small LCD displays

Hello,

Does anyone of you know a supplier of very small LCD displays (on the order of 5mmx15mm or so), the kind you see in some digital watches etc. ? Preferably just the display panel itself, no controller. Should be max. 2mm thick.

All I seem to be able to find on the web are either too large character or numeric modules like the type used in calculators or multimeters (typically at least 40 or 50 mm wide and often quite ), or big color graphic displays like in cellphones or digital cameras. Someone must make smaller panels, as the watch makers are obviously using them...

We'll need just small quantities for development, but there should be the possibility for production quantities in a later phase.

thanks, Tom

Reply to
Tom
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You'll probably have to go custom, but this needn't be expensive for a small one as cost is mostly proportional to area. A colleague a while ago mentioned a price of GBP500 (~US$1000) for tooling plus a few hundred parts

- they didn't bother with the sample/approval/production cycle, they just did the few hundred they needed as samples ( and crossed their fingers....)

Reply to
Mike Harrison

one as cost is mostly

plus a few hundred parts

the few hundred they

We had some customized LCDs made once. It was a *very* minor variation on a suppliers standard product. They were about half the price of their standard ones! Apparently they price custom parts with a different system. :)

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John Devereux
Reply to
John Devereux

14.71mm x 23.7mm
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Reply to
mkaras

We ordered 10,000 25x15 for 0.60 each. I am sure they can make 50x40 for around 1 dollar. Send me a drawing and spec (static, x2, x3 or x4) and I can get you a quote. Use the contact form at

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Reply to
linnix

Sorry, got the wrong size. 15x5 should be around 0.25. Minimum order of USD $500.

Reply to
linnix

You do know you'll most likely have to use elastomer connectors?

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Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

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Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

connectors?

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We made it a dip with dual rows of 9 pins 0.1" pitch. The LCD can be placed on a ZIP socket for testing. The one show at

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is 12 segments x 4 commons for 3 digits plus labels. It is driven by an AVR Atmega169.

Reply to
linnix

connectors?

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We'll probably avoid the elastomer connectors in this application by permanently bonding the LCD panel to a carrying flex (if an LCD fails we can dispose of the entire unit so that is not an issue).

Thanks for the suggestions; the suggested FEMA panel comes close to the requirements, but with the DIL pins it's probably not useable as- is. We'll probably go custom then. The mentioned minimum order of 500$ is a nice surprise, I was expecting a lot more digits in the minimum order amount for custom things like this.

greetings, Tom

Reply to
Tom

connectors?

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Yes, they can mount it on flex. They can also mount your choice of controller on the glass or flex. Since they buy in volume, their module cost (PCB/uC/LCD) is cheaper than us buying the uC alone.

Your $500 order can peggy back on our $5000 orders.

Reply to
linnix

connectors?

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I guess it depends whether the 5mm height includes the pins or not. If so, there's not going to be much room left for the display, even with a single row of 2.54mm pitch pins. I've seen the watch displays sold as standard very cheaply, something like five cents asking price, but they're a PITA to use in small quantities without the pins. Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

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Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

connectors?

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Do you have a good source for relatively small quantities of flex PCB?

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

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Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

connectors?

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Yes, they can do flex too. But setup cost is usually higher than rigid. We use rigid for mounting rubber buttons, where the contact points are on the PCB.

Reply to
linnix

I think we have the same idea, but different size. Our next LCD glass will be combinations of clock, temperature, multimeter, etc. By the way, the Atmega169 can drive three to four LCD glasses simultaneously. The LCD layout has been updated on

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Of course, if you don't like our design, the factory can do anything you design.

Reply to
linnix

In case it ain't too late: The common unit designator for kilometers per hour is "km/h", not "kph".

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Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

one as cost is mostly

plus a few hundred parts

the few hundred they

LCD pricing is often weird. Standard products are expensive unless you can find a cheap source other than the mainstream distributors. It's similar with HD44780-equipped alphanumeric versions where distributor prices are often outrageous. No idea why.

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Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

The customer ask for MPH (US) and KPH (~US). The customer is alway right.

LCD productions are very labor intensive and difficult to change. It's unlikely to find any distributor who would be willing to stock "standard products" as well. Making custom products and standard products are the same. They have to setup the entire production line to make them. They can make a few hundreds, but probably cost the same as thousands.

Reply to
linnix

True. But sometimes when I have a hunch they could change their mind I quietly add stuff, just in case. Last year on a dosimetry design:

"Well, ahem, I guess we should have written the spec so the design could also support double dosages but I guess it's water under the bridge now." ... "Not too late, just move the resistor at R41 to the empty location at R44." ... "Whew!"

I realize that. But often the modules sold are identical to ones used in fax machines or printers, yet they want top Dollar. And then the sale doesn't happen because everyone goes custom or opts for another kind of user interface.

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Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

Not going to happen. We already made 10,000 LCDs with MPH/KPH on a previous version. This is just an updated design.

We deal directly with the factory. The "standard parts" are for references only, since they don't really stock them. Once they have the tooling done, they can turn out 10,000 in a few hours.

Reply to
linnix

Then it's a different story, a proven design. Most of the time it's the marketing folks who come up with five minutes past twelve type changes.

I also have a client where the LCD doesn't really change much and that's custom as well.

Do you guys always spec LCDs with pins instead of rubber contacts? I found rubber contacts not to be too reliable. The other issue is ESD even if there is plastic film in front. A wee bit too much displacement current while the uC is off and bzzzt, there goes the substrate diode and that LCD section is dead.

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Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

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