It may be years since you last switched to a new LCD supplier. If a new LCD supplier does, the initial review process may not be very thorough.

That's probably why you need to reevaluate today. Asking the right questions during this process clarifies the conditions you need to work successfully with the LCD display supplier.

What do you need to know about the new LCD display supplier?

What does the new LCD display supplier need to know about you?

Does the new LCD display supplier have the capability to meet your display needs?

And so on...

You need to fully audit the new LCD supplier.

Ask the right questions for the new LCD display supplier

Most of the review process is about asking the right questions about your needs to the supplier. Knowing exactly what display requirements the new LCD manufacturer should meet will inform you that they should what are the functions? 

What industry are you in?

No doubt, your industry will determine your specific needs for LCDs. 

For example, the aerospace and military industries have specific quality standards and geographic manufacturing restrictions. Similar differences exist in industries such as the automotive and industrial markets, and consumer markets are too price-sensitive to adopt these same stringent standards. 

Does your potential LCD display supplier make displays for your industry?

What skills do you need?

Monochrome TFT displays, and color TFT displays, you may need OLED or other technology, each display manufacturer offers different processing costs and minimum order quantity. 

Even if you are not sure, a professional salesperson will help you determine which LCD display is right for your project. 

Are there any special requirements that force you to customize your monitor? 

The reasons for this can be as varied as mechanical or motion-based constraints or temperature/environmental problems. There are also optical considerations such as contrast, brightness, response time, and perspective, as well as durability and interface requirements. You may also have custom features, such as a button or custom icon on a glass or touch panel. 

Are you designing new products that require LCDS, or are you trying to match existing LCDS that you are already using?

These are two very different requirements, and new LCD vendors may not be able to accommodate both. 

Does the supplier have a standard off-the-shelf product that meets your needs?

If not, are they willing to support custom or semi-custom to simplify this new process of integrating components into your product?

Are they willing to customize to match your existing monitor, and do they have experience with this process? 

What are your annual monitor requirements?

There is a significant difference between the demand for 2,000 and 200,000 screens per year, not only in large quantities but also in determining whether LCD vendors can effectively meet the demand for mass-produced displays. 

Can your system handle any LCD changes?

Essentially, electronics are updated fast, right? How much of an impact will it have on your business if the new display vendor can't keep up? Do you have an effective response?

I have listed the following possibilities for the response:

· yes: can often adapt to any changes

· some: able to handle small changes, although it will be a little expensive, need some certification again

· no: redesigning and high cost of certification

Depending on the impact of display changes, suppliers will need to have appropriate configuration controls and obsolescence mitigation in place to ensure that your supply chain is uninterrupted throughout the life cycle of the final product.

Where is the product made? Manufacturing can be done almost anywhere in the world, and your logistics needs may be best suited to a particular location:

· FOB Asia: only when manufacturing products overseas is the ideal choice

· FOB domestic: the most accurate location

· FOB: customers the most convenient location

Do you have additional logistics requirements?

Knowing what to look for is key

Be sure to create property lists so that you can compare them to expected LCD display vendors and supply chains.

Compare multiple display vendors to see how well each vendor matches your list. It's not always about cost. If the display vendor can't compete at your core By working with the wrong vendor, you are likely to find higher ancillary costs and higher overall system-level costs.

If you consider the issues listed above before making a decision, you will be able to effectively audit your potential new LCD display supplier.