An inkjet printing method has enabled Sumitomo Chemical to develop extremely thin light guide plates.
Geek.com has reported on 
Japanese technology company Sumitomo Chemical’s usage of inkjet printing technology to devise ultra-thin light guide plates, a key component in backlit technology.
Noting that light guide plates are typically manufactured using “injection moulding or screen printing”, Sumitomo’s employment of inkjet technology has allowed the company to reduce the thickness of the plate to as much as 0.03mm.
The website continues: “The other advantage using an inkjet printing method offers is how quick and easy it is to change the pattern etched in the resin. That means it should be easier, and therefore cheaper, for Sumitomo to experiment with new designs and create better light guide plates.
“Printing the resin in this way should also scale well, meaning the company can handle any size display from smartphones right up through tablets, monitors, and of course very large screen TVs.”