Why Do Display Coating Problems Cost Businesses Money?

Every day, businesses lose productivity and customer satisfaction due to display readability issues. Outdoor kiosks become unreadable in sunlight. Medical equipment screens create dangerous glare for healthcare workers. Touch devices accumulate fingerprints, which can be frustrating for users and require regular cleaning. Industrial control panels reflect overhead lighting, making critical information difficult to see.

At Orient Display, we’ve engineered coating solutions to help manufacturers solve these exact problems across automotive, medical, industrial, and consumer applications. The right coating choice can mean the difference between a display that enhances user experience and one that creates operational headaches.

What Are AG, AF, and AR Display Coatings?

Display coatings are specialized surface treatments that solve specific visibility and usability problems. The three most effective solutions are:

AG (Anti-Glare) reduces harsh reflections and eye strain by creating a matte surface that scatters light, making displays more comfortable to view under bright lighting.

AF (Anti-Fingerprint) creates an oil and water-repelling surface that prevents fingerprint buildup and makes displays easier to clean, crucial for touch interfaces.

AR (Anti-Reflection) uses optical interference to eliminate mirror-like reflections while maintaining crystal-clear image quality, essential for outdoor and high-brightness applications.

How Do These Coatings Compare for Performance and Applications?

Based on our extensive testing and customer deployments, here’s how these coatings perform across key metrics:

Can You Combine Different Coating Types?

Yes, and many applications benefit significantly from combined treatments. Here’s what our engineering experience has shown works best:

What’s the Best Coating for Outdoor Displays?

For outdoor applications, AR (Anti-Reflection) coating is typically the superior choice for outdoor use scenarios.

Outdoor displays face direct sunlight, which creates intense reflections that make screens unreadable. AR coating provides enhanced clarity and anti-reflection performance. AR coating can significantly improve visibility in bright outdoor conditions.

However, for cost-sensitive outdoor applications, AG coating is often recommended for cost-sensitive outdoor use, providing a reasonable compromise for glare reduction.

Our Recommendation: For applications requiring maximum clarity and outdoor visibility, choose AR coating. For budget-conscious applications, AG provides good value for outdoor glare reduction.

Which Coating Should Automotive Manufacturers Choose?

Automotive displays require the most demanding performance standards due to safety implications and harsh operating conditions. Based on our automotive partnerships, here’s what works:

For Dashboard and Center Console Displays: For automotive and industrial HMIs, we recommend:

• AG + AR or AG + AR + AF composite treatment provides optimal performance
• AG reduces glare and relieves visual fatigue
• AR reduces reflectance and enhances image clarity
• AF prevents fingerprint buildup that could obstruct critical information

For HUD (Head-Up Display) Applications:

• AR coating is essential to prevent double imaging
• Must achieve very low reflectance for optical clarity
• Requires high-performance AR treatment for durability

What Coating Works Best for Touch Devices?

Touch devices prioritize feel, cleanliness, and visual quality. Here’s our recommended approach:

For Consumer Electronics (Phones, Tablets):

• AF + AR combination delivers the best user experience
• AF coating provides a smooth touch feel and fingerprint resistance
• AR coating maintains display clarity and reduces battery drain from increased brightness compensation

For Industrial Touch Panels:

• AG + AF combination handles harsh usage patterns
• AG reduces glare in industrial lighting environments
• AF coating must withstand frequent cleaning with industrial solvents

How Are These Coatings Manufactured and Applied?

Understanding the manufacturing process helps explain performance differences and cost variations. Here are the primary methods we use:

AG (Anti-Glare) Processing Methods

Chemical Etching (Glass Applications)

• Process: Acid etching creates microscopic surface irregularities
• Performance: 88-91% light transmission, 3-6% reflectance
• Best for: High-durability applications, harsh environments
• Cost: Medium

AG Film Application

• Process: Micro-particle resin coating applied to PET film base
• Performance: 89-93% light transmission, 2-4% reflectance
• Best for: Cost-effective applications, easy installation
• Cost: Medium to high

AF (Anti-Fingerprint) Processing Methods

Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)

• Process: Vacuum deposition of fluorinated compounds
• Performance: Contact angle up to 120°, >6H hardness
• Best for: High-durability, frequent-touch applications
• Cost: High

