On a boat, a display has to be readable in full sun, work with wet hands, survive salt spray and vibration, and look right through polarized sunglasses. DCL Technologies, Inc. (DCLTEK) supplies marine displays, touch panels, cable assemblies and fully sealed display assemblies to boat builders and marine electronics makers, with touch tuned for saltwater.

What we supply

Sunlight-readable displays: high-brightness TFT, typically 1,000 to 5,000 nits, with optical bonding and AR coatings.
Water-tolerant PCAP touch: firmware tuned to reject droplets and running water and to work with wet or gloved hands.
Optical bonding: removes the air gap to cut reflections, prevent fogging and add shock and vibration resistance.
Marine cable assemblies: wire harnesses and display cables, 100% electrically tested, from an IATF 16949-certified partner.

What we design for

  • Readability in direct sun and with polarized sunglasses
  • Touch that works in rain, spray and with wet hands
  • Front sealing to IP65, IP66 or IP67
  • Salt fog, humidity and UV resistance
  • Shock and vibration from hull slam
  • Ambient light sensing and dimming for night running

Built for saltwater

Salt, spray and humidity. Salt fog and humidity designs, with test reports available on qualified products. Optical bonding removes the air gap inside the display stack, so moisture can’t condense behind the glass and fog the screen.
Touch that works in saltwater. Salt spray is more conductive than rain, which makes it harder on touch screens. We tune PCAP touch firmware to reject saltwater droplets and running water, ignore false touches from spray, and keep working with wet or gloved hands through thick, strengthened cover glass.
IP sealing for the full assembly. Beyond the display itself, DCLTEK builds complete display assemblies, with cover glass, touch, display, gasketed bezel or enclosure and cabling, sealed to IP65, IP66 or IP67, so the rating covers the whole unit, not just the front surface.

Questions customers ask

Will the display be readable with polarized sunglasses?

Yes. We specify panels and polarizer orientations, or add retarder films, so the image stays visible with polarized sunglasses in both portrait and landscape orientation.

Does touch work when the screen is wet?

Yes. We tune PCAP controllers to reject water droplets and running water and to work with wet or gloved hands. We do this for marine, hot tub and outdoor equipment.

How do you handle salt fog and humidity?

Salt fog and humidity designs and test reports are available on qualified products, and optical bonding prevents condensation inside the display stack.

Can you supply the wire harness too?

Yes. Our cable partner is ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certified, builds to your print or creates a drawing for your approval, and 100% electrically tests every assembly.

Does touch work with saltwater spray on the screen?

Yes. Saltwater is more conductive than fresh water, so we tune PCAP touch firmware specifically to reject saltwater droplets and running water, suppress false touches from spray, and still respond to wet or gloved hands.

Can you seal a complete display assembly, not just the front?

Yes. DCLTEK builds complete display assemblies, including cover glass, touch, display, gasketed bezel or enclosure and cabling, sealed to IP65, IP66 or IP67, so the rating applies to the whole assembly.

Tell us about your application. Our US-based engineers will recommend a display, touch and cover glass stack and send samples.

Talk to an engineerBorrow a demo unit

Related: Display catalogSunlight-readable displaysSunlight-readable monitorsOutdoor use displaysDisplay bondingCable solutionsTouch panels