Saturday, April 6, 2013

No. 703: A substrate glass with dramatically decreased heat shrinkage (April 6, 2013)

Technology:
Nippon Electric Glass that became independent of NEC in 1949 developed a substrate glass suitable for high-definition liquid crystal panels called 4K and 8K. The new substrate glass decreased the heat shrinkage to less than one tenth. It will allow panel producers to boost yield. The company will establish a mass production system shortly. A liquid crystal panel is built by attaching a film to a glass substrate. In the case of the high-definition liquid crystal panel, the glass mostly is heated to higher than 600 degrees centigrade. The heat treatment is liable to generate shrinkage that cannot be modified even in the post-process. The company solved the problem by reviewing raw materials and cooling glass down gradually in the molding process.

The company has started to ship samples of about one meter square. It wishes to get the first order within the year. It has already laid down a plan to start mass production in its two plants in Shiga Prefecture. The amount of capital investment is not announced. Nippon Electric Glass lately faced the decreasing profitability because of the decreasing prices of flat-screen TVs. The company wishes to recover the profitability by taking the initiative in the substrate glass for high-definition TVs. Nippon Electric Glass has a share of 20% in the world market of substrate glass for liquid crystal panels.     

 
Nippon Electric Glass Presentation 
at CEATEC Japan 2012

A super thin board from Nippon Electric Glass
    

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