Solvent-Based Coating

• Process: Solution application of fluorosilane compounds
• Performance: Contact angle 100-115°, moderate durability
• Best for: Standard consumer applications
• Cost: Low to medium

UV-Cured Nanocoating

• Process: UV-polymerized fluoropolymer coating
• Performance: Contact angle 95-110°, good weather resistance
• Best for: Outdoor applications, balanced cost/performance
• Cost: Medium

AR (Anti-Reflection) Processing Methods

Vacuum Thin-Film Coating

• Process: Multi-layer optical films (MgF₂, SiO₂, TiO₂) deposited in vacuum
• Performance: <0.5% reflectance, 97-99% transmission
• Best for: Premium applications requiring maximum performance
• Cost: High

Sol-Gel Nanocoating

• Process: Spray or dip application of nanoscale materials
• Performance: 1-2% reflectance, 96-98% transmission
• Best for: Cost-effective AR solution
• Cost: Medium

Moth-Eye Nanostructure

• Process: Etched nanoscale surface structures
• Performance: <0.2% reflectance, 98-99% transmission
• Best for: Ultra-premium applications, wide viewing angles
• Cost: Very high

How Long Do Different Coating Types Last?

AF film adhesion and service life depend on the substrate and coating technology; it is prone to wear in environments with frequent wiping. Chemical-etched AG glass provides high durability with abrasion resistance, while AG films depend on the coating quality.

Key Durability Factors:

• Chemical-etched AG: High durability, abrasion resistant
• AG Films: Durability depends on coating quality
• PVD AF: Superior adhesion and longevity compared to other AF methods
• Solvent-based AF: Average durability, prone to degradation
• Vacuum AR coating: Excellent stability and long durability

Coating durability directly impacts total cost of ownership and should be considered when selecting treatments for specific applications.

How Much Do Different Coatings Cost?

Coating costs vary but does not provide specific cost multipliers. Cost considerations include initial treatment, durability, and maintenance over the product lifecycle. Different processing methods have varying cost implications:

• Chemical etching: Medium cost
• AG Film: Medium to high cost
• PVD AF: High cost
• Solvent-based AF: Low to medium cost
• UV-cured AF: Medium cost
• Vacuum AR: High cost
• Sol-Gel AR: Medium cost
• Moth-Eye nanostructure: Very high cost

High-end products often employ AG + AR + AF three-layer composite films or coatings, which have the highest cost and greatest processing difficulty.

What Makes Orient Display’s Coating Solutions Different?

Our 2 decades of display engineering experience mean we understand both the technical requirements and real-world challenges our customers face. We provide comprehensive technical analysis and application-specific recommendations to help you select the optimal coating solution.

Technical Expertise: We offer detailed guidance on coating selection, processing methods, and performance optimization for specific applications across automotive, medical, industrial, and consumer electronics sectors. Our engineering team understands the critical performance requirements for each application type and can recommend the most effective coating combinations for your specific needs.

Contact our engineering team to request a consultation: tech@orientdisplay.com

How Do I Choose the Right Coating for My Application?

Use this decision framework based on your primary requirements:

Step 1: Identify Your Primary Challenge

• Glare/Eye Strain: Start with AG coating evaluation
• Fingerprints/Cleaning: Prioritize AF coating solutions
• Reflections/Outdoor Visibility: Focus on AR coating options

Step 2: Consider Your Environment

• Indoor/Controlled Lighting: AG or AF coating often sufficient
• Outdoor/Variable Lighting: AR coating typically required
• High-Touch Applications: AF coating essential

Step 3: Evaluate Performance Requirements

• Consumer Products: Balance cost and performance
• Professional/Industrial: Prioritize durability and reliability
• Safety-Critical: Choose proven, high-performance solutions

Step 4: Assess Total Cost of Ownership

• Initial Cost: Compare coating treatment costs
• Maintenance: Factor in cleaning and replacement costs
• User Experience: Consider productivity and satisfaction impacts

What Questions Should I Ask When Selecting a Coating Partner?

When evaluating coating suppliers, these questions reveal technical capability and experience:

Technical Questions:

• What specific coating processes do you control in-house?
• Can you provide performance data from similar applications?
• How do you ensure coating uniformity across large displays?
• What quality control testing do you perform?

