(1) Core pain points of traditional home appliance knobs

1. Weak interactive experience: Only mechanical gear adjustment, no visual feedback, blind operation is easy to accidentally touch; the function expansion is limited, and it is difficult to adapt to complex needs such as intelligent mode and multi-stage parameter adjustment.
2. Insufficient reliability: The mechanical potentiometer/contact structure is easy to oxidize and wear, and has a lifespan of about 30,000 to 50,000 times; home appliances have a high failure rate in humid and vibrating environments, and high after-sales costs.
3. Design limitations: Large in size, occupying panel thickness, unable to adapt to ultra-thin glass panels, integrated minimalist design; homogeneous appearance, lacking high-end texture.
4. Difficulty in intelligent adaptation: No data interaction capability, unable to link the main control and upload operating status, and does not conform to the trend of "human-machine interconnection and remote control" of smart home appliances.

(2) Core needs of the industry

• Show visualization: Small-sized circular screen clearly displays operating parameters (temperature/speed/mode), status prompts, and dynamic icons.
• Precision in operation: 360° unlimited rotation + press confirmation, comfortable damping feel, accurate blind operation; supports multi-gear and refined parameter adjustment.
• High reliability: IP65 and above dustproof and waterproof, temperature resistant - 20℃~+70℃, lifespan ≥100,000 times, suitable for complex working conditions of home appliances.
• Lightweight integration: Ultra-thin module (overall thickness <1.5mm), suitable for embedded/suspended installation, and compatible with ultra-thin panel design.
• Low cost mass production: Standardized module + customized UI, supports rapid development, strong consistency in mass production, and adapts to the pricing system of mid-to-high-end home appliances.

(1) Project background

Meiling high-end series washing machines originally usedMechanical knob + small digital tubesolution, there are problems such as “blurred display, few gears, easy damage, and outdated appearance”. In order to enhance product competitiveness, it needs to be upgraded to a "visual smart knob", which requires adapting to an ultra-thin glass panel, supporting multi-mode washing parameter adjustment, and taking into account both reliability and cost.

(2) Plan implementation process

1. Hardware adaptation
   • Use our company1.8 inch 360×360 round screen knob module, replace the original mechanical knob and embed it into the front glass panel of the washing machine to achieveNo screws, no gapsInstall.
   • The module is connected to the main control MCU of the washing machine through the I2C interface to realizeKnob rotation/pressing signal transmission, screen display command issuance, and running status data return.
   • Enhanced protection: The panel is fitted with a waterproof rubber ring, and the whole machine is IP65 dustproof and waterproof, suitable for the humid environment of the washing machine during the entire process of water inflow, laundry, and dehydration.
2. UI interface customization (fitting the washing machine scenario)
   • Main interface: Center display of circular screenCurrent mode (standard/quick wash/dry/wool), the outer ring progress bar displaystime left, displayed in small characters at the bottomSpeed/temperature.
   • Adjustment interface: When the knob is rotated, the screen switches in real time ** rotation speed (400-1200 rpm), temperature (cold water - 60°C) ** parameters, press to confirm the take effect, and the dynamic icons change synchronously.
   • Status prompt: In case of abnormality (door not closed, water failure), the screen pops upWarning icon + text prompt, cooperate with the buzzer alarm to quickly locate the problem.
3. Function realization (meeting the core needs of washing machines)
   • Mode switching: Rotate the knob to cycle throughStandard, quick wash, dry, wool, down jacketThere are 8 washing modes, and the corresponding icons are displayed simultaneously on the screen.
   • Parameter adjustment: Press the knob to enter parameter adjustment, rotate to adjustSpeed, temperature, rinse times, supports refined settings and adapts to different clothing materials.
   • Status visualization