Product category:
Materials and components
News Release from: MacDermid Autotype | Subject: Autoflex PC
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 10 November 2003
Nonreflective film improves Ortim's
image
Autoflex PC antiglare nonreflective film has been used in the development of the new Ortim a4 data collection equipment to protect its 10in colour display.
Based in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, Ortim is a medium-sized company that develops practical and innovative hardware solutions for the industrial engineering sector, chiefly in time management, work planning and business organisation Ortim has partners throughout Europe, plus customers in Africa, Brazil and Canada
For the first time the company has used Autotype's Autoflex PC antiglare film, to protect an integral 10-colour display being used in a new portable data collection system.
The Ortim a4 is a new system is designed for gathering local data for time studies.
These field evaluations can be immediately assessed and either recorded on paper or imported into a PC for further processing.
Manfred Stierle, in charge of development for hardware and housing at Ortim, explains: "For the new system we were seeking a film that both suited the new display in terms of quality and also provided a protective function".
Stierle adds: "I always try to find the most suitable material for our equipment when I am developing our products.
We had previously used PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) film.
This was adequate for monochrome displays, but we were not satisfied with it for the new colour display.
Only etched glass windows were available in the market at the time and these caused a shimmering effect with colour displays.
This phenomenon has a significant effect on the ability to see graphics and text and does not comply with our desire for optimum user-friendliness".
Stierle continues: "I also researched the Internet while seeking the ideal product and quickly came across the Autotype web site.
The requested samples came by return and were immediately tested by us".
Autoflex PC is a high-value, hard-coated polycarbonate film, manufactured by Autotype in Wantage, England, and consists of a polycarbonate base material with a textured, chemically bonded and UV-cured tough coating.
Autoflex PC combines excellent optical clarity with high scratch and chemical resistance.
The film is especially suitable for applications in which tougher films are needed and where consistent gloss or anti-reflective surfaces are demanded.
Stierle continues that when the test results were available: "The enthusiasm of our management team was simply overwhelming.
The Autotype film is extremely thin and is therefore very light, has good antiglare properties and produces a brilliant display image.
The legibility of graphics has been dramatically increased, enhancing the performance and functionality of our new Ortim a4 system.
This was of course the main reason that persuaded us to use Autoflex PC for our Ortim a4".
"The display must also be protected against humidity and the tests that we made produced excellent results.
This was a further reason why we decided to use this film in the new Ortim a4 and are now also using it in our existing Ortim a3 system".
Stierle concludes: "The film is marvellous, it can be easily cut with a hand cutting machine and it is really ideal for our equipment.
I also believe that this type of Autotype polycarbonate film will be excellent for other DSTN (dual scan twisted nematic) or TFT (thin film transistor) applications, as the antiglare properties will have a positive effect on the effects of stray light". Request a free brochure from MacDermid Autotype ...
• MacDermid Autotype: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
