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Selecting touchscreens for the factory floor can be tricky when it comes to compatibility with thick gloves and environmental concerns. In fact, for many years, resistive touch technology has been the first choice for most touchscreen controls found on industrial machinery. Resistive touchscreens are reliable and responsive to bare or gloved hands. While Projected Capacitive (PCAP) touch offers improved optical clarity and scratch resistance, it has historically not performed well with gloved hands. However, new advancements in PCAP are changing that and making it a viable solution for industrial applications. Below we explain how and why the new PCAP technology is replacing resistive as the go-to for industrial applications.
Industrial controls traditionally employ resistive touchscreens. This technology features two transparent layers separated by a thin gap with spacers. Each layer internal side has a conductive coating. As a result, the touch point is activated when the two layers are pressed against each other which triggers a voltage to pass through. Resistive Touch technology works thanks to pressure, and it is immune to the electrical property of capacitance (in contrast to capacitive touch). This means that the technology will identify a touch with a finger or an object. However, the surface of the touch sensor is invulnerable to foreign objects such as dust and waterdrops (in contrast to the technologies employing the principles of wavelength, i.e. IR and SAW touch). Nevertheless, Resistive touch includes several disadvantages:
Projected Capacitive touch technology (PCAP) is a variant of surface capacitance touch (or traditional capacitive touch), and it was first adapted by the consumer/ commercial market in the early &#;s. Compared to the traditional capacitive touch technology, PCAP touch offers many improved features and quickly gains popularity as the touch technology of choice by most of the end users. PCAP touch differentiates itself by offering, for most applications, dual touch, rotation, zoom, flip, and multi-touch of up to 10 fingers. By changing the principle from surface capacitance to projected capacitance, this technology enables a touch point by a finger, with or without thin gloves, and passive stylus sensing to be projected accurately and reliably through layers of glasses.
PCAP Touch quickly won over the market share from resistive touch in applications where customers require a more rugged surface due to susceptibility to scratches and mishandlings, such as in ATMs, retail, and Kiosks. Because of its optical clarity compared to resistive touch, PCAP also started to win over many medical applications.
Below we discussed some features that allow this technology to overcome the challenges of the past.
There are two options for incorporating touch controllers in the PCAP touch devices. In the first one, an Integrated Circuit (IC) controller is mounted on the surface on a separate PC board, known as Chip on Board (COB), which allows signals to be transmitted from the touch sensor through the flexible printed circuit to the PCB. Then, the IC firmware will transform the capacitance data into a digital touch position data which will be sent to the host computer.
The second option is to mount the controller IC chip on the surface directly on the touch flex tail, also known as Chip on Flex (COF). In this case, an analog capacitance signal is converted into digital position data on the FPC which will be sent to the computer via serial interface.
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise can interfere with the accurate detection of touch events in PCAP touchscreens. To maintain the accuracy of the touch detection, the PCAP touch controller leverages firmware and hardware to avoid noise interference at different frequency bandwidths.
On certain industrial applications, water can accumulate on top of PCAP touchscreens and trigger false touches. To avoid those false touches, the latest PCAP technology features water repellant surface treatments and a firmware algorithm to differentiate an actual touch from water droplets. These new features enable the touch screens to work flawlessly with challenging operating conditions.
The improved algorithm on PCAP touch controller firmware enables the touchscreen manufacturer to be able to tune the projection field for different applications, thus enabling workers to keep their thick working or safety gloves while operating on their HMI equipment.
To improve precision, certain PCAP touchscreens now include a thicker glass which will detect fewer signals while increasing the signal strength and maintain an optimal noise ration.
Although the Resistive touchscreens have been the go-to for industrial applications for many years, the latest PCAP touch technology has overcome the challenges presented by thick gloves and rough operating conditions. The breakthroughs in IC controllers, drivers and firmware further improve performance, increase precision, and reduce EMI noise.
As a result, you can leverage PCAP touch technology for better durability, improved scratch resistance, and greater touch precision for your industrial applications.
Contec has been providing purpose-built display technology solutions for industrial and medical applications for over 40 years. In , Contec launched two new lines of rugged Panel PCs.These modular &#;all-in-one&#; systems that combine a high performance, energy-efficient computer with advanced touch screen display technology. Additional features like shock and vibration resistance, sealed front bezel, and industry-leading display brightness, make the PT-S and PT-S959 series well suited for industrial automation, machine control/HMI, transportation, metal extrusion, CNC machining, and other industrial uses. In early , Contec debuted a new, US-based clean room facility for custom display integration and OEM kits.
If you have any questions about the recent advancements in PCAP touch technology or its uses, please contact us to speak with an expert.
Touchscreen displays have become a standard piece of technology in our daily lives. Many LCD and OLED applications now include touchscreen technology to improve functionality or enhance user experience.
However, there is not a universal touchscreen for every application. You'll need to decide which touchscreen is suitable for your project. Like deciding between OLED and LCD, choosing the right touch screen will depend on your application's requirements.
