Date: 06/12/2010
DisplaySearch says Gen 8 fabs produce 44% of LCD TV panels
According to DisplaySearch latest report, 41% of LCD TV panels were produced on Gen 8 lines in Q310, a leap from 35% in Q210. The share is expected to grow to 42% in Q410 based on panel makers plans. Meanwhile, 6% of notebook PC panels were made on Gen 6 lines in Q310, and will increase to 9% in Q410.
The evolution of fab generations in the TFT LCD industry is not only a shift to larger glass substrates but also involves moves to increase production efficiency. For example, 32W LCD TV panels were originally designed to be made in Gen 6 fabs, but more than 70% of the 32W are currently produced in Gen 8 fabs and Gen 6 fabs have gradually shifted to LCD monitor panel production, noted Shawn Lee, senior analyst for TFT LCD production strategy at DisplaySearch.
Lee continued, The recent adoption of 0.5 mm glass substrates in Gen 6 and larger fabs also enhances production flexibility, as panel makers can make notebook and monitor panels in Gen 6+ fabs using the same glass thickness as in smaller fabs. The 16:9 aspect ratio prevailing in PC displays also enables Gen 5 and 6 fabs to produce notebook and monitor panels, respectively. For example, panel makers like AUO, CPT and LG Display are starting to produce notebook PC panels in Gen 6 fabs, while AUO, LG Display and Samsung are producing LCD monitor panels in Gen 7 fabs, and Samsung and LG Display are producing LCD monitor panels in Gen 8 fabs. This flexibility benefits panel makers as they can more effectively leverage their existing capacities. At the same time, this trend will create trade-offs between production of IT and TV panels.
Gen 5 fabs dominate production of mini-note/slate PC panels, including 10.1 mini-note and 9.7 iPad panels, and 89% of notebook PC panels are made in Gen 5 fabs, from 11.6W to 18.4W. Gens 57 are currently the main fabs producing monitor panels, while 50% of TV panels are made in Gen 6 or Gen 7 fabs.