Experience Questions:

• How many similar projects have you completed?
• Can you provide customer references in my industry?
• What technical challenges have you solved for similar applications?
• How do you handle custom coating requirements?

Support Questions:

• What engineering support do you provide during design?
• How do you handle performance testing and validation?
• What documentation and certification can you provide?
• How do you support field issues or warranty claims?

Ready to Solve Your Display Coating Challenges?

Whether you’re dealing with outdoor readability issues, fingerprint accumulation, or glare problems, the right coating solution can transform your display performance. Our engineering team has solved these exact challenges across thousands of applications.

Next Steps:

1. Technical Consultation: Share your application requirements with our engineering team
2. Performance Testing: We’ll recommend optimal coating solutions and provide test samples
3. Cost Analysis: Receive detailed pricing and total cost of ownership analysis
4. Production Planning: Integrate coating solutions into your manufacturing timeline

Contact our engineering team: tech@orientdisplay.com

Request a consultation: Share your display specifications, operating environment, and performance requirements for customized coating recommendations.

Orient Display has been engineering custom display solutions with expertise spanning automotive, medical, industrial, and consumer electronics applications. Our coating solutions are deployed in devices worldwide, from automotive dashboards to medical equipment interfaces.

History of E-Ink Digital Art Frames

Early Inspiration (2000s) – E Ink’s Birth and First Uses

E Ink or E-Paper was invented at MIT in the late 1990s  (later commercialized by E Ink Corporation in 1997). Its first major application was eReaders like the Amazon Kindle, thanks to its paper-like readability and low power consumption.

During this time, digital picture frames using LCDs began to appear, but they were power-hungry and always needed to be plugged in. While people loved the idea of dynamic art displays, traditional LCDs weren’t ideal for minimalist or power-efficient decor—enter e-ink.

Niche and Experimental Frames (2010–2015)

In the early 2010s, some DIY enthusiasts and early adopters began using small ePaper displays (like those from Pervasive Displays or Waveshare) to create custom digital frames. These were typically black-and-white, used for line drawings or comics, and updated via Raspberry Pi or Arduino.

Projects like:

• Framed 2.0 (2014 Kickstarter) tried using e-ink for art but pivoted to high-end LCD.
• Kindle hacks let people display static images or art on old Kindle screens.

These were creative but limited, due to small screen sizes, low resolution, and lack of color.

Commercial Emergence (2016–2020)

As E Ink technology improved, a few startups began releasing dedicated e-ink digital art frames, emphasizing minimalism, aesthetic calmness, and zero light pollution. Key players included:

• Modos Paper Monitor – focused on productivity and code/art display
• Visionect / Joan – used e-ink for signage but inspired display ideas
• Framestation, Inkplate – DIY-friendly open-source displays

Still, most were DIY or commercial signage rather than high-resolution color frames for digital fine art.

Breakthroughs with Color E Ink (2020–2023)

The launch of E Ink Kaleido (color filter) and Spectra (multi-color particles) marked a turning point. These allowed for limited color digital art, though still with lower saturation than LCDs.

Now, new products like:

• Lemur Ink – aimed at artists and collectors
• Color e-ink photo frames from China (Alibaba, Waveshare panels)
• QuirkLogic and Mudita – focused on lifestyle calmness and intentional display

They emphasized ultra-low power, eco-friendliness, and aesthetic quietness, aligning with modern interior design and wellness trends.

Spectra 6 and the Future (2024+)

With E Ink Spectra 6 in 2023–2024, digital art frames can now display six vivid colors (including blue and green) with high contrast (30:1) and resolutions up to 200 PPI.

This enables:

• Larger frame sizes (up to 75”)
• Museum-quality visuals
• Ultra-low power “always-on” displays
• Integration with NFT galleries and generative art

Startups and artists are now exploring connected art platforms, where owners can stream curated artworks or generative visuals to their frame via Wi-Fi or blockchain wallets.

What is E-Ink Spectra 6

E Ink Spectra 6 is the latest generation of color electronic paper (ePaper) display technology developed by E Ink Corporation, designed specifically for retail signage, digital art, and low-power displays. It represents a major leap forward in color richness, contrast, and resolution compared to previous e-ink color technologies.

