After the TFT-LCD production line of Longteng Technology was not completely installed, the personnel of the company's LCD panel division have tried to produce TFT-LCD panels in small batches with the cooperation of Toshiba personnel for the acceptance of key equipment.

In December 1984, after the company tried to produce more than 100 panels, Zhang Shaojie rushed to Shenzhen to personally inspect the company's development results.

A laptop computer assembled from a TFT-LCD trial produced by Longteng Technology Company.

Zhang Shaojie stared at the display and turned on the camera himself, although it was just a monotonous blue, white, black and other simple colors. However, it is undoubtedly clear that the display effect of the panel is indeed second only to CRT's "true color", not the pseudo-color transformed by TN technology.

Zhang Sang, Toshiba's technical background in the electronics industry is just like IBM's position in the world's computer field. This TFT-LCD production line will not dare to be said to be the most advanced in the future. However, before Toshiba's second-generation production line is officially completed, your production line is already at the world's first-class level! Tanakagawa said respectfully.

"I'm convinced of that!" Zhang Shaojie said happily, "If your second-generation line is completed, can you also assist us in building a similar production line, and you will not suffer in terms of price!" ”

Hiroshi Tanakagawa slandered in his heart, just the first-generation line has made Toshiba's senior management very controversial, and the second-generation line, which represents the future development of technology, do you still want to easily obtain?

Toshiba transfers technology, and it will not transfer the company's most advanced technology. Unless Toshiba already has three or four generations of production lines in the future, it is possible to transfer the second generation of production lines.

When Zhang Shaojie saw his appearance, he only smiled lightly.

In fact, the first generation line has laid the foundation for the industrial production of TFT-LCD, and the improvement of the production line in the future is mainly for panels with a larger cutting area, as well as more economical cutting.

The real core technology of the TFT-LCD industry is reflected in the innovation of materials, the design of semiconductor circuit boards, and the improvement of software technology, which is mainly done in the laboratory.

Of course, if there is only a laboratory and no industrial production line, then it is only on paper. No matter how good technological innovation is, if it cannot achieve mass production in factories, it will not be able to produce economic benefits.

"Actually, Zhang Sang, I think the hottest thing in China is CRT TV, why don't you intervene in this industry?" Tanakagawa Hiroshi sincerely suggested, "A color TV production line can recover its cost in 3 years, and a new production line can be earned within 5 years." This kind of economic benefit is really much stronger than TFT-LCD. ”

Zhang Shaojie shook his head and said with a smile: "Now Panasonic alone sells more than 10 color TV production lines to China every year. A large number of repeated production soon brought the industry into a stage of price war and low profits. So, I'm not going to make this hard-earned money! ”

Hard money,That is, the technical content is low,The competition is too fierce,Color TV,80The scenery is the same,90The price war stage has begun。 The 21st century has been in a state of dramatic transformation.

It's too much of a toss to launch this kind of production line that is about to be eliminated!

It's better to do TFT-LCD directly in one go, and there is no need to transform it in the future! Because, this technology represents the most mainstream development direction of the display panel industry in the next 20 years!

Although it has been able to trial production in small batches, it will take at least half a year for Shenzhen Longteng Technology's TFT-LCD project to enter the formal production stage.

As for reaching the mass production stage, it will take another two years to ramp up production capacity.

Theoretically, this production line can eventually reach a monthly production capacity of 100,000 9-inch LCD panels, which is higher than the output of the first TFT LCD panel built by Toshiba in 79 years.

This is also mainly due to the fact that Toshiba has summarized the experience of the first-generation production line in recent years, carried out a large number of technical transformations, and prepared for the second-generation production line.

In fact, the first-generation production line of Longteng Technology actually belongs to the 1.5 generation line, which belongs to the transition between the first-generation production line and the second-generation production line.

The 1.5 generation line, in addition to cutting the glass-based version is more economical and cost-effective, the product produced is also a cut higher than the original first-generation line resolution.

———————————— TFT-LCD in the 80s, had a well-known nickname - "True Color"!

The concept of "true color" is the consumer of LCD panels, experienced TN monochrome, DSTN color display (according to TN technology improved into "pseudo-color"), in the end, people found that no matter how TN is improved, can not meet the visual requirements, so, TFT-LCD is really accepted by the market, known as "true color"!

Historically, Toshiba developed the T1100 notebook computer in 85 years, which used a cheaper TN monochrome LCD panel, because the surname of the computer in the 80s can be very simple, mainly for office and study, and there is no entertainment requirement, so the monochrome LCD panel can also cope with the market demand.

It wasn't until later that laptop users became more and more demanding for entertainment, and users had to use computers to watch movies and play games, and Toshiba had to use more expensive "true color" panels.

Now, Longteng Technology has taken the lead in bringing laptops into the true color era, but for most manufacturers, they are dismissive.

For example, Compaq learned of Longteng's actions and said: "Reducing the weight of the computer and using TN liquid crystal is the ideal king." A TN panel costs $50, while a TFT costs at least $300. Longteng company chose to take the strategy of seizing the market at a low price, but it used expensive materials, which has to be regrettable! ”

In fact, Compaq has indeed been inspired by Longteng and is already developing the next generation of laptops that use TN LCD panels as displays.

Although TN panels are inferior to TFT-LCD in terms of color display, they are already thinner and cheaper than CRT displays.

Previously, the reason why Compaq did not use TN panels was simply because it did not think of using LCD panel materials. Now that Longteng has demonstrated the use of LCD panels, Compaq naturally followed up quickly and adopted cheaper TN liquid crystal materials as display panels.

In addition to Compaq's LCD panel as the next generation of notebook computer displays, Toshiba, which intends to enter the notebook computer industry, also believes that the cost of TFT-LCD panels is too high and not cost-effective, so Toshiba also decided to use TN monochrome LCD panels as the display of notebook computers.

Compaq's latest generation of TN panel computers is expected to have a market price of only $1,798, which is basically lower than the previous generation of bulky computers. It has not yet been launched, but has already received orders for 150,000 units.

Toshiba's T1100 is only priced at $2,090. In addition, with Toshiba's deep pockets, it has carried out a large number of advertisements around the world, and has already received orders for 300,000 units before it leaves the factory.

Of course, Longteng Technology is very calm, because the "Longteng TFT84-1" notebook is currently mainly sold in the Chinese mainland market and the Hong Kong market, and the overseas market is not the main target.

What's more, the "Longteng TFT84-1" computer, even if it is a price war, is not afraid of Compaq and Toshiba, because the Longteng computer is converted into US dollars, and the price is only about 1500 US dollars!

"Boss, Compaq and Toshiba are very arrogant!" Chen Xunzhen was very dissatisfied, "Our price is only 1,500 US dollars, and the surname price ratio is so high, the low-key world doesn't know it!" One of them costs $1,798 and the other costs $2,090, and they actually shout that they claim to be the new generation of laptops with the highest surname price ratio! ”

"Let them be proud, I have 20% of the shares of Compaq, and after it goes public, I can also cash out a billion dollars!" Zhang Shaojie said with a smile.

"What about Toshiba?" Chen Xunzhen said anxiously, "Looking at their momentum, this is to monopolize the microcomputer market!" ”

Zhang Shaojie spread his hands and said: "Toshiba is still very strong, people can independently produce hard disks, floppy disks, memory, display panels, lithium batteries and other key electronic components, and only have limited components such as CPUs, imported from the United States." What about us, in addition to the plastic shell and screws of the computer, what can we produce independently? For the time being, our LCD panel project still depends on Toshiba, the laptop market of this book, and we still let them a little for the time being! ”

"Unwilling!"

"What's unwilling, in the period of continuous technology upgrading, the short-term market share is virtual, the accumulation of real core technology. We can produce many key materials, so that we can really compete with the opponent's bayonet! ”

Just imagine, if Longteng Technology and Toshiba fight in the market, the two sides will turn their faces. As a result, Toshiba withdrew the TFT-LCD project in cooperation with Longteng, which would make Longteng Technology more than worth the loss.

After Tenglong Technology digests the key technical achievements of the first generation of TFT-LCD production line, and makes breakthroughs in key materials, it can independently develop and produce them, and then it can avoid electronic giants like Toshiba.

TFT-LCD panels are so critical that they will affect the development of many industries in the future.

For example, in the 90s, the transformation of the TV industry, the core technology was changed from CRT picture tubes to TFT-LCD panels.

Also, later smartphones, regardless of whether you are Apple's iPhone or various Android platform mobile phones, are inseparable from TFT-LCD panels.

For example, in the later smartphone war, even giants like Apple Inc. are constantly trying to win over the world's major LCD panel manufacturers, and use a large number of orders to tie the production capacity of touch screen LCD panels to Apple's chariot, so that competitors touch screen mobile phones are delayed by more than a year before Apple's products are listed, and finally lay the first industry position in the market share of Apple mobile phones.

If it weren't for Apple's deep pockets and buying out all the touchscreen orders it had had had for more than a year, it would definitely not have been able to achieve smartphone supremacy.

From this, it can also be seen that in fact, in the future, whether it is the upgrading of TV, computer panel, or the smartphone industry, TFT-LCD panels occupy a pivotal position.

It is precisely because of the strategic significance of this industry in the consumer electronics industry that Zhang Shaojie has begun to cultivate his own TFT-LCD industry chain since the 80s, regardless of cost.

(To be continued)