Today’s transportation systems and vehicles are operated in a wide range of terrestrial, subterranean, atmospheric, and marine environments. The display and touch technologies used in these systems need to provide dependable operation under a wide range of operating environments and conditions.
Changeable operating environments can present challenges that include temperature, temperature change, magnetic and electrical noise, mechanical shock and vibration, ultraviolet radiation, and liquid substances. These factors all pose potential threats to reliable touchscreen operation.
Temperature immunity
User displays employing touchscreen interfaces have to provide reliable and stable operation under temperature extremes while also coping with rapid temperature fluctuations.
Leading touchscreen solution provider, AMT, develops PCap (projected capacitive) touch panels that are specified to an automotive standard operating temperature range of -40°C to +85°C, and a storage temperature range of -50°C to +90°C. Temperature change is tested with thermal cycling of -40°C (30 minutes) to +85°C (30 minutes), for 100 cycles.
UV resistance
Many transportation systems and infrastructure equipment are operated extensively in outdoor environments, and as a necessity need to be able to withstand prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. A system that is unprotected and subjected to extended UV (ultraviolet) radiation can cause yellowing, hazing, and material degradation.
AMT PCap touch products have been successfully tested to strict industry standards including accelerated UV ageing and weathering standard ASTM G154 Cycle 1 - 1,000 hours, and environmental conditions standard MIL-STD-810H Pro 1 - 1,000 hours.
Ambient light
Light reflection in high ambient light environments can make display viewing and visibility unclear and difficult. Using optical bonding to eliminate internal air gaps can help to minimise this issue by reducing internal reflections and refractions.
AMT can also offer touch panels with a Low-Reflective (LR) design, to aid and assist in improved image legibility in bright light conditions.
EMC and noise immunity
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is of significant importance in all transportation applications. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations require all devices installed on aircraft to pass certification to DO-160 Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment.
Employing suitable integration and firmware adjustment, AMT PCAP touch solutions can meet DO-160 Conducted RF Emission at 150KHz to 152MHz and Radiated RF Emission at 100MHz to 6000MHz test standards. AMT’s hardware and software design solutions enable excellent electromagnetic immunity for all transportation applications.
Designed for purpose
Operator displays on public transport systems will often adopt dual-screen redundancy designs to mitigate against unexpected failure circumstances. A dual-screen operator display can incorporate two touchscreens using just one piece of an integrated cover glass. The electric fields generated between the two projected capacitive (PCap) touch screens are likely to interfere with each other.
AMT's engineers have conducted many internal tests and used different signal frequencies to reduce the problem of interference and to ensure the dual-screen application was successfully deployed.
Leading touch solutions, local support
Developing and manufacturing its own touch panels and controllers, AMT is firmly established as a leading global touch solution supplier. AMT is able to design, develop and supply an extensive range of PCap touchscreen solutions for many diverse transport industry applications including trains, buses, electric vehicles, construction plants, commercial aircraft, utility vehicles and marine craft.
AMT PCap touch solutions are now available and supported by Review Display Systems.
Learn more here.