In this Parts Gurus video, Andrew Blum of DCLTEK explains why off-the-shelf monitors and tablets don’t belong in commercial products, and how DCLTEK hybridizes, ruggedizes and customizes displays, touch panels, cable assemblies and complete assemblies for OEMs. The transcript follows.
Why off-the-shelf displays fall short
Every client wants to have the brightest, nicest-looking user interface in their product. There’s no such thing as “off the shelf” in our space. A lot of people watching this video might think they can bolt the standard off-the-shelf monitor or iPad into their application. You don’t want to do that. You want to look at something with longevity support, industrialized so it’s right for your application. What we do is we take displays and we hybridize them, we ruggedize them, we’ll add that touch panel interface. We’ll add computing. We’ll enhance them in a way that makes them work in a way that the original manufacturers did not intend to and turn them into our client’s dream product.
Who DCLTEK is
Hi, this is Andrew from DCLTEK. We specialize in high-quality display solutions. A display solution typically comprises an LCD, a touch panel, some enhancements that are application-specific, all the way through custom computing modules and full assembly. One of our key value strategies is service and support. We’re local to our customers. We facilitate all of our design development business activities here in the US. We build in the US if we need to. We build overseas when we need to because we’re based in the USA. We service customers who have complex designs in small volumes to more commercial consumer-type designs in tens of thousands of volumes. Our customers are typically industrial OEMs that are embedding our products into a solution that they manufacture, a kiosk, a tablet, a mobile device of some sort, a medical device, a military device. Our OEMs are widespread and generally use our products for their user interface needs.
Touch panels, cable assemblies and full product design
As part of our strategy, one of the key components of any good user interface is the front-end touch panel. This is the device or the front end that our client’s users interface with. So, not only mechanically does it meet objectives for durability optically, touch performance, but will it meet the objectives of the application and the expectations of the customer? So, we highlight our capabilities in the area of touch sensors and then we look at the rest of the bill of materials and requirements in a project, and cable assemblies are a very big one of them. Most engineers want to get cable assemblies off their table quickly. We make that very easy to complete a bill of materials in a project. We take our service as far as the client really requires, and that includes full product design services where we’ll look at what their packaging requirements are, what their aesthetics for their design look like, and through internal resources and partnerships, we’ll create that finished solution using all the great application-specific components and materials that we previously expect.
Sunlight-readable, rugged and unique-shape displays
You’re not going to do this with an off-the-shelf product. We take a typical off-the-shelf LCD and, in this case, we hybridize it for sunlight viewability and then we industrialize it or add a level of durability that allows for impact resistance and basically public use applications. Every client wants to have the brightest, nicest-looking user interface in their product. Very often, that means we have to look at some unique shapes, some unique platforms to meet our requirements, and that’s what this section of displays is all about: round displays, square displays, what’s called a bar-type display, which is long and thin. These come in various diameters and sizes, but these types of displays allow a client to put a display somewhere where they previously couldn’t.
Industrial displays and touch monitors
Let’s call them the workhorses of the display business. These would be considered traditional displays used for industrial applications: 8-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch, 15-inch. They’re used in a variety of applications OEM applications because they’re reliable, they’re well-built, they have the right performance, they’re comparatively priced. These products are categorized as touch monitors. These are more closer to a finished product where a client can bolt this into a kiosk or a chassis of some sort, apply power, apply signal, and they’re ready to go. The benefits here are the design and development time is shortened.
The application into their solution is easier, and for a lot of customers, they want that simplicity. These are touch monitors: two different technologies, two different chassis types, so the mounting options are many. They’re just a great solution to get a project off the ground quickly. This is a great alternative to using a commercial or consumer product like you might find in the consumer space because here you have longevity, you have support, you have short lead times. These are truly designed for the industrial application. And as opposed to a more consumer-related product, you can reach us by visiting dcltek.com.
Frequently asked questions
Why not use an off-the-shelf monitor or iPad in an industrial product?
Off-the-shelf consumer products aren’t built for the application. Industrial products need longevity support and displays that are industrialized for their use, such as sunlight viewability and impact resistance for public use.
What does a DCLTEK display solution include?
Typically an LCD, a touch panel and application-specific enhancements, extending to custom computing modules, cable assemblies and full assembly.
Where does DCLTEK design and build its products?
All design and development activities are done in the US. DCLTEK builds in the US when needed and overseas when needed, for designs from complex low-volume programs to tens of thousands of units.
When is a touch monitor the right choice?
When you want something closer to a finished product: bolt it into a kiosk or chassis, apply power and signal, and it’s ready to go. Touch monitors shorten design and development time and offer longevity, support and short lead times compared with consumer products.
Learn how DCLTEK supports OEM customers or browse embedded displays.
About DCL Technologies
DCL designs high quality display solutions that meet our clients’ overall objectives.
Our mission is to be the easiest display solution provider to do business with.
Our differentiator is a focus on delivering the best experience to our clients, at every desk. Our core value strategies are focused on making it easy for Engineers, Designers and Purchasing to get things done.
Contact:
Andrew Blum
DCL Technologies
800-407-8917
ablum@dcltek.com
www.dcltek.com
