Printing technology for flexible displays

One of  the world ’s  leading suppliers of printing technology, Toppan Printing Co.,  Ltd  and the recognised leader in flexible display technology, Plastic Logic, showcased the first large-area, flexible digital signage prototype, based on Plastic Logic’s innovative flexible plastic displays at Retailtech Japan. This is the first time in the world that a flexible, reflective digital signage module over 40” in size, using organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), has been publicly shown.

The large-area flexible electrophoretic display  (EPD)  module  consists  of  16 10.7” Plastic Logic monochrome flexible plastic displays, which have been tiled together, in a 4 x 4 configuration, to create a 42” diagonal display with an effective pixel pitch of 0.7 mm. This resolution is approximately six times higher than existing EPD signage, which makes it particularly suitable for applications with close viewing distances. The inherent bi-stability of Plastic Logic’s displays (the image is maintained even when there is no power) means that the module has very low power consumption. Moreover, because
the displays are reflective, which is the same as paper, they can not only be read in any lighting condition, including bright sunlight, but also from almost any angle, making them ideal for digital signage solutions both outdoors and indoors.

Being less than 3mm thick and very lightweight,  the flexible large-format EPD signage can be hung on a wall like a poster. Furthermore, it enables a wide range of new and improved applications, such as informational signage in public facilities, which can be quickly updated to provide disaster-related information in an emergency situation where battery-operation is required, due to its ultra-low power consumption.

EPD signage development

Toppan Printing has been developing large-area EPD signage since 2004 and has extensive expertise in various applications.  Plastic Logic has been leading the development of flexible plastic EPD based  on OTFTs since 2007 and operates the world’s first and currently only volume manufacturing facility for organic electronics, where it manufactures flexible plastic displays (colour and monochrome) of  various  sizes.  Both companies are now working on market opportunities for modular, large-area flexible EPD signage, offering a range of sizes going forward.

Plastic Logic’s CEO, Indro Mukerjee stated: “We are extremely pleased to be presenting another world-first enabled by Plastic Logic’s large-area plastic displays together with Toppan Printing at Retailtech Japan. This 42” daylight-readable digital signage module is just one of the many exciting and varied applications of our plastic flexible displays, which not only enable  particularly  light  and  thin  end applications, but also revolutionary form factors, such as wearable and mobile devices.”

Jin Endo, Head of B usiness Development Centre at Toppan Printing Co.,  Ltd.  said:  “We  are  delighted to cooperate with Plastic Logic to open new frontiers with regard to large-area flexible EPD. This new signage solution offers all the benefits of current EPD signage,  including ultra-low power consumption, which is crucial for disaster-ready applications in the post-earthquake society of Japan, but with the additional advantage of a much higher resolution and a considerably lower module weight.”

Since Plastic Logic was founded by researchers from the Cavendish Laboratory at CambrNike