Epson Ships its 90 Millionth HTPS Panel for 3LCD Projectors

Seiko Epson Corporation  recently announced that it has shipped a total of 90 million high-temperature polysilicon (“HTPS”) TFT liquid crystal panels for 3LCD projectors, enough for more than 30 million projector units.

For more than two decades, Epson has maintained its position as the world's No. 1 supplier (1) of HTPS panels, the core devices at the heart of 3LCD projectors. It has led the industry by developing and providing technologies that boost power and performance.

In recent times, applications for 3LCD projectors have expanded as advantages such as high brightness and contrast have been augmented with functions such as 3D and interactive capability. In the office, for example, projectors have become essential equipment for business presentations. In the home theater segment, they offer a compelling movie-viewing experience. In the education segment, projectors facilitate effective learning at school.

Epson Compact AIO A3 Printer Recognized In Japanese 2013 Good Design Awards

Seiko Epson Corporation recently announced that its EP-976A3 all-in-one inkjet printer (sold in global markets as the XP-950) has been selected for a Japanese 2013 Good Design Award. These awards recognize designs that enrich life and society as a whole.

The EP-976A3 is designed for people who want a high-performance printer that can print out A3 sheets yet can be installed in the same space as an A4 all-in-one. Featuring a footprint more typical of an ordinary A4 printer, this all-in-one produces crisp A3 photos and documents with gorgeous detail. The clean, simple, compact design of the body also provides far greater freedom of installation.

Judges' comments

"When a user prints over WiFi, the output tray, which automatically extends, and the control panel, which automatically tilts upward, make perfect sense when design is considered from a behavioral standpoint. The user interface is similarly designed with affordance*, suggesting the next action to perform on the touch panel. In addition, the minimalist design is beautiful, a result of Epson's efforts to provide A3 output from a printer with A4 compactness. The flow of operations is designed for true ease of use, with affordances that suggest the next selection. "

Epson Announces Investment in New Production Lines For Next Generation Print Heads

Seiko Epson Corporation announced that it has invested approximately about 16 billion yen in two production lines in Japan.

The lines have been constructed to manufacture next-generation print heads – the core component in inkjet printers – for use in business and industrial printing systems to come to market in the latter part of the 2013 fiscal year.

This capital investment, made over three years from fiscal 2011, has been made to build new production lines that contain a host of original Epson manufacturing technologies. These new lines will be located in Epson’s Suwa-Minami Plant in Nagano Prefecture and the Sakata Plant in Yamagata Prefecture. Production demands a high level of technical skill, and Epson was required to bring to bear its many years of accumulated expertise in monozukuri – the art and science of manufacturing – to make the production lines a reality.