- Monitor Basics in Plain English
- 10 ways to address eye fatigue caused by displays
- EIZO 4K Monitors – high definition and large screen sizes
- Confused about HiDPI and Retina display? ― Understanding pixel density in the age of 4K
- EIZO Optical Bonding
- The Latest on Computer Screens and Eye Fatigue
- Pixel Pitch and Enlarged Mode
- Native Resolution and Enlarge Mode
- How can a screen sense touch? A basic understanding of touch panels
- Is the beauty of a curve decisive for color reproduction? Learning about LCD monitor gamma
- Smoother Video with Cutting-Edge Technologies: LCD Monitor I/P Conversion
- Altering color dramatically with a single setting: Examining color temperature on an LCD monitor
- Maximum Display Colors and Look-Up Tables: Two Considerations When Choosing a Monitor
- DisplayPort to D-Sub: The Full Range of LCD Monitor Video Input Interfaces
- The Ability to Display Color Correctly Is Vital: Understanding the Color Gamut of an LCD Monitor
- The Making of a FlexScan Monitor
- Are the response time figures true? A close look at LCD video performance
- The difference in image quality is perfectly obvious! – Let's check the LCD's display
- Making Full Use of the "External" LCD with Laptop Computers
- Videos
- Color Management Resources
| Introduction | Production Line Characteristics | A Tour of Our Production Line |
A Tour of Our Production Line
There are six steps to manufacturing a FlexScan monitor: Assembly → Aging → Adjustment → White Balance and DUE Adjustment (for SX series models) → Adjustment → Testing → Packaging. Here, we will briefly introduce each step.
|
A plastic cover that protects the screen surface is removed and the LCD panel is then turned face down. |
|
|
An inverter PCB (printed circuit board) is placed on the back of the LCD panel and affixed with an electric drill. |
|
|
A protective metal frame is placed over the LCD panel. |
|
|
The next worker prepares the front bezel and adds cushioning material before placing the LCD panel inside. |
|
|
Once the LCD panel is encased inside the bezel, the power PCB and main PCB, manufactured by EIZO at a separate factory, are added. |
|
|
The next part of the assembly process is automated screw insertion. Here, each model is recognized by its RFID (radio frequency identification) tag. A CCD (charge coupled device) camera confirms the proper location for screw insertion and then a robotic arm inserts the screws. The screen superimposed in the video shows the movement of the CCD camera and robotic arm. |
|
|
Flexible flat cables that connect the power board and the main controller are attached. |
|
|
A shielding plate is placed over monitor and then affixed with an electric drill. |
|
|
The final stage in the assembly process is the attachment of the stand. The stand shown here is known simply as a "height adjustable stand." EIZO offers a variety of stands, all of which are developed in-house. |
|
|
Once assembly is complete, each monitor undergoes an initial screen check inside of an image inspection apparatus. Inside black curtains, a CCD camera automatically determines if the monitor is displaying an image correctly. |
|
Aging
After the initial screen check, monitors are automatically moved down the production line where they go through an "aging" process. Aging serves three purposes.
- To check that the LCD module does not exhibit image retention when left on for a short period of time.
- To ensure the circuit boards are operating properly.
- To stabilize brightness before adjusting the monitor's white balance in the next step of the production process.
|
The image quality has not been tested and adjusted yet so discrepancies in brightness and color display between monitors are noticeable. |
|
Adjustment
|
In this automated process, a camera inside a glass compartment examines then adjusts the color temperature, gamma, white balance, and brightness of each monitor. Most monitors continue on to the next phase of testing, but in the event that a monitor does not pass, then it is removed from the line and examined. |
|
White Balance and DUE Adjustment (for SX series models)
EIZO's SX series of FlexScan monitors for graphic and web design, CAD/CAM work, and digital photography, undergo white balance and DUE (digital uniformity equalizer) adjustment. Two monitors at a time are automatically moved into a dark room. The first phase of the testing is preliminary white balance testing to stabilize the brightness. Next, DUE adjustment minimizes the discrepancies in brightness between the center and the perimeter of the screen that are characteristic of all LCD panels. After the DUE adjustment is completed, the white balance is adjusted so that neutral colors will be rendered correctly. White balance and DUE adjustment are performed in a dark room, but the process and the results are shown on monitors outside the dark room.
 |
 |
Testing
|
Each monitor is individually inspected by the human eye. Although automated testing by a machine is adequate for low grayscale tones, the human eye is still the best tool for judging whether midtones and hues are displayed properly. If the monitor has built-in speakers then the worker checks the audio with earphones and taps the frame with a padded stick to ensure it can withstand light shocks. |
|
|
After the monitor clears all tests, the serial number is scanned, the RFID tag is removed from the palette, and the product is ready for packaging. |
|
|
Monitors continue down the conveyer belt where they will be transported to another floor for packaging. |
|
Packaging
|
Monitors are delicately hand-packed prior to shipping in recyclable cardboard boxes. |
|
|
After packaging is complete, the monitors are loaded onto a truck where they will begin their journey to the customer. |
|
