There is no “best,” only “better”
The Taiwanese display industry has made a remarkable comeback, says Lee Cheng-chung, deputy director of the Electronic and Optoelectronic System Research Laboratories at the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), who has dedicated a significant portion of his career to display technology. He believes that thanks to the government’s implementation since the 2010s of a series of programs in support of the display industry, as part of a long-term effort to promote the independent production of related materials and equipment and thereby to reduce reliance on imports, Taiwan now boasts the world’s most comprehensive display-sector supply chain.
To better compete with the Chinese supply chain, since 2016 Taiwan’s two leading panel manufacturers have been making adjustments to their operations, shifting their focus towards producing high-value products, implementing automated production, and using AI recognition systems to replace manual inspections. As the electronic components have become smaller and smaller, they have improved dust control and achieved higher photolithographic resolutions, resulting in better color saturation and image quality.
Both AUO and Innolux have seen the fruits of their efforts in Industry 4.0, automation, and smart manufacturing, obtaining Lighthouse Factory certification from the World Economic Forum. In response to the demand for remote work brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, Taiwan’s panel makers have been raking in cash.
With their excellent quality and affordable prices, popular television brands such as Samsung and LG have made top Taiwanese producers like AUO and Innolux their go-tos. However, as Lee Cheng-chung remarks, “We can’t rest on our laurels. We are the unsung heroes behind these companies, but we can always do better.”
Various applications of display technology
