The foldable displays met four key performance criteria set by the US Department of Defense, including for temperature shock and transit shock.
The foldable displays were produced by Samsung Display, Samsung’s display business, who commissioned certification company UL Solutions to test its 7-inch-range foldable panels to the military standard MIL-STD 810G.
The MIL-STD 810G standard tests how well a product can withstand various extreme environments and stressful conditions.
The foldable panels were tested at -10°C with a jet of water that froze into a 6 mm layer of ice that remained in place for four hours.
They also underwent additional temperature testing, withstanding two hours at -32°C followed by two hours at 63°C, with the test repeated three times over 12 hours.
One of Samsung Display's 7.6-inch foldable panels. Picture: Samsung Display
Extreme durability tests were also performed with the foldable panel subjected to twenty-six drops from a height of 1.22 meters. It was also spun at speeds up to 10.5 times the force of gravity, similar to an astronaut training for gravity in a 360-degree spinning centrifuge.
Samsung Display said it was the first company in the display industry to meet these US military standards for foldable tech.
“Passing rigorous military tests with foldable panels confirms Samsung Display’s leadership in the foldable display market, which has become the next-generation form factor,” said Cho Yong-seok, head of marketing for small and medium-sized display division at Samsung Display.
“We look forward to seeing foldable panels used in a wider range of devices and environments, overcoming the perception that foldable displays are not durable.”