-bacterial coating
If your application is going to be used daily by thousands of people – for example, displays in a panel for a parking meter, electronic information system, or a ticket machine, an antibacterial coating is definitely relevant.
When used by so many people, it’s likely that displays become covered with more or less dangerous germs. You can protect your users by applying antibacterial coatings to your display.
The most common ones are made of silver particles. Silver has long been recognized for its excellent antibacterial properties. An alternative antibacterial coating is a new recipe developed by the company Kastus. Compared to other solutions, these coatings are very durable and don’t require reapplication throughout the device’s lifetime.
Laboratory analysis confirms that the number of bacteria on the display surface can be reduced significantly by at least 99.9%.
Protect your display with our solutions
You can apply all the coatings we described above to a single display without worrying that they affect the user’s experience with the device. However, it’s best to team up with an experienced partner who knows the ins and outs of display construction to provide you with the best combination of coatings.
At Melrose Systems, we have the experience and know-how to provide your application with the best possible components protected against critical risks that arise from their conditions of use. Reach out to us if you have any questions about protecting your display – our experts are here to help you find a solution that matches your needs perfectly.
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