KANOU was recently asked to source — or, if necessary, custom manufacture — a display identified only by a custom part number from a company specialising in defence displays.
At first glance, it sounds like a difficult request.
For us, the challenge is actually not whether the display can be custom-made or replicated. Customisation and reverse engineering are part of what we do at KANOU.
The real challenge is much simpler:
A custom part number tells us what to look for, but it does not tell us what to build.
When a display has been customised for a particular application, especially in specialised industries such as defence, medical, industrial or transportation, the manufacturer’s part number may reveal very little about what is actually inside.
To properly evaluate a replacement or 1:1 equivalent, we need the engineering details behind that number:
• Display size and active area
• Resolution and pixel configuration
• Display technology
• Brightness and contrast requirements
• Viewing angles
• Interface — LVDS, MIPI, RGB, eDP, etc.
• Operating voltage and power requirements
• Connector type and exact pin-out
• Backlight configuration
• Mechanical dimensions and mounting points
• Operating and storage temperature
• Optical treatments and performance requirements
• Touchscreen specifications, if applicable
• Any application-specific environmental or reliability requirements
Most importantly, the electrical interface and pin-out cannot be assumed simply because two displays look physically identical.
Without a datasheet, drawing or specification, the alternative is to have the physical display available for engineering evaluation and reverse engineering.
And this is an important distinction in custom manufacturing:
“Can you make it?” and “Do you have enough information to make it?” are two completely different questions.
Give us the complete datasheet and requirements, and we can evaluate a custom replacement.
Give us the physical unit, and we can study what needs to be replicated.
But give us only a proprietary part number, and there is simply not enough engineering information to responsibly claim a 1:1 replacement.
At KANOU, our strength is not just supplying displays. We work on customised cover glass, touchscreens, display modules, optical bonding and complete display solutions — including projects where an existing solution needs to be recreated, modified or replaced.
Customisation is the easy part when you have the right information.
The first step in reverse engineering is not manufacturing.
It is understanding exactly what you are trying to reproduce.
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