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A new inkjet printer aims to produce OLED screens without the challenge and expense of traditional methods.
OLED screens have previously needed to be produced in a vacuum, to stop damage from impurities. The difficult and expensive process means that for many consumers, an OLED screen is unaffordable.
A company called Kateeva hopes to change that using the new YIELDjet inkjet printer.
The device uses a production chamber filled with nitrogen, which the company claims will double the lifespan of certain OLED screens produced using the method and reduce costs of having to create a vacuum for each screen.
In the chamber, specialised nozzles and custom-made inks are used to print the display, before it is covered with a film.
The printer can produce screens of up to 55-inches with more reliability, faster and cheaper than existing production devices, the company states.
“YIELDjet was inspired by a simple vision: help display manufacturers realize the full potential of OLED technology so that their customers can enjoy and benefit from these dazzling new displays,” president and co-founder Dr. Conor Madigan said.
“YIELDjet delivers by using inkjet printing to crack difficult technical problems that made manufacturing flexible and large-size OLEDs challenging and costly. We’re encouraged by our customers’ interest, and we’re excited to be enabling this important display technology transition.”
The printer isn’t the first of its kind to be used to produce OLED screens – printer specialist Epson has previously worked on the technology – but it may be the first to be adopted for mass production by display manufacturers.
