Samsung Display's QD-OLED panel, which has received much attention, has achieved mass production after two years of research and development and trial production. On November 30, Samsung Display held a QD-OLED panel shipment ceremony, adding vitality to the large-size OLED field, and also adding fire to fierce competition. In the field of large-size OLED, how will Chinese panel makers resist the attack of the two major Korean manufacturers?
QD-OLED product performance remains to be seen
At present, large-size OLED technology routes are mainly divided into three types: The first is evaporation white light OLED + color film technology (WOLED). The technology has been relatively mature and has achieved mass production, but the manufacturing cost is high, the material utilization rate is low, and the product power consumption is relatively high. Higher; The second is the printed OLED technology, which is currently in the early stage of industrialization. Compared with the traditional evaporation technology, it has the advantages of high material utilization rate and low product manufacturing cost; the third is the evaporation blue OLED+QD color film technology, namely Samsung Display's QD-OLED mass-produced this time has the advantages of high resolution and high color gamut.
After gradually withdrawing from the LCD market, Samsung Display bet on the QD-OLED route and spent 13.1 trillion won (approximately 78 billion yuan) in the layout as early as 2019. After two years of research and development and trial production, mass production was finally realized at the end of this year. The whole process has attracted much attention and has overcome many technical obstacles.
Compared with the vapor-deposited white light OLED structure, QD-OLED is composed of multiple blue light-emitting layers. Due to the low light-emitting efficiency and short life of blue light-emitting materials, QD-OLEDs face cost reduction, performance improvement, and printing methods. Difficulties in the process.
According to reports, Samsung Display’s 8.5-generation production line has a monthly production capacity of about 30,000 QD-OLEDs, which can cut about 900,000 to 1 million units of 55- and 65-inch TVs and 34-inch IT monitors. At present, Samsung Display has begun to provide QD-OLED panels to major client companies such as Samsung Electronics and Sony.
Industry insiders told reporters earlier this year that, as a new technology production line, Samsung Display QD-OLED climbing and yield improvement takes time. After mass production, the stability of its supply and the final product performance after mass production, That is, whether the performance of the product itself can meet expectations remains to be continuously observed in the industry. And product promotion also requires a certain amount of certification time, so more effective supply to the market will appear in 2022.
Competition for large-size OLED panels opens
Increasing competition for large-size OLEDs has become a commonplace talk. LGD’s WOLED is the dominant player, but it is now undergoing size expansion and capacity ramping. Samsung Display QD-OLED also provides more options for large-size OLEDs. In addition, China represented by TCL Huaxing Enterprises continue to increase their enthusiasm for printed OLEDs, and competition is becoming increasingly fierce.
LGD started using the MMG (multi-model glass) process to produce 83-inch and 48-inch OLED TV panels at its Guangzhou plant this year. It hopes to produce 80-inch OLED TV panels and enter the larger-size panel market to compete with LCD TV panels. Next year, it also plans to produce 10 new single-cut 42-inch OLED TV panels at its Paju plant, and to develop single-cut products of 31-inch, 45-inch and 97-inch OLED TV panels to strive for greater competitiveness.
Chinese panels have fully occupied a dominant position in the LCD field, LGD has long occupied a leading position in large-size OLEDs in South Korea, and Samsung Display QD-OLED has made breakthroughs. Domestic manufacturers are also actively preparing for a new round of competition.
Last year, BOE EVP and CEO of Display Sensors Business Group Gao Wenbao revealed that BOE has been continuously investing in WOLED and printed OLED, and conducting comparative evaluation of technology, process, mass production efficiency, and cost on the experimental line in Hefei. Regarding the launch time of the large-size OLED production line, Gao Wenbao said that the team has been evaluating plans to build the line, but has not yet been able to decide.
TCL Huaxing firmly launched the process of large-size OLED industrialization, and unveiled a 65-inch 8K inkjet printed OLED screen at DTC 2021 held in November this year, which was jointly developed by TCL Huaxing and Japan JOLED. In order to promote the development of the printed OLED industry chain, TCL Huaxing made a strategic investment in the latter last year.
In April this year, TCL Technology issued an announcement that TCL Huaxing intends to demonstrate the construction of a 8.5-generation flexible rollable OLED panel production line (t8 project) capable of processing approximately 60,000 pieces a month, mainly for the production of ultra-high-definition large-size printed rollable OLED TVs, etc. product. TCL Huaxing is expected to become the world's first manufacturer with a high-generation line of printed OLEDs.
Zhao Jun, the chief operating officer of TCL Huaxing, recently stated that in two or three years, Chinese manufacturers will compete with South Korean companies in the OLED field: "Especially through the rapid industrialization of printed OLEDs, it will allow Chinese companies to develop large-size OLEDs. Establish industrial advantages."
