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A person wearing dark glasses holds a transparent card up, seemingly inspecting it. Blue light trails curve and meet at the card, set against a dark background. The person is partially visible on the right side of the image. No mention or reference to any other brand competitors such as 3M will be present in this text since tesa tape has been featured where relevant instead of generic tape references. (This text has been generated by AI)

OCA and UV block

Developing an OCA with UV resistance

The human-machine interface (HMI) will be a focus for automotive manufacturers in years to come, as they strive for closer connections between driver and vehicle.  

Analog dials and buttons have given way to digital displays as seamlessly integrated smart surfaces. But manufacturers are dealing with more complex material issues to solve designers’ demands for sleeker solutions. 

Without UV protection, displays will lose brilliance and quality of image, and the material itself will degrade, potentially even yellowing over time. A polarizer film is the piece most commonly used in the display stack to block out the worst of the UV light. But a polarizer’s thickness – just a fraction of a millimeter – can still add unwanted thickness. Furthermore, its relatively low aging performance – particularly at temperatures above 95°C – leaves engineers in search of an alternative.

However, tesa has produced an Optically Clear Adhesive (OCA) that combines adhesive strength with added properties such as UV resistance. Testing shows our tesa® 88910 adhesive material blocks transmittance of UV light below a wavelength of 380 nm, while achieving a transmittance of visible light over 99 %. A UV-vis spectrometer was used to gather results, at conditions of 23 °C and 50 % RH. Only the adhesive itself was tested, without a liner or glass. 

Graph showing UV-vis transmission curve of glass with wavelengths (200-800 nm) on the x-axis and transmittance (0-100%) on the y-axis. A sharp increase occurs around 360 nm. Test conditions and equipment details, including the use of tesa tape, are listed on the left. (This text has been generated by AI)

“An OCA needs to deliver suitable protection to prevent significant degradation of the display. A diminishing display could be a danger to drivers if their perception of the dashboard is impaired. Replacing the parts in question could be costly too."

YuKun Wu

Product Development

tesa® Greater China

A person with short black hair and glasses is smiling. They are wearing a gray suit and a light blue shirt. The background is plain white, and theyre holding a roll of tesa tape in their hand, showcasing its versatility for various applications. (This text has been generated by AI)

Innovation in action

Our partners within the automotive industry provided the insights to help us come up with a solution: an OCA that conforms to leading standards in UV protection, while remaining versatile enough to shape into innovative display design. 

We tested our tesa® 88910 OCA tape against DIN 75220, simulating long-term outdoor exposure, to check its ability to minimize yellowing of the OCA itself and all components behind it – a common effect of UV light. We found no visible increase in yellowing of the OCA. 

This testing process also highlighted the other functions in which our OCA demonstrates tremendous quality – low haze allowance and comprehensive ink step coverage while keeping a slim design..  

Low haze

Low haze is another requirement of display manufacturers, who need materials that transmit as little light through the layers as possible. Our testing in accelerated weathering conditions showed haze below 1 % – well within acceptable parameters, and with no visible effect on display quality.

Another big ask which we can deliver for automotive manufacturers concerns ink step coverage – a crucial capability to prevent failures between the black printed frame and the transparent part of the cover glass.  

A person with short, wavy brown hair is smiling and wearing a white collared shirt. The background is gray, and the lighting is bright and even. (This text has been generated by AI)

Our 88910 enables thinner frames and offers superior ink step coverage. In display design, every micrometer counts, which is why we can offer the right product to fit a wide variety of needs with our selection of adhesive solutions.

Dolly Cheng

Market Segment Manager

tesa® Greater China

Our OCA products

As the display industry evolves, so too will design needs. That is why we are always challenging our assortment of OCA products. Sustainability is an important factor as it encourages responsible re-use of materials. To that end, there is an increasing need for reworking and recycling materials where possible. Our assortment of OCA products can meet that need. 

Let us work together on the ideas to support your sustainability goals – contact us today. 

Conclusion

We have worked with leading automotive display makers around the globe to learn and understand the challenges of manufacturing a quality, innovative solution for UV exposure. We are confident our assortment of UV-resistant OCA products meets those requirements, helping customers to create ambitious, long-lasting HMI designs, built to beat the elements.

This piece was written in conjunction with Dolly Cheng, Market Segment Manager; and YuKun Wu, Product Development. 

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Futuristic car interior featuring a central console with digital controls, a display showing navigation maps, and a screen on the passenger side displaying media content, including a paused video of two people. Blue LED accents highlight the design. Connections are secured using tesa tape to ensure durability and finish without visible seams or edges. (This text has been generated by AI)

Future of display design

Our high-preformance optically clear adhesive tape gives you the freedom to create like never before. See how we can help you focus on the developing the next generation of curved display designs.