Key Features of E-Ink Spectra 6

Feature                           Details

🖍️ Color Range          Six pigments: black, white, red, yellow, blue, and green

🌈 Color Accuracy    Capable of displaying over 60,000 colors via advanced dithering

📐 Resolution             Up to 200 PPI (pixels per inch) for detailed, crisp images

🌓 Contrast Ratio      Up to 30:1 — much higher than previous color e-ink generations

⚡ Power Usage         No power required to retain an image (bi-stable); updates use power

🔋 Battery Life            Can last months to years on a single charge depending on usage

🖥️ Sizes Available     Ranges from 4″ to 75″ — popular sizes include 7.3″, 13.3″, 25.3″

🧩 Interface Options              SPI, USB, BLE, or Wi-Fi depending on integration hardware

E Ink Spectra 6 is the most vibrant, color-accurate, and power-efficient ePaper technology available for static displays. It’s opening new doors in digital art, signage, and ambient visual tech—where beauty meets sustainability.

How E-ink Spectra 6 works

E Ink Spectra 6 uses microcapsules filled with charged color particles suspended in fluid. By applying different electrical charges, the desired pigment rises to the surface, forming pixels in any of the six colors. Once in place, the image stays without power until the next refresh.

For more information, please visit: https://www.eink.com/tech/detail/How_it_works

The Popular E-Ink Digital Art Frames Sizes

The Players in E-Ink Digital Art Frames

A lot of startups have been working on E-Ink Digital Art Frames, but all of them use Spectra 6.  The most well known ones are listed as below.

Bloomin8 (by Arpobot)

• A crowd‑funded digital art frame debuting March 19, 2025 on Kickstarter/Indiegogo.
• Available in 7.3″, 13.3″, and 28.5″ sizes, battery-powered (up to ~1 year), and Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth/Job‑Assistant compatible

Reflection Frame (Creative Design Worx)

• A 13.3″ Spectra 6 frame featuring NFC pairing, Bluetooth LE updates via smartphone, Kickstarter‑backed ($249–329 early bird).
• UI connectivity is optimized for simplicity and power efficiency

InkPoster (PocketBook + Sharp)

• A digital wall poster/art display available in 13.3″, 28.5″, 31.5″ sizes.
• Charges once a year, equipped with Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth, app-connected for curated artworks and personal uploads

These platforms illustrate the shift from display hardware to connected art ecosystems—powered by APIs, smartphone apps, and even AI content generation. Whether you’re a collector or creative, these Spectra 6 frames offer nearly silent, power-efficient, and paper-like canvases that softly transform your space.

The full list players are listed below:

Aluratek Kickstarter – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/…

Bloomin8 – https://bloomin8.com/product/einkcanvas

Reflection Frame – https://www.reflectionframe.com/

Inkposter – https://inkposter.com

Paperless Paper – https://paperlesspaper.de/e

Samsung EDMX

What Orient Display is Involved in E-Ink Digital Art Frames Creations?

• E-ink Spectra 6 EDP sourcing
• Laminate the protection glass to EDP
• Touch design, manufacturing and integration.
• Front Light, design, manufacturing and Integration (if any crazy ideas)
• EDP driving board includes PCB layout, SMT, testing and firmware. Our engineers are familiar with ESP32.
• Housing and frame with aluminum, plastic or wood material.
• The whole assembly and packaging.

If you have any questions, please contact our engineering team.

Browse our standard E-Ink products from our online store.

Brightness Enhancement Film (BEF)

Brightness Enhancement Film (BEF), also known as a Prism Sheet, is a key component in the backlight module of TFT-LCDs. It is an optical film with precise microstructures that concentrates scattered light from the light source into a forward direction, narrowing the spread to approximately 70 degrees. This makes it an important energy-saving element in LCDs.

A single BEF can typically increase brightness by about 40–60%. When two BEF films are used together with their prism orientations placed at 90 degrees to each other, even higher brightness enhancement can be achieved.

The function of the BEF is to direct light, which would otherwise spread over a wide range of angles, into a narrower, forward-facing angle to increase the intensity of light seen from the front. Essentially, a basic brightness enhancement film is a prism sheet that refracts, reflects, and concentrates light to achieve enhanced brightness.

