Know About the Basic Components of Industrial LCD Monitors
Industrial LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors are a common technological fixture for a variety of Marine, military, and even commercial applications. These monitors have internal mechanisms that allow them to display specific images according to the user’s commands. In order for the screen to work, all of the internal components that make up the mechanism must function at full capacity. Liquid crystals are the main components that contribute to the picture quality, sharpness, and brightness, but there are also other crucial elements at play inside each screen.
Important Components of LCD Monitors
There’s a lot more to LCD monitors than meets the eye. The following LCD components are crucial to making your computer screen function optimally.
1. LED Backlight
Every computer screen has an LED backlight that produces white light. The light then travels through many different layers to produce an image on the screen. Flat panel displays feature LED backlights because they reduce overheating, have higher contrast ratios, more extensive brightness settings, and excellent overall colour reproduction.
2. Liquid Crystals
Although they don’t produce light, liquid crystals are electrically charged molecules that have the ability to block or allow light to pass through. Electrical voltages are used to charge each liquid crystal and maneuver them to form specific patterns that result in the images that appear on computer screens.
3. Transparent Conductive Screen Layers
In order for a screen to function properly and display crystal clear images without interruption, every single pixel needs to be charged with an electric current. Transparent conductive screen layers made from materials like indium allow the electric currents to pass through with ease.
4. Reflector Sheet
Also known as a dual-action brightness enhancement film (DBEF), the reflector sheet increases the brightness level of the screen by reflecting the light diodes produced by the backlight. A single brightness enhancement film has the ability to increase brightness levels by about 40% to 60%. Certain applications that require maximum brightness levels use two reflector sheets to further enhance luminance.
5. Light Guide Plate
The light guide plate is a weather-resistant transparent corrugated stiff plastic panel that controls the angle and direction in which light is displayed. As the light enters the back of the panel, the pattern formed by the ridges on the front guides it into different directions to illuminate the pixels and form the images that appear on the screen.
6. Diffuser Sheet
Diffuser sheets disperse the light evenly across the screen to eliminate the risk of hot spots that can cause the screen to overheat quickly. Spreading the light evenly across the screen also enhances the visibility and clarity of the images of the screen and reduces eyestrain by producing a softer lighting output.
7. Prism Sheet
Once the diffuser sheet evenly disperses the light, the prism sheet enhances the brightness level by further refining the light produced by the backlight. Located on the front of the light guide plate, the prism sheet consists of front-facing ridges that are on an angle to ensure that the light is transmitted at the best possible viewing angles for the user.
8. Polarized Glass Sheet
LCD monitors feature two polarized glass sheets that function as filters that make it possible for users to clearly view images on the screen. The liquid crystals are located between the two layers of polarizing sheets. Essentially, polarizers allow vertical light waves to pass through the filter and contact the light bending liquid crystals. Horizontal light waves are blocked or filtered out because they distort the image quality. Since they’re made of a plastic-like material, polarizers are sensitive to extremely humid and hot temperature conditions.
9. Glass Substrate (Backplane)
Backplanes are typically used in thin-film transistor (TFT) LCD monitors. Located toward the front of the screen, this glass substrate displays the images that result from the dual polarization process to the end-user.
10. Power Supply and Common Electrode
Modern LCD monitors use a material called indium-tin-oxide, which acts as the main power source for the entire screen and its light-emitting functions. This common electrode sends required voltage levels to activate and manipulate the liquid crystals. Most of the white light produced by the backlight is blocked out and colour filters are used to create crystal clear images on the screen. Colour filters consist of the primary colours red, blue, and green.
The final layer, which is the top polarizer, filters the polarized light even more to produce the optimal viewing experience.
High-Tech Industrial LCD Monitors in North America
Nauticomp Inc. is one of the leading North American distributors of military, marine, commercial, and industrial LCD monitors. With 25 years of experience in the technological space, we’ve mastered the art of designing and crafting top-of-the-line digital displays that are custom-tailored to the needs of our customers. Contact us today to learn more.
