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Epson Develops “First” Inkjet Equipment for Manufacturing Color Filters
DEC 2006 — Seiko Epson Corp has developed inkjet equipment for manufacturing color filters compatible with 8th-generation large LCDs. This equipment has been installed at Sharp Corp’s Kameyama Plant No. 2 and is in operation for production of color filters destined for Sharp’s latest large-screen LCD TVs.The inkjet-based color filter manufacturing technique grew out of research into industrial applications for inkjet technology conducted by Epson over many years. Through its participation in the Future Vision project to develop next-generation displays, the company worked this research into a method for manufacturing large-screen LCD TVs that has attracted attention for its remarkable effectiveness in reducing both the environmental impact and the cost of manufacturing. Epson will continue to develop its inkjet-based manufacturing equipment business — including color filter applications — to contribute to the widespread introduction of next-generation manufacturing processes.Based on original Micro Piezo head techniques accumulated in the course of its inkjet printer business, the company has researched and developed new technologies for applying inkjet methods to industrial processes. These efforts have resulted in a range of applications including a method of forming alignment layers for LCDs using inkjet technology — claimed to be the world’s first industrial application of inkjet technology. Manufacturing of color filters with inkjet methods is another result of the R&D conducted by Epson’s LCD business over the last 10 years with a view to commercialization of industrial inkjet applications.At the same time, the company took part in the project led by Future Vision to develop next-generation displays and looked at how its original technologies could help to advance industrial processes. By cooperating with Sharp Corp, which also took part in the project, the company succeeded in developing the world’s first manufacturing technology to produce color filters for large-screen LCD TVs using inkjet methods.Compared to conventional color filter manufacturing methods, this new technology achieves better color properties. Moreover, it is an environmentally friendly next-generation manufacturing technology that significantly reduces waste volumes. Amid trends towards larger flat panel displays and lower prices, inkjet is likely to become the mainstream method of manufacturing color filters. More than 50% of color filter manufacturing for large-screen LCD TVs is forecast to switch to inkjet methods within the next three years, making this technology the de facto industry standard.
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