Zytronic continues to innovate

Transforming industrial control through touch innovation

When creating a control panel for industrial equipment such as those used in the food processing industry, meticulous attention must be paid to priorities such as hygiene, safety, and regulatory compliance. Dr. Andrew Morrison, Technical Director at Zytronic, sheds light on the company’s collaboration with hardware interface design teams and machine builders to create customised PCAP touch solutions that prioritise both food safety and operational efficiency.

Strategy for food safety

To guarantee the safety of the food they produce, food businesses are obligated to establish, execute, and uphold a food safety management system rooted in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. This scientific and systematic approach emphasises preventative measures to stop problems like foreign body particle contamination before they arise. HACCP is widely recognised as the foremost method for mitigating food-borne diseases by international authorities, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Food Standards Agency in the UK.

Moving from mechanical to electronic interfaces

Traditionally, machine system control relied on mechanical buttons and switches for their durability and simplicity. However, these physical controls can pose cleanliness challenges due to crevices that can trap contaminants. With the advent of digitalisation and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), control panels have inevitably transitioned towards digital formats. Touchscreens offer several advantages such as adaptability, real-time data display, and software updates. Zytronic’s PCAP touch technology, which detects finger contact through thick glass and supports gestures, such as swipes and pinches, and even glove usage, represents a significant advancement in interface design.

Addressing specific requirements

For the food processing sector, touchscreens have become the preferred choice of interface, as operators can efficiently and securely manage equipment without concerns regarding contamination or unintended activation. These touchscreens are engineered for easy cleaning and maintenance, even when exposed to disinfectant chemicals, thus enhancing equipment hygiene.

However, in the food industry, any potential risk of glass contamination or substrate damage resulting from screen breakage is deemed unacceptable, rendering their usage risky. To address this concern, Zytronic has developed a proprietary film overlay, applied to the surface of its PCAP touchscreen solution.

Even in the rare instances where the Zytronic touch sensor glass substrate becomes damaged, no contaminants can spall from the surface, while touch functionality remains fully operational. This ensures ongoing safety and hygiene until a replacement is installed.

Zytronic’s Innovative Approach to Touchscreen Design

Zytronic’s comprehensive ownership extends beyond the mere manufacturing of PCAP touch sensors. They also control the touch algorithm and controller design. This unique position has allowed Zytronic to develop specialised firmware that goes beyond traditional display boundaries.

?The firmware enables the definition of dynamic touch sensing areas, even outside the main display region. This capability seamlessly integrates touch display functionality with fixed touch button positions, including the implementation of full QWERTY keyboards (as depicted in Figure 1).

Collaborating closely with customers, Zytronic not only designs the touch interface but also manages in-house tasks such as glass cutting, printing, and toughening. Additionally, they customize the firmware to precisely define button functions and desired output protocols for the final application.

Zytronic manufactures these hybrid PCAP touch sensors in nearly any size and specification at its facility. The company can accommodate additional customisations such as special edge profiling, glass curvature, and incorporation of cut-outs and holes for devices like card reader slots and mechanical buttons.

Following glass machining, customer branding can be enhanced with graphics and logos produced in various colours. Ceramic inks, renowned for their scratch resistance, are recommended for these rugged applications. To ensure product integrity and longevity, the inks are fired into the rear of the glass surface during the thermal toughening process.

Recently, Zytronic introduced a Z-axis dimension to its PCAP touch technology, providing the ability for contactless sensing. With control over sensitivity levels through firmware algorithms, Zytronic can dynamically switch the sensitivity level to detect user interactions up to 30mm from the glass surface, even if the user is wearing thick industrial type gloves (Figure 2).

Enhanced Z-axis sensitivity can be toggled via external API commands, allowing the control panel to switch between contactless and direct touch modes based on application and usage requirements.

Innovation through collaboration

Zytronic’s investment in technology over the past three decades has resulted in highly reliable touch sensors suitable for industrial applications. By actively collaborating with Zytronic and its global partners during the design process, hardware interface design teams receive continuous support, resulting in accelerated development and quicker market entry of touchscreen-enabled control panels. This open dialogue fosters the exploration of novel touch innovations and future-proof solutions.

For further information, please contact Zytronic at [email protected] and refer to the website at www.zytronic.co.uk for further technical information and support.