The requirements of industrial environments for touch panels are much higher than those of consumer products, and they need to have high reliability, strong environmental adaptability and stable human-computer interaction capabilities. In industrial equipment applications, the size and characteristics of the touch screen selection needs to be a comprehensive consideration of operational needs, environmental adaptability and reliability. The following is a specific analysis:
1. Mainstream size requirements
The popular size of touch panels in industrial equipment is usually centered between 7 inches and 15 inches, the specific choice depends on the application scenario:
(1) 7-10 inches
Application scenarios: portable devices, small control panels, HMI (Human Machine Interface), embedded systems.
Advantages: space saving, lower cost, suitable for simple parameter setting or status monitoring.
(2) 10-15 inches
Application Scenario: Medium and large machinery control, production line monitoring, PLC interactive interface.
Advantage: display more information (e.g. flow chart, multiple parameters on the same screen), more convenient operation.
(3) More than 15 inches
Application Scenario: Central control room, complex process visualization (such as SCADA system).
Note: Need to weigh the installation space and cost.
Trend: With the advancement of Industry 4.0, 10-12 inch screen has become the first choice for many new equipments due to the balance of information and space occupation.
2. Key Feature Requirements
The reliability requirements of industrial environments for touchscreens are much higher than those for consumer-grade products, and they need to have the following characteristics:
(1) High environmental resistance
Protection level: at least IP65 (dustproof, waterproof), humid or dusty environment needs to be higher (such as IP67).
Wide temperature operation: -20°C to 60°C, special models required for cold or high temperature environments.
Vibration/Shock Resistance: Complies with IEC 60068 standard for mechanical vibration.
(2) Touch Technology Options
Resistive touch screen: Resistant to gloves and stains, suitable for factory environments where gloves are worn, but with low light transmission.
Capacitive touch screen: supports multi-touch, fast response, but needs to be adapted to industrial glove mode (e.g. projected capacitive technology).
(3) Display performance
High brightness (≥1000 nits): Responds to bright light environments (e.g., outdoors or in a high-light shop).
Wide viewing angle (IPS panel): Ensures readability at different angles.
(4) Durability and Longevity
Scratch-resistant surfaces: Chemically reinforced glass (e.g. Dragontrail) or blast-proof film.
Long-life components: LED backlight life ≥ 50,000 hours, reducing maintenance frequency.
(5) Interfaces and Compatibility
Industrial protocol support: e.g. Profinet, EtherCAT, Modbus, etc. for easy integration with PLC/devices.
Modular design: Supports extended interfaces (e.g. RS-485, CAN bus).
The core of industrial touch screen is reliability and scene adaptability. Size selection needs to balance the information density and space constraints, while the characteristics need to be customized for the harshness of the environment.