Shielding for electronic displays

By: Rutland Savour

Modern electronic displays and are sensitive to various types of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). They need to be protected from this radiation – which they also give out – as well as other kinds of stress. This is done by means of glass, plastic or laminated filters.

The types of filter used in optical displays vary according to the industry needs. They are commonly used in high profile areas such as hospitals, laboratories, aircraft and military bases. However they can be found in a range of other locations including schools and colleges, shops, offices and banks.

Anyone who has ever tried to look at the screen of their camera-phone on a bright day will know the problems of unshielded electronic screens. Instead of a nice clear image you see a black rectangle. The same thing happens to electronic displays placed in direct sunlight – a real problem when you are trying to read important, time-sensitive data. It isn’t always possible to move the apparatus – hence the need for an appropriate filter. Infrared filters are commonly used on displays to improve visibility. Visible light is just another form of EMR. In this case, various thicknesses of filter are used to reduce reflection of the visible light spectrum. Shield thicknesses range from 0.5 to 3.0 mm, with varying degrees of light tolerance also available. However, sunlight isn’t the only cause of interference. Laboratory and clinical areas often have a high level of background radiation, such as UV or radio frequency waves. These can play havoc with delicate instrumentation. To avoid this, rfi (radio frequency interference) shields are used. Also called emc shields, these provide protection against electro-magnetic interference of all kinds, including power supply disturbances in the VHF range.

Modern filters are designed to be resilient and durable under a range of conditions. At Instrument Plastics we supply a range of state-of-the-art Optolite filters which are designed to give maximum protection to electronic displays under a wide range of conditions.




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The Article is written by instrumentplastics.co.uk providing Electronic Display and laminated filter Products. Visit www.instrumentplastics.co.uk for more information on instrumentplastics.co.uk Products & Services
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