Why are 8.6 generation TFT factories so popular, especially in China? Why don't new panel manufacturers simply adopt the glass substrate sizes that have been around for years and build traditional 8.5 generation factories? Is there a specific reason for the transition from 8.5 to 8.6? This is a topic that many equipment manufacturers discuss with panel manufacturers.
Over the past two decades, the generation of TFT LCDS (also expressed in glass substrate sizes) has evolved from generation 1 to generation 10.
Due to product differentiation, process engineering and niche market objectives, panel manufacturers choose special glass substrate sizes and invent new generation sizes with small values derived from existing glass substrate sizes (e.g., line 7, line 8 and line 10) (e.g., line 7.5, line 8.5 and line 10.5). Due to heavy investment and the acceptance of these new sizes by new entrants in the TFT LCD market (for plant construction and capacity construction), these special derivatives have become mainstream factories.
Line 8.5 and Line 8.6 are now mainstream plants with production capacity for TFT LCD, WOLED and QD OLED panels.
2006: The first eight-generation factory
While Korean panel makers like Samsung Display and Lg Display, as well as Chinese panel makers like AUO and Chimei (later renamed Innolun), chose seven generation line (187x2200mm) and 7.5 generation line (1950x2250mm) glass substrate sizes to produce 4xinch LCD TV panels, It has good economic cutting and panel efficiency, but Sharp has opted for a higher generation line, expanding its glass substrate size to cut into larger TV panels.
Sharp pioneered its eight-generation factory with a 2160x2460mm glass substrate. It is an extension of the seven generation line factory and can produce the following products:
32 inch panel, 18 pieces, 98% cutting efficiency
46 "panel, 8 pieces, 90% cutting efficiency
52 "panel, 6 pieces, cutting efficiency of 86%
60 - or 62-inch panels, 3 pieces, 60% cutting efficiency
60 "MMG (sleeve cut), 3 pieces, and 32" 3 pieces, cutting efficiency is 85%
This eight-generation line factory is the first in the world and is designed to compete with 7-7.5 generation line factories, which produce 12-cut 32-inch panels, 6-cut 46-inch panels, and 3-cut 52-inch panels. Sharp is at the forefront of LCD TV panel production, and its eight-generation line launch sets a model for reference for years to come.
2007: Samsung displays the first 8.5 generation factory
Shortly after the production of sharp's 8GEN line at its factory, Samsung Display revamped the 8gen line idea, expanding its substrate size from 2160x2400 mm to 2200x2500 mm and renaming it "8.5Gen Line".
Samsung Display began mass production of the following products at its generation 8.5 plant:
32 "panel, 18 pieces cut, panel efficiency 92%
46-49 inch panels, 8 piece cuts, 85 percent to 90 percent panel efficiency
55 inch face, 6 pieces cut, panel efficiency 91%
65 "panel, 3 pieces cut, panel efficiency of 64%
65 "MMG, three cuts, and 32" three cuts, 94% panel efficiency
With the new 8.5-generation factory, Samsung Display can produce 46-49-inch panels to compete with 46-inch panels (similar cutting efficiency and depreciation cost), 55-inch panels to compete with 52-inch panels (similar cutting efficiency and depreciation cost), and 65-inch panels to compete with 62-inch panels.
The concept is to expand the glass substrate, reduce the space for craft lines, and produce larger-sized panels that can compete in the TV market (consumers are price - and size-sensitive).
Samsung display's 8.5-generation factory immediately gained popularity and has been adopted by many panel manufacturers since 2007. Lg Display and AU Optronics started mass production of 8.5-generation TFT LCD plants in 2009, while Innolux (then known as Chimei) started mass production of 8.5-generation TFT LCD plants in 2010.
When TFT LCD panel manufacturers in mainland China decided to expand production to 8-generation line and above, boe and Huaxin both chose 8.5-generation line factories to enter the LCD TV panel market. Boe and Huaxing's line 8.5 plants started operation in 2011.
2007-2017: The prevalence of the 8.5 generation line and competition between 46, 47, 48 and 49 inch panels
During this decade, although the 8.5-generation line factories did not further develop to the new generation line, panel manufacturers continued to expand their 8.5-generation line capacity; 8.5 generation factories become the mainstream of LCD TV panel production. The 8.5 generation TFT array production area also grew from 1.1 million square meters in 2007 to 135.7 million square meters in 2017.
At the same time, competition is fierce, especially for the 46 - and 48-inch and 47 - and 49-inch panels, which are manufactured in the 8.5 generation factory. However, panel manufacturers have reduced the space for panel design lines and craftsmanship to achieve an inch larger size than their peers. Samsung Display and AU Optronics started producing 46 inches, then Lg Display started producing 47 inches. Samsung Display gave back 48 inches, while Lg Display countered by increasing its panel size to 49 inches. Competition among 8.5-generation panel manufacturers is harsh and extensive, but there is no doubt that 55-inch panels become the mainstream of 50-inch and above LCD TV sizes, as 8.5-generation line factories promote the production of 55-inch panels. At the same time, LCD manufacturers in Mainland China use their 8.5-generation factories to produce a large number of 32-inch panels, driving the popularity of this panel size in the market.
2012: Lg Display began production of the 8.5-generation WOLED
Lg Display has set a long-term goal of commercializing OLED TV panels with a white OLED structure and oxide TFT backplane. Starting in 2012, Lg Display converted its TFT LCD production at its P8 plant (8.5-generation line, glass substrate size 2250x2600 mm) to oxide TFT backplane and WOLED TV panel production. From 2012 to 2020, Lg Display continuously increased its 8.5-generation WOLED TV panel production capacity by integrating with the traditional 8.5-generation TFT LCD production capacity. Lg Display also built a new 8.5-generation WOLED TV panel factory in Guangzhou, China in 2020. The company's WOLED TV panel production capacity soared to more than 7 million units a year.
From 2015: MMG of 8.5 generation line
MMG stands for multi-type glass, which means panel makers cut panels of different sizes on a single glass substrate. Since every panel manufacturer uses 8.5 generation factories, the competition becomes very homogeneous. Competition on price rather than product differentiation has changed panel manufacturers' thinking; They want to find a solution. Many MMG display panels were developed during this period, many of which are still in mass production today. These MMG display panels are manufactured in the 8.5 generation plant, examples are as follows:
43 "and 23" panels (Samsung display)
42-inch and 21.5-inch panels (AU Optronics and Lg Display)
42.5 and 18.5 inch panels (BOE)
60 and 32 inch panels (Samsung display, Lg Display)
65 and 32 inch panels (Samsung display, Lg Display)
41.5-inch and 23.6-inch panels (Innolux, Huaxing)
65 and 55 inch panels (Lg Display)
42.5-inch panel, 10 pieces cut in 8.5 generation factory (LG Display, BOE)
49 "and 75" panels (Lg Display)
2017: Innolux develops 8.6 generation factories, followed by Huike
Fierce competition among 8.5 generation products (such as 32-, 40-42-, 46-49- and 55-inch panels) spurred innolux to change thinking. It began to further expand the 8.5-generation line glass substrate to promote larger panel sizes, avoiding stiff competition while increasing the demand for different sizes.
Innolon held talks with lithographic tool manufacturers (such as Canon) and photomask manufacturers to innovate the size of glass substrates; The idea for its 8.6 generation line is to use a 2250x2600 mm glass substrate, which is slightly larger than the 2250x2500 mm glass substrate for the 8.5 generation line. Here, the length side of the glass substrate is enlarged to produce a larger size panel.
The 8.6 generation factory initiated by Innolux was later copied and carried forward by many LCD panel manufacturers in mainland China, gradually changing the size of LCD TV panels.
8.6 OEM factory produced display panels of the following sizes:
32 inch, 18 piece cut, 87% panel efficiency
50 ", 8 piece cut, panel efficiency 94%
58 inches, 6 cuts, 95% panel efficiency
For 45-inch and 23.6-inch (or 21.5-inch) MMG, 8-piece cut, panel efficiency is 94%
The 50 "size of the 8.6 generation factory is designed to compete with the 48 and 49" sizes of the 8.5 generation factory. The 45 "size of the 8.6 foundry is designed to compete with the 42 and 43" sizes of the 8.5 foundry. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the 58 "size of the 8.6 generation line factory is intended to compete with the 55" size of the 8.5 generation line factory.
