Inkjet printing to drive 30% cost reduction in OLED IT display manufacturing – Omdia – June 10, 2026.
Inkjet printing (IJP) can reduce OLED notebook panel manufacturing costs by approximately 30 to 35% compared to conventional fine metal mask (FMM) OLEDs, according to the latest display industry research from Omdia. As a manufacturing approach, IJP provides many advantages over conventional technologies. For organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays, IJP provides advantages in red, green, and blue (RGB) subpixel patterning, including greater material utilization, flexibility, panelization, and larger pixel apertures. At the same time, equipment and maintenance costs are lower than those required by FMM processes.
Charles Annis, Chief Analyst in Omdia
IJP enables full-size substrate processing, whereas half-cut frontplane processing is typically required in conventional FMM approaches. In the frontplane process, glass substrates are cut in half for evaporation due to mask sagging and alignment issues. This generates particles, reduces process efficiency, and wastes valuable glass area. In IJP, full-size substrate processing is possible, which increases productivity.
For example, 16.3-inch OLED notebook displays can be made 66 panels up on a Gen 8.6 substrate, representing 10% more panels than can be produced in an equivalent FMM process. Panelization efficiencies will vary across different sizes and aspect ratios.
“IJP machines provide higher productivity, and capital expenses are lower than those of FMM evaporation. This is a key reason why IJP OLEDs can potentially be manufactured at two-thirds the cost of FMM OLEDs, said Charles Annis, Chief Analyst in Omdia’s Display Research group.
“Although inkjet printed OLEDs have historically and continue to face a variety of challenges, particularly regarding ink efficiency and lifetime, continuous incremental improvements in equipment, materials, and process technology mean that inkjet printing is now closer than ever to being widely commercialized,” concluded Annis.
To learn more, visit: www.omdia.com