Related: Touch Panel Details and Integration Guide
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A capacitive touchscreen panel is made of an insulator, usually glass, that is coated with a transparent conductor. Capacitive touchscreen displays respond to conductive inputs like a fingertip and don't require pressure to activate a "touch event."
Capacitive touch panels are the more modern and advanced touchscreen option because of their advanced capabilities. They are commonly found in consumer products like smartphones, tablets, appliances, and monitors.
Related: What's an IPS Display
A capacitive touchscreen detects and responds to changes in capacitance caused by the screen's electrostatic field when the screen's surface is touched.
Capacitive touchscreen diagramCapacitive touchscreen displays allow for touch gestures and respond to multi-touch inputs. You&#;ll typically be able to enter one to five touch inputs simultaneously, but some capacitive touchscreens can process even more.
Capacitive touchscreens deliver brighter, higher contrast images due to the makeup of their panels. Displays with capacitive touch screens are more durable than resistive touch screens because they are designed with cover glass on their top layer. In fact, all of our capacitive TFT displays have standard 0.7mm thick built-in cover glass and can be further customized for extra durability.
Related: LCD Cover Glass Impact Test
The cost of a capacitive touchscreen is slightly higher than a resistive touchscreen panel due to more complicated manufacturing processes.
While the cost is currently higher than resistive touchscreens, capacitive touchscreens are quickly becoming the industry standard in touchscreen technology.
The enhanced responsiveness can be a downside depending on how and where the display is used. For example, a capacitive touchscreen would not easily respond to the user while wearing certain types of gloves. Although capacitive touchscreens don&#;t respond to inorganic inputs, they can still be accidentally activated by other conductive elements. One of the the most common elements that causes interruptions is water.
Rain, humidity, and condensation on the surface of capacitive touchscreens will often cause accidental inputs and reduced accuracy until the water is removed. This is one of the main reasons why a resistive touchscreen would be chosen over a capacitive touchscreen in certain situations.
Related: LCD Screen Types
Any device that utilizes touch gestures like swiping, pinching, or multi-touch will require a capacitive touchscreen. These features often help make capacitive touchscreen displays more intuitive and user-friendly than resistive touchscreens. Capacitive touchscreens are best suited for applications requiring improved touch responsiveness with better image brightness and contrast.
Resistive touchscreen panels sense pressure on the display's top layer and send a signal to the circuit layer to activate the touchscreen functionality. Because they use pressure to activate the touch inputs, resistive touchscreen displays can be used with a stylus, gloves, and other items. Resistive touchscreens are built without cover glass and made of plastic, making them more susceptible to dents and scratches.
Resistive touch panels were the original touchscreen to enter the market and are still widely used.
Resistive touchscreens are made of two resistive coating layers with a gap or space layer between them. A "touch event" occurs when these two layers make contact with each other (closing the circuit) by the user's action of pressing into the soft, semi-flexible top layer. Each layer consists of horizontal and vertical lines (x,y matrix) that detects the exact location of the touch.
The gap or space layer typically consists of air or inert gas and some spacers whose only purpose is to separate the soft top layer from the bottom layer.
Resistive touchscreen diagramResistive touchscreens are often seen as the less advanced variety of touch panel compared to capacitive touch panels. However, being able to interact with non-organic inputs keeps these touchscreens relevant in specific industries.
Resistive touchscreen displays are less sensitive than capacitive touchscreen displays. This is considered an advantage in some cases and is why they&#;re chosen for specific applications. Resistive touchscreens will not respond to accidental inputs from the environment, so they won&#;t be interrupted by things like water spills or lightweight debris landing on the screen.
This type of touchscreen requires more intentional inputs from the user, making them more reliable in rugged and unstable environments. For example, a resistive touchscreen is the perfect solution on a construction site where water or debris might land on the screen. They&#;re also the best touchscreen display option for situations where the user is wearing gloves.
Resistive touchscreen panels are unfortunately more susceptible to dents and scratches. Their poor visibility in direct sunlight does not make them ideal for outdoor applications. Their inability to respond to multi-touch inputs can be a disadvantage in fast-paced applications requiring such. Because resistive touchscreens rely on the pressure applied to the top layer, they tend to be abused and mishandled, which makes them less durable over time than capacitive touchscreens.
Related: How to Clean an Electronic Display
Resistive touchscreen technology is ideal for low-cost applications involving rugged environments, indirect sunlight, and simple touch features. Fewer accidental touch inputs, better resistance to heat and moisture, and the ability to be operated with pretty much anything (stylus, pen, gloves, fingers, etc.) make this touchscreen technology a more reliable solution when user input is crucial.
While it&#;s clear that capacitive touchscreens are dominating the consumer electronics market, resistive touchscreens still have an advantage in some ways.
If you&#;re looking for a cost-effective touchscreen that can operate with simple tap inputs in rugged environments, resistive is the way to go. For more advanced and intuitive touchscreen technology with higher quality applications, choose capacitive touchscreens.
To learn more about touchscreen displays, or anything related to display technology, we&#;re always here to help! Get in touch with our engineers today.
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