Bend Testing of Screens and Display Panels
ASTM C158-02 | ASTM C1499-15 | ISO 13356
Screens and display panels are integral parts of electronic devices, whether they are touch capable or not. OEMs are pushing the envelope by quickly adopting new technologies, like organic light-emitting diode (OLED), to enhance visual experience compared with traditional LCD or plasma displays. OLEDs are comprised of a series of multi-layered organic films between two conductors emitting bright light under electric current, therefore not needing a backlight mechanism. Consequently, they are thinner and more efficient than traditional displays. Due to their multi-layer structure, testing display panels, such as OLEDs, is critical when attempting to understand the strength of each layer and all of the layers together.
The 6800 Series single and dual column systems are suitable for conducting bend testing of screens and display panels. Various fixtures are available for performing 3-point and 4-point bend tests. 3-point bend tests are used to determine the strength of thin film materials at localized regions, and to understand failures such as cracks in those regions. Alternatively, 4-point bend tests are used to maximize bend during testing and increase the probability of failure throughout the panel. Bluehill® Universal software has the capability to create user-friendly methods and measure results from bend testing (maximum force, flexural strength, etc.). Furthermore, tests can be set up using Bluehill Universal to conduct low cycle bend testing (1 Hz.).