IHS says that ink-jet printing of OLED displays is finally ready to enter mass production in 2020. Production will begin at a rate of around 105,000 yearly substrates (209,000 sqm) in 2020, but will grow 12-fold within 4 years to reach 1.3 million yearly substrates in 2024 (or 7.3 million sqm).
The first producer to begin mass production using ink-jet printing will be JOLED who will enter mass production in 2020 (it already produces panels but at very low volume). OLED makers in China will quickly follow JOLED with mass production investments starting in 2020 or 2021.
Ink-Jet printing has a potential to lower the production cost of OLED panels - and is mostly suited for medium and large-area panels. IHS estimates that a 65" 4K OLED TV currently costs around $585 to produce (LGD's OLED, using a 10-Gen line). Using an ink-jet printing process, this cost can be reduced to $441 (an almost 25% reduction).
Ink-Jet can also be used for smaller production lines and provide similar cost reductions compared to RGB evaporation OLEDs, But the limited resolution density will probably keep Ink-Jet from being used in smartphone OLEDs - at least in the near future.
