Finding the right display system for your industrial application

There are many applications in industry which require information output which people and monitor and react to. Working out a clear plan for what is required where, and what interaction may be required, can help to find the right solution for your application.

The first choice is level of detail. It’s possible to have full colour screens at every output but this may not be necessary. Simple LCD displays with nothing but text output may fully satisfy the needs of your system. However, if the difference in cost of implementation is not that different or the application requires a more detailed output it may be desirable to use a full colour display.

The next step is working out what interaction is required at the display point. In many situations it may be very useful to be able to view multiple different outputs on the same screen. Options for achieving simple functions such cycling through several outputs could require an arrangement of buttons to perform different views. Other options could include having some form of pointing device such as a trackpad, touchpad mouse or even a touchscreen. In terms of cost effectiveness, a mouse is probably the cheapest option to implement. However being free standing, in some cases there may be a high risk of damage or even of it being a safety hazard.

Trackpads and touchpads may help mitigate this since they are embedded units. This can also help make them more resilient to wear and tear and environmental factors they may be exposed to since they can be sealed. A touchscreen is likely to be the most expensive solution of all, though it can provide perhaps the largest functionality and potentially the best resilience to environmental factors, since it can be part of a totally sealed unit.

For more advanced interaction the device may need a keyboard, or at least a keypad. These can vary quite heavily in their level of sophistication, going from numerical keypads up to full keyboards with inbuilt trackpads or touchpads. It should be fairly easy to discern which of these would be adequate. However, once again, a touchscreen with an onscreen keyboard could be a viable solution. A larger screen would of course be required to accommodate the keyboard space.

If you’re in any doubt about the choices you should make for the interface for you, there are many consultants who specialise in display technology for industrial applications. It would be well worth taking the time to talk to an expert to find out the best technology to use for your budget and requirements.

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About the author

The author works for a company who provide custom display solutions with TFT displays and LCD screens

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