The drawback of BEF is that, at the same brightness level, the screen appears brighter when viewed directly from the front, but the image becomes dimmer when viewed from an angle.

DBEF (Dual Brightness Enhancement Film)

DBEF (Dual Brightness Enhancement Film) is a reflective polarizer that reflects S-polarized light before it is absorbed by the LCD panel. Through repeated reflections, it allows approximately 40% of the S-polarized light to be reused.

The light emitted from the backlight can be decomposed into P- and S-polarized light, which are orthogonal in polarization direction. DBEF can recycle and reuse the S-polarized light that would otherwise be absorbed by the polarizer, thereby improving the light utilization efficiency of the backlight system.

Compared to BEF, DBEF improves light utilization and increases brightness while overcoming the viewing angle limitations of BEF. Therefore, BEF is sometimes referred to as a “collimating film,” while DBEF is called a “brightness enhancement film.”

BEF and DBEF can be used together to maximize light emission efficiency and to optimize the cost.

Please also refer to the pictures below for the actual products Orient Display made. The right side is with BEF only, the right side is the combination of BEF and DBEF.

If you have any questions, please contact our technical support team.

LCD modules typically have a backlight because they are transmissive, but e-paper is reflective and does not have a backlight, making it perfectly usable in daylight. However, there is also a need for e-paper applications at night, which has led to the introduction of a new term, “front light” (前光). This also includes discussions on touch technology and lamination techniques associated with E-paper displays.

E-paper touch front light module structure

This is an overall diagram of the e-paper module. The upper red frame indicates the touch lamination, and the lower red frame shows the light guide component, followed by the EPD module and EMR. The touch lamination module consists of a cover plate, sensor, flexible circuit, and OCA. The front light component includes a light guide plate, OCA, and a flexible circuit containing beads. There are at least three layers of OCA, leading to a minimum of six lamination processes. The assembly plan is designed with one guide (dot pattern of the light guide plate), two types of lighting (cold and warm colors, or standard and high color gamut), three materials (materials for the light guide plate, sensor, and OCA), and at least six lamination processes.

Light guiding principle

This description refers to a schematic of a front light system, where light from a side-mounted source is manipulated using an input structure resembling gears and a dot pattern on the bottom. These structures refract or reflect the LED light, altering its direction to uniformly distribute it across the entire light guide plate. The illustration on the right shows this progression from a point (the light source) to a line (the light strip) to the entire surface of the light guide plate.

Color Saturation: Light Guide Plate Solution

Color e-paper modules, in comparison to monochrome ones, require light to pass through the RGB color filter twice, resulting in significant light loss, reduced brightness, and paler colors. To enhance brightness, changes were made to the dot patterns on the light guide plate. Smaller dots and adjusted angles increase effective light reflection. The angle of the dots was changed from 50° to 30°, which, through testing, increased light output by 10%.

Color Saturation: LED Bead Solution

Another approach to enhancing color saturation involves using LED lights. Specifically, using a blue LED chip that stimulates red and green phosphors to produce their respective colors. By enlarging the triangular areas where these interactions occur, the overall color gamut can be significantly broadened. In the images discussed, the left side exhibits some yellowish color distortion due to this effect. Despite all other aspects being the same, except for the type of LED beads, this results in markedly different visual outcomes.

The Impact of OCA Material

OCA material: The light guide plate has dots, typically concave. After lamination, the OCA fully immerses into the dots of the light guide plate, greatly impacting the optical matching and light guiding properties. The image on the left appears overall darker, which is also reflected in test data, whereas the data on the right shows overall brighter results. Just the difference in OCA materials can lead to this variation, hence the selection of different OCA materials is crucial for the corresponding product lamination.

The Impact of Sensor Material

Different sensor materials are currently used, mainly ITO Film and Metal Mesh. In terms of transparency, especially since color e-paper has higher demands for transparency, color e-paper generally prefers Metal Mesh. Both ITO Film and Metal Mesh work well with monochrome e-paper without any issues.

The Impact of Light Guide Materials

The material of the light guide plate significantly affects its performance because different materials influence the effectiveness of the dot patterns differently.

Should you have any questions about front-light, please contact our engineers.

Check out our E-paper products in stock here!

E-Paper