Aug-31-2021
admin
iPhone screens are thoroughly tested before they arrive in our warehouse in the Netherlands. Buyback screens and OEM refurbished LCDs undergo the same checks. The factory that refurbishes the screens for us checks them on the basis of our standards to determine what they can refurbish. Only A quality meets our standard. Would you like to know more about our quality gradations? Read more about this in Part 1 of this blog series.
In addition to purchasing small parts and LCDs, our sourcing team in Shenzhen, China, is also responsible for quality controls. Every check is performed by another employee to make sure that nothing is overlooked. This way, we try to get rid of any ‘rotten apples’ and only supply the very best screens.
First of all, the LCDs are checked for cosmetic errors, such as scratches and air bubbles. We also check whether the frame is properly secured.
It is very important that our screens are tested in a semi-dark room as it can be very difficult to identify any breaks or defects on a screen in artificial light. Checks of a black screen are performed in a dusky room to detect translucent LEDs. However, when checking on a white and grey screen, it is better if there is light in the room in order to be able to identify spots in the screen more easily.
For a thorough check of the LCD, the screens are tested in five different modes:
We also check the screens for backlight bleeding, dead pixels and all OLED screens are checked for burn-throughs in the screen. However, this is almost never a problem with iPhones.
The touch function is tested by moving an icon. The icon is moved in different directions and along all edges and corners. If the icon does not move smoothly or comes loose, the screen will be rejected.
The final element of the first check is testing the fingerprint scanner. On the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the fingerprint scanner is located on the backplate. The backplate is tested separately and mounted on the LCD after approval. From the iPhone 6S series, the fingerprint scanner is integrated in the screen.
Once LCDs have passed the first check, the backplate and small parts are installed. After installation, the screens are tested again.
During the second check, the LCDs are re-tested on white and grey backgrounds. This way, we check whether the backplate has been installed correctly and does not press against any components.
We also perform a second touch check using the AssistiveTouch functionality. We test both the touch and the 3D touch function. In addition to testing its proper functioning, we also test whether the 3D touch function is not overly sensitive. If the 3D touch function is too sensitive, it is activated too quickly. In this case, we still reject the screen.
After approval of the functionality of the screens, we check the LCD’s appearance once more. We check whether all small parts are properly glued, whether the backplate is properly mounted, whether the flex cables are aligned and whether there is any dirt.
After this second check, the LCDs are carefully packaged and shipped to our warehouse in the Netherlands. Ready to be sold!