Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) vs Projected Capacitive (PCAP) Touch Screens

Why PCAP Touch is Winning - & How to Make the Transition

For years, Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) touch technology has been a reliable choice for industrial and commercial HMIs. It’s accurate, responsive, and well understood. But the market has shifted, and continues to shift—toward Projected Capacitive (PCAP) touch. At UICO, we see this transition every day. As a PCAP-focused touch solutions provider, we help customers move from SAW to PCAP not because it’s trendy, but because it delivers real, measurable advantages in modern applications. So why is PCAP winning, and what does a successful transition look like?

Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW): Proven, but Showing Its Age

SAW technology earned its place thanks to excellent optical clarity and precise touch detection. However, many of its core characteristics now work against today’s system requirements.

Key limitations of SAW:

• Exposed glass surface is vulnerable to scratches, contaminants, and liquids

• Performance degradation in dusty, wet, or harsh environments

• Limited mechanical durability compared to newer technologies

• Challenging integration with thick cover glass or sealed designs

As systems demand greater ruggedization, sleeker industrial design, and multi-touch interaction, SAW becomes harder—and more expensive—to maintain.

Why PCAP Is Winning

Projected Capacitive touch has evolved far beyond its consumer-device origins. Today’s industrial PCAP solutions are robust, configurable, and purpose-built for demanding environments.

1. Durability and Reliability

PCAP sensors are typically bonded behind a solid cover lens. This design:

• Protects the sensor from impact, scratches, and chemicals

• Enables true sealed front surfaces for IP-rated systems

• Delivers consistent performance over long lifecycles

2. Environmental Resistance

Unlike SAW, PCAP is not disrupted by:

• Water, condensation, or cleaning fluids

• Dust or debris on the surface

• Vibration or mechanical shock

This makes PCAP ideal for industrial, medical, transportation, and outdoor applications.

3. Design Flexibility

PCAP supports:

• Thicker and chemically strengthened glass

• Custom shapes, sizes, and edge treatments

• Optical bonding for improved contrast and readability

In short, PCAP enables modern HMI designs that SAW simply can’t support.

4. Multi-Touch and Gesture Support

As user expectations rise, multi-touch interaction is no longer optional. PCAP natively supports:

• Multi-finger gestures

• Glove and stylus operation (with proper tuning)

• Firmware-level customization for specific use cases

The Real Barrier: Transition Risk

If PCAP is clearly winning, why do some companies still hesitate?

Because transitioning from SAW to PCAP feels risky:

• Will it work with gloves?

• Will EMI affect performance?

• Will it integrate with existing systems?

• Will certification and validation need to start over?

This is exactly where UICO comes in.

How UICO Helps You Transition from SAW to PCAP

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UICO is a PCAP shop by design, not by accident. Our entire process, from sensor design to firmware tuning, is built around making PCAP work reliably in real-world applications.

Application-Specific PCAP Tuning

We don’t offer generic, one-size-fits-all touch. We tailor PCAP performance for:

• Gloved operation

• Wet or humid environments

• EMI-heavy industrial systems

This is often where SAW users are most concerned, and where PCAP, when properly engineered, excels.

Mechanical and Optical Compatibility

We work closely with customers to:

• Match existing cutouts and form factors

• Optimize cover glass thickness and stack-ups

• Improve optical performance versus legacy SAW designs

In many cases, the final PCAP solution is more robust without changing the overall system footprint.

Firmware and Controller Expertise

PCAP performance lives and dies by firmware. UICO provides:

• Controller selection guidance

• Custom firmware tuning

• Long-term support and lifecycle management

This ensures stable performance not just at launch, but throughout the product’s life.

A Practical, Low-Risk Migration Path

We don’t force a rip-and-replace approach. Instead, we:

• Evaluate your current SAW system

• Identify performance and environmental gaps

• Develop a PCAP solution that directly addresses those needs

The result is a controlled transition; not a leap of faith.

The Bottom Line on SAW Vs PCAP Touch

SAW technology has served its purpose well, but modern systems demand more durability, more flexibility, and more resilience than SAW can realistically provide.

PCAP is winning because it aligns with where HMI design is going:

• Rugged

• Sealed

• Customizable

• User-friendly

  
  

At UICO, we help customers make that transition confidently, with PCAP solutions engineered specifically for industrial reality, not consumer assumptions.

If you’re considering the move from SAW to PCAP, the question isn’t if, it’s how smoothly you make the transition with UICO.