What is Cover Lens Customization?
Modules with projected capacitive touch panels have a top layer, called a cover. This part of the module is the most often customized component of the product. It’s the part that allows the display to completely change its appearance. To perfectly blend with the rest of your product design.
Just send us your design, and we’ll do the rest. Other than customized color and shape, we offer different glass thicknesses, strengthened glass, surface treatments, and more.
Cover Glass Thickness
The thickness of the cover glass depends on impact protection requirements and general mechanical requirements. Cover lens thickness is chosen among specific thickness series. The recommended thickness values are 0,55mm, 0.7mm 1.1mm 1.8mm 3mm and 4mm.
It is worth to distinguish cover glass thickens to total touch sensor thickness.
In the example on the right, we have a 4mm CG, but the sensor and the SCA (Solid Clear Adhesive – dry optical bonding) is 1.1mm+0.25, so total thickness in the display area (where we touch) is 5.35mm.
It’s especially important when we have thin CG like 0.7 or 1.1mm, if we have 0.7mm CG and 0.55 sensor, with 0.15mm glue, we actually have 1.4mm in display area, so double CG which change mechanics completely. Understanding this fact is important from durability point of view.
If your project requires thicker glass, feel free to contact us. We use touch controllers (Hycon, Ilitek, EETI, PenMount), which can support cover glass up to 15 mm of thickness.
The safety aspect of the glass
The second aspect of the designing process is the safety of the glass. The two most popular options are:
- Chemically strengthened glass
- Thermally tempered glass
Both options have increased strength as the result of a post-production process (as the names suggest – the chemical or thermal treatment).
When chemically strengthened glass gets broken, it shatters in long splinters, unlike regular glass. The appearance of the structure after breaking of the thermally tempered glass is different – it crumbles into smaller, granular chunks.
True colors
As you know, our displays always give out clear and vibrant images. Colors remain sharp and true. We achieve this effect by choosing an ultra-clear cover glass solution for the display.
This means, that the component is absolutely discolored.
The design of custom artwork is quite simple. We just need a drawing of your artwork with indication of used colors in Pantone or RAL. Then we provide samples of the cover lens made in a silk printing process within a dozen working days.
Treatments for Cover Lenses
- Anti-reflection (AR) – reducing the reflection on the surface of the display by applying a coating of a specific thickness to the surface of a cover lens.
- Anti-glare (AG) – removing a bright glare from the display surface by creating a rough surface on the cover lens.
- Anti-finger (AF) – preventing fingerprints and smudges on the display surface by applying a type of treatment that reduces the ability of the cover lens retaining oils
Special materials for the Cover Lens
We also offer special materials for cover lenses:
Corning Gorilla Glass
Gorilla Glass is used to protect display screens. It’s a scratch-resistant and durable glass product made for touch screens. Gorilla Glass screens are famous for being very thin.
This type of glass is made from chemically strengthened alkali-aluminosilicate. The glass has its strength thanks to the ion exchange process it undergoes during manufacturing.
PMMA Cover lens
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, or plexiglass is often used as a cover glass option. One advantage of this kind of cover lens is that when impacted by external force it will not shatter into fragments. Another advantage is that it’s very easy to make holes in it, and cut out different shapes. Also, PMMA is very light.