Displays on a Mission For Design Excellence

Displays on a Mission For Design Excellence

Whether designed with TFT or PCAP Technology, displays for Defence Applications need to be able to operate in some of the harshest environments, says Mathew Rehm from Display Specialist, Relec Electronics.

Military personnel of all levels, engineers and those charged with making strategic decisions rely on data clearly displayed – and refreshed – on a wide variety of screens. The screens are integral to land, air and marine equipment control panels and are expected to be able to operate in extreme conditions.

Touch screens are intuitive and convenient to use but need to be engineered so that they are sealed whether used in desert conditions, and subjected to extreme heat and dust storms, or in extreme cold climates.

Relec Electronics specialises in display design with both thin film technology (TFT) and projected capacitive (PCAP) touch display technologies offered in its portfolio.

PCAP Panels

For PCAP panels, its partnership with RockTouch means it is able to offer the Rugged Line series with desirable design features, such as general purpose I/O, a combined USB and I2C interface, gloved operation and a selection of software tools to ensure the display meets the customer’s exact specifications.

The philosophy behind the Rugged Line is to provide a scalable standard range of touch panels, using the same interface, and which are as simple as possible to integrate. To support integration, the company can tailor firmware to exactly meet the requirements of your application. The range also has the highest signal to noise ratio (SNR) on the market today to maximise EMC immunity.

They also incorporate a sophisticated FPC design, including grounding plates and screw holes, which also benefits EMI shielding. There are two FPC options: a removable version for quick replacement if needed and one that is fitted securely, for improved shock and vibration resistance.

The panels are also designed for full water rejection and glove touch and engineered to facilitate integration to EMC standards and system requirements.

The touch panels can be supplied as a standalone component of can be integrated into a TFT and supplied as a fully finished and tested assembly. Furthermore, if the touch panel is used with a TFT, Relec can also provide additional services to optimise operation in challenging environments, for example optical bonding for outdoor viewing or enhanced backlighting.

In addition to a varied standard range of PCAP touch panels, Relec Electronics can customise a panel to incorporate different colours, as well as holes to accommodate LEDs and custom logos and graphics for specific uses.  

The PCAP touch panels have a thick cover glass (up to 1cm thick) and the highest signal to noise ratio available on the market today to maximise EMC immunity for secure operation.

TFT Displays

Particularly in the mil-aero and high-rel industries, the use of TFT displays can be further enhanced with design support from a display specialist. Whether handheld equipment or large displays integrated into equipment, the primary concern is for a display that can be viewed and operated, even when subjected to vibration or shock. The nature of the equipment also means that the displays have to have a long operating lifetime as maintenance and repair can be challenging in some installations and locations.

Relec Electronics leverages its 40-year history in the display industry to offer Custom TFT Displays in addition to a wide range of standard TFT display options. Models can operate across a wide temperature range, from -40°C up to +80°C.

Relec offers models that provide up to 1500cd/m² and contrast up to 1,000 for clear, discernible viewing angles from any direction. Displays can also be mounted and viewed in portrait or landscape mode, with no degradation to viewing angles, to ensure they’re optimised for the specific application.

An example of design flexibility, combined with robust operation is the 15.6” widescreen FLC-156MML5000SA2 by FutureLabs. It has an active display area of 344.16 x 193.59mm and resolution of FHD 1920 x 1080 with 1000 CD/M² brightness. This display is suitable for high ambient lighting and harsh environments as well as outdoor use. It has a wide operating temperature range of -30 to +85°C.

It is also important to note that the range of Taiwanese-grade quality LEDs used in the backlighting for all touch panel displays have a long operating life and – just as importantly – a longevity of supply. This ensures continuity of both quality and supply and means that engineers will not have to search for acceptable drop-in replacements for obsolete parts.

Relec’s bespoke customisation service offers design support for all defence applications. From Rocktouch shielding for EMC immunity (equivalent to 30V/m), to custom optical stacks, LCD, touch panel and options, for example adding optical bonding, EMC filter, privacy filter and layers of glass. Further specialist customisation can include rugged cover lenses and bezels and custom backlight designs.

Design Support

Relec offers a wide selection of touch panels suitable for applications from commercial grade to automotive and military. The display specialist offers touch panels with noise immunity up to 50V/m, suitable for mission-critical applications in medical, automotive and avionic markets. PCAP touch panels are popular in commercial applications; they are durable and offer an easy to use, responsive touch input for retail ordering, information or arcade games.

We consider ourselves experts in display technology. We have worked closely with our key suppliers for over 40 years. We specialise in many industries, including; automotive, industrial, transportation, instrumentation & defence. We have a team of dedicated engineers ready to support you throughout the design process. We also carry stock of all standard modules and accessories for next day delivery.

Rugged TFT & PCAP Displays for Military Applications

5″ IPS TFT LCD Display

Screen size: 5″ WVGA
Active area: 101.6(W) x 76.2(H) mm
Resolution: 800 x 480 RGB Pixels
Brightness: 500 CD/M2
Interface: TTL – 40 Pin
PCAP Touch Screen & I2C Digital Control

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10.4 Inch Open Frame Monitor

Screen size: 10.4 Inch (16:9)
Active Area: 210.43 (W) x 157.82 (H) mm
Resolution: 1024 (W) RGB x 768 (H) pixels
Interface: HDMI
Mounting: VESA or Rear Mount

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15.6 IPS TFT LCD

Screen size: 15.6″ FHD
Resolution: 1920 x 1080 RGB Pixels
Brightness: 450 & 1000 CD/M2
Interface: LVDS – 20pin & 30pin
RockTouch PCAP Touch Screen & I2C Digital Control

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12.1 PCAP Rugged Series Touch Panel

Construction: Glass/Film/Film (GFF)
Number of fingers: 10
Cover lens: up to 10mm
Signal to Noise ratio: 32V
Full Water & Glove Touch

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21.5 IPS TFT LCD

Screen size: 21.5″ FHD
Resolution: 1920 x 1080 RGB Pixels
Brightness: 1000 CD/M²
Interface: LVDS 30pin
RockTouch PCAP Touch Screen & I2C Digital Control

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7.0 IPS LVDS TFT LCD

Screen size: 7.0″ Widescreen WVGA
Active area: 152.4(W) x 91.44(H) mm
Resolution: 800 RGB x 480 pixels
Interface: LVDS-8 bit
Operating temperature: -40° to + 85°C

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Other Military Displays from Relec Electronics

GET IN TOUCH TODAY – 01929 555700

Here at Relec Electronics, we have worked closely with our key suppliers for over 40 years. We specialise in many industries, including; automotive, industrial, transportation, instrumentation & defence. We have a team of dedicated engineers ready to support you throughout the design process. We also carry stock of all standard modules and accessories for next day delivery.

Let’s make this easy and call us today.

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