Samsung QD/OLED Expansion Timeline
According to OMDIA, Samsung Display (pvt) is expected to make a decision on the 2nd of 4 potential phases of capacity expansion for the QD/OLED project later this year, which would add another 30,000 sheets/month to the project’s potential capacity by 2023. That same timeline would begin phase 3 build-out in 2022, with that additional capacity (30,000 sheets/month) slated for production in 2024. That said, SDC has a number of hurdles to cross before those decisions are set, and is still researching whether the lines will use an OLED material as a light source or whether it will switch to nano-rods, a quantum dot structure.
While there are many technological challenges in bringing this new display technology to market, there are also production challenges as some of the production equipment will be specific to the process chosen and therefore developed specifically for SDC, either by an outside supplier or an affiliate. Given that such equipment development takes time and continuous refinement, timelines for high volume production are tenuous at best, and yield improvement, regardless of the final process will be the most important challenge, even if the technology is proven successful. If SDC can’t make money with the process, either because of equipment cost or low yield, we doubt they will finance the 2nd or 3rd phase expansions unless parent Samsung Electronics gives the ok, and that remains an open question as they have not been ready to fully endorse the project quite yet.
While there are many technological challenges in bringing this new display technology to market, there are also production challenges as some of the production equipment will be specific to the process chosen and therefore developed specifically for SDC, either by an outside supplier or an affiliate. Given that such equipment development takes time and continuous refinement, timelines for high volume production are tenuous at best, and yield improvement, regardless of the final process will be the most important challenge, even if the technology is proven successful. If SDC can’t make money with the process, either because of equipment cost or low yield, we doubt they will finance the 2nd or 3rd phase expansions unless parent Samsung Electronics gives the ok, and that remains an open question as they have not been ready to fully endorse the project quite yet.
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