CDIM
Curved Display Inspection
The Challenge
Complex Geometry, Complex Inspections
Over the last decade, displays have evolved far beyond the flat rectangular panels that once dominated automotive cockpits, consumer electronics and industrial equipment. Curved displays are becoming increasingly common, offering improved ergonomics, immersive viewing experiences and seamless integration into modern designs. From automotive dashboards to next-generation monitors and premium televisions, this shift toward curved form factors reflects a growing desire to combine functionality with aesthetics.
However, this evolution introduces challenges not only in the integration of these new displays but also in ensuring their production and quality control. Unlike flat panels, where inspection methods are well-established, curved displays present unique geometrical complexities. The curvature changes how light reflects from the surface, affects pixel and touch layer alignment and increases mechanical stresses during assembly. Even small deviations in conformity can lead to issues such as distorted images, uneven brightness, reduced touch sensitivity or premature mechanical failures under temperature cycling and vibration.
Today, many manufacturers still rely on manual inspection methods, where operators visually assess the conformity of curved displays. While experienced technicians can identify visible defects, this approach is time-consuming, subjective and difficult to scale for high-volume production. Automated systems optimized for flat surfaces are also limited in their ability to adapt to complex curvatures, often leaving areas of the display insufficiently inspected or introducing inaccuracies in measurement.
The result is a gap between design innovation and inspection capability. As industries adopt more sophisticated display technologies, there is a growing need for inspection systems that can handle the geometric complexity of curved panels with the same speed, precision and repeatability that flat-panel inspection solutions currently provide.
The Technology
From Curved-to-Flat Image Translation with Robotic Precision
Curved displays introduce inspection challenges that differ significantly from those of flat panels. Their geometry affects how light behaves across the surface, how the image is captured by optical systems, and how mechanical positioning can be maintained with precision. As a result, conventional inspection methods designed for flat surfaces often fail to deliver the necessary accuracy or coverage.
To properly inspect a curved surface, optical imaging and illumination must adapt dynamically to variations in curvature and reflection. This often requires capturing the image progressively, rather than in a single frame, to ensure that all areas are uniformly represented. Equally important is the ability to translate those curved images into a flat, analyzable representation, enabling accurate comparison against reference models and defect criteria.
Advances in machine vision and deep-learning algorithms have made it possible to automatically recognize expected image patterns and detect even subtle deviations, such as curvature anomalies, surface imperfections or display defects. When combined with flexible mechanical architectures and intelligent software, these technologies allow inspection systems to maintain the speed, precision and repeatability required in modern production lines, even for complex geometries like curved displays.
The Benefits in Practice
By automating the inspection of curved displays, manufacturers gain clear advantages:
The Application in Electronics Manufacturing
The demand for curved displays is rapidly expanding across multiple industries. In automotive, curved panels are increasingly used in dashboards and infotainment systems, allowing for a seamless integration with vehicle interiors while improving ergonomics and driver visibility. In consumer electronics, smartphones, monitors and televisions use curved form factors to enhance immersion and visual comfort. Even in professional and medical equipment, curved displays can improve workspace efficiency by reducing distortion and glare.
For manufacturers, ensuring the conformity of these displays is not only a matter of aesthetics but also of functionality and reliability. A small misalignment in curvature can affect touch sensitivity, introduce optical distortions or lead to premature failures under thermal or mechanical stress. Automated inspection with robotic guidance and linear camera-based imaging brings the repeatability and scalability required to maintain quality across high-volume production lines.
The benefits extend beyond quality control. By delivering faster, more accurate inspections, this technology helps reduce reliance on manual labor, lowers the risk of human error and provides detailed digital records that support traceability and process optimization. Its adaptability to different display geometries means it can be deployed flexibly across multiple product lines without extensive retooling.
The Solution
CDIM - Curved Display Inspection Machine
To address the challenges of inspecting complex geometries in curved displays, Controlar developed the Curved Display Inspection Machine (CDIM), a standalone inspection system that combines advanced robotics, high-resolution line-scan vision, and deep-learning software to deliver accurate and efficient defect detection.
At the core of the CDIM is a linear camera system that translates curved images into flat representations, enabling precise and consistent inspection across the entire surface of the display. This approach ensures that no area is left uninspected and that all data collected can be processed with the same accuracy as a flat panel. The system is powered by deep-learning algorithms capable of learning the expected image profile and identifying a wide range of defect types, from dead pixels or display errors (when powered on) to curvature deviations, surface defects, or frame irregularities (when powered off).
The machine’s overhead-mounted robot provides flexibility for handling multiple product types, allowing quick reconfiguration by simply changing the nest and updating the robot program. This makes the CDIM adaptable to different display geometries and easy to integrate into both laboratory and production environments.
Operation and test configuration are managed through the Controlar Vision App, a proprietary and configurable interface that allows users to set up, monitor, and customize inspection tests quickly and flexibly. Key features include:
- Manual or automatic trigger modes.
- Configurable MSA mode for quality testing.
- Local database with story mode for image review.
- Data export to CSV for analysis and integration.
- Live camera mode for real-time monitoring.
- Station/line map render for operator guidance.
- Multiple test modes for different inspection needs (display defects, image view, frame defects).
Dynamic recipes and adjustable camera parameters (exposure time, frame rate, and image reference) make it easy to fine-tune test conditions or adapt to new products. The system also allows for defining test models and feature search criteria, enabling verification of part placement or specific characteristics such as screw positions or markings.
Designed as a standalone, production-ready station, the CDIM can be easily deployed and reconfigured without major hardware changes. Its combination of precise mechanical architecture, adaptive vision technology, and intelligent software makes it a robust and scalable solution for ensuring the quality and reliability of curved displays, helping manufacturers maintain high standards while keeping inspection fast, flexible, and cost-effective.
See CDIM live at productronica 2025 and discover how automated vision inspection is setting new standards in curved display testing.
