What is the difference between a 4-wire resistive touch screen and a 5-wire resi
The main difference between 4-wire and 5-wire models is not just the addition of an extra wire, but the fundamental difference in structure and working principle, which directly leads to significant differences in performance, lifespan, and cost
What is the difference between a 4-wire resistive touch screen and a 5-wire resistive touch screen?
The main difference between 4-wire and 5-wire models is not just the addition of an extra wire, but the fundamental difference in structure and working principle, which directly leads to significant differences in performance, lifespan, and cost.
Simply put, the most crucial distinction is: where are the key conductive layers and electrodes?
Comparison Table of Core Differences
Feature | ||
Electrode position | Separate placement: X+, X - on the upper film layer; Y+, Y - on the lower substrate. | Concentrated placement: All four electrodes (X+, X -, Y+, Y -) are placed on the lower glass substrate. |
Upper layer film effect | It is both a voltage field and a probe. Responsible for conducting current in one direction (such as X direction) and detecting voltage in the other direction (Y direction). | Only pure voltage probes (sensors). Not responsible for conducting current, only responsible for "touching" and reading voltage values. |
Working principle | Time division measurement: 1. Apply voltage to the left and right electrodes of the upper film, measure the voltage of the lower Y electrode → obtain the X coordinate. 2. Apply voltage to the upper and lower electrodes of the lower substrate, measure the voltage of the upper X electrode → obtain the Y coordinate. | Voltage field measurement: Alternating voltage is applied to the four electrodes of the lower glass substrate to form a uniform voltage field. Any point touched by the upper film will transmit the voltage value of that point back. The controller directly calculates the X and Y coordinates based on this voltage value. |
Durability | Lower. The upper layer of the thin film is prone to wear and fracture of the ITO layer due to repeated bending and scratching, as it simultaneously carries out conductivity and touch, resulting in coordinate drift or failure. | Extremely high. All vulnerable conductive patterns are protected on hard glass. Even if the upper film is scratched, as long as it is not pierced, it will not affect the positioning accuracy. |
Lifespan | Usually about 1 million single touch operations. | Typically, it can reach over 35 million single touch touches. |
Accuracy and stability | Generally. The wear and temperature changes of the upper film can easily lead to measurement errors (drift). | High and stable. The voltage field is formed on hard glass and is less affected by external factors, making it less prone to drift. |
Transmittance | Relatively low (about 80% -85%). | Relatively high (about 85% -90%). |
Cost | Low. Simple structure and low material cost. | Higher. Glass substrate processing and controller algorithms are more complex. |
Mainstream applications | Consumer electronic products that are cost sensitive and not frequently used, such as early PDAs and low-end industrial controls. | Industrial control, medical equipment, POS machines ATM、 High end handheld terminals and other fields that require high reliability and long lifespan. |
A vivid metaphor
4-line style: Like a printable transparent film (upper layer) covered on a hard cardboard (lower layer) with coordinate grids. When writing, the pen tip presses the film onto the cardboard and locates it through the ink marks on the film and the grid on the cardboard. Film is easily broken or wrinkled by strokes.
5-wire type: Like a regular transparent plastic film (upper layer) covered on a smart glass (lower layer) with precision measurement function. When writing, the pen tip can be pressed down, and the smart glass can directly sense the position information of the pressure point. Plastic film is only responsible for transmitting pressure, and even if it is used, it does not affect the measurement function of the glass.
How to choose?
Choose a 4-line approach: When cost is the primary consideration and the equipment usage frequency is low, or the product lifecycle is short.
Choose 5-wire: When reliability, durability, and long-term stability are crucial. Although the initial investment is relatively high, the longer lifespan and less maintenance requirements often result in lower total cost of ownership. This is also the absolute mainstream choice in the current industrial and commercial fields.
Summary: The 5-wire model achieves a qualitative leap in durability and reliability compared to the 4-wire model by placing the core measuring components on a sturdy glass substrate. The extra 'front line' represents the innovation of the entire work mode.
