As cars become more intelligent, the demand for large and curved interior displays has increased. To respond to this growing demand, leading glass provider Corning has developed its patented ColdForm technology that bends glass at room temperature, reducing carbon footprints during manufacturing.
Corning showcased the pillar-to-pillar ColdForm display in Touch Taiwan. Andrew Ho, president of Corning Display Technologies Taiwan, introduced the company's solutions for automobiles, semiconductors, augmented reality (AR), and other fields to the media on April 20.
According to Corning, ColdForm technology can bend flat glass at room temperature, while traditional glass usually requires 500 to 600 degrees Celsius of heat to be curved. The new process reduces the carbon footprint of glass formation by at least 25%.
Corning said the technology enables further treatments like AR or anti-glare before bending the glass. Since the post-processing is conducted when the glass is still flat, chemicals can be distributed evenly. The practice can enhance the performance of a display.
As cars become electric and are equipped with more driver assistance features, Corning said automotive OEMs are pursuing larger car displays. Moreover, curved displays are preferred because they do not cause issues like chromatic aberration and offer the same image resolution from different angles.
In December 2022, Corning announced that it had partnered with LG Electronics to use the ColdForm technology in a curved display for a premium European automaker.
The company also demonstrated the Corning Gorilla Glass series at Touch Taiwan. It said the solutions have been adopted by over 45 OEMs on more than eight billion devices. The latest product, Victus 2, was unveiled in November 2022.
Corning said it has been developing technologies that facilitate scratch resistance and help devices survive drops on rough surfaces. It also introduced products with an anti-glare surface treatment, which enables a better touch screen and allows a stylus to function well. The company added that many customers are looking for the solution because it suits indoor and business uses.
Corning saw its antimicrobial Gorilla Glass sales take off in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. It said the product incorporates silver ions into Gorilla Glass 3 through the ion-exchange process. Trace amounts of silver ions leach to the glass surface to eliminate the surface bacteria in multiple modes.
The company claimed it is the only one in the industry using the ion-exchange process to incorporate silver ions into glass. The process can significantly increase the toughness of the glass surface.
It also said the antimicrobial feature lasts longer than the average lifetime of an IT device, which is three to five years. While the height of the pandemic has passed, the public knows that keeping touch surfaces clean is essential. Therefore, demand for the antimicrobial product will remain, Corning added.
