Common Mistakes OEMs Make When Developing Custom LCD Displays

And How to Avoid Costly Delays, Redesigns, and Supply Risks

Developing a custom LCD display is often essential for industrial, medical, automotive, and instrumentation products.
However, many OEMs encounter unexpected delays, rising costs, or long-term supply issues—not because customization is wrong, but because of avoidable mistakes made early in the project.

This article highlights the most common mistakes OEMs make when developing custom LCD displays, explains why they happen, and shows how experienced manufacturers help prevent them.

Many OEM LCD display projects fail or get delayed due to unclear requirements, poor lifecycle planning, underestimating environmental conditions, and choosing the wrong supplier. Avoiding these common mistakes significantly reduces cost, redesign risk, and long-term supply issues in industrial LCD projects.

Mistake #1: Treating a Custom LCD Like a Standard Module

One of the most common mistakes is assuming a custom LCD behaves like an off-the-shelf module.

Why this is a problem:

• Custom LCDs involve engineering trade-offs

• Mechanical, electrical, and optical factors are interconnected

• Early decisions affect long-term cost and reliability

How to avoid it:

• Involve the LCD manufacturer early in the design phase

• Treat the display as a system component, not a commodity

• Review trade-offs before freezing specifications

Mistake #2: Unclear or Incomplete Specifications

Many OEMs start with:

• “Industrial grade”

• “High brightness”

• “Wide temperature”

Without defining actual values.

Common missing details:

• Target brightness (nits)

• Operating temperature range

• Expected lifetime (hours / years)

• Interface timing and voltage

• Mechanical tolerance limits

Result:

• Multiple design revisions

• Sample rework

• Schedule delays

Best practice:

Provide a clear requirement document, even if some parameters are marked as “target” or “TBD”.

Mistake #3: Ignoring Long-Term Component Lifecycle

A custom LCD may look perfect today—but what about 5–10 years later?

Typical OEM oversight:

• Using consumer-grade panels or LEDs

• No BOM control

• No EOL (End-of-Life) strategy

Consequences:

• Forced redesign

• Certification rework

• Unexpected cost increases

Solution:

Work with manufacturers who:

• Plan component lifecycle in advance

• Offer long-term supply agreements

• Control panel and backlight sourcing

Mistake #4: Underestimating Environmental Conditions

Industrial and medical environments are far harsher than office or consumer use.

Commonly underestimated factors:

• High or low temperature operation

• Vibration and shock

• Humidity and condensation

• Continuous operation (24/7)

Result:

• Backlight failure

• Image retention

• Color shift or contrast loss

How to avoid:

• Define real operating conditions, not nominal ones

• Request environmental validation testing

• Use industrial-grade materials and backlight designs

Mistake #5: Designing Mechanics Before Finalizing the Display

Some OEMs design the enclosure first and try to “fit” the LCD later.

Why this causes issues:

• Limited tolerance for display thickness

• Incompatible mounting points

• Touch panel or cover glass mismatch

Better approach:

• Co-design mechanical + display together

• Confirm outline drawings early

• Validate stack-up (LCD + touch + glass)

Mistake #6: Choosing a Supplier Based on Price Alone

Low initial price often hides long-term risks.

Risks of price-driven selection:

• Limited engineering support

• Weak quality control

• Unstable supply chain

• Poor documentation

What really matters:

• Engineering communication quality

• ISO-certified processes

• Experience with similar industries

• Long-term support capability

👉 For industrial projects, reliability matters more than the cheapest quote.

Mistake #7: Skipping Early Sample Validation

Rushing from first samples directly to production is risky.

Common skipped validations:

• Backlight uniformity

• Viewing angle consistency

• Electrical margin testing

• Thermal behavior

Best practice:

• Validate samples under real operating conditions

• Run pilot builds

• Approve samples formally before mass production

Mistake #8: Not Planning for Certification and Compliance

Displays often affect:

• EMC

• EMI

• Medical or automotive compliance

Changing a display late may require re-certification.

Recommendation:

• Choose a stable display design early

• Avoid late component changes

• Work with manufacturers familiar with regulated industries

Mistake #9: Poor Communication Between Engineering and Procurement

Engineering optimizes performance.
Procurement optimizes cost.

When they work separately:

• Specs drift

• Quality suffers

• Supplier selection becomes inconsistent

Best practice:

• Align engineering, procurement, and supplier early

• Define priorities clearly (cost vs stability vs performance)

Mistake #10: No Long-Term Support Agreement

A custom LCD is not just a one-time purchase.

Without long-term planning:

• Firmware or interface changes break compatibility

• Replacement parts become unavailable

• Field support becomes difficult

Solution:

Choose a manufacturer who supports:

• Long-term production

• Controlled changes

• Engineering continuity

How Experienced LCD Manufacturers Help OEMs Avoid These Mistakes

A professional custom LCD partner provides:

• Early design consultation

• Clear DFM / DFR feedback

• Lifecycle and supply planning

• ISO9001 quality control

• Fast and repeatable sampling

This dramatically reduces:

• Redesign risk

• Schedule delays

• Total cost of ownership

Conclusion: Most Custom LCD Problems Are Preventable

Custom LCD displays do not fail because customization is difficult—
they fail because of poor early decisions and lack of experience.

By avoiding these common mistakes and working with an experienced manufacturer, OEMs can achieve:

• Stable long-term supply

• Higher product reliability

• Faster time to market

• Lower lifecycle cost

Looking for Expert Support on Custom LCD Development?

Forworld Display specializes in custom and standard industrial LCD displays, supporting OEM projects in:

• Industrial automation

• Medical devices

• Automotive and instrumentation systems

With ISO9001-certified manufacturing, fast sampling, and long-term supply planning, we help OEMs avoid costly LCD development mistakes.

📩 Contact us to discuss your custom LCD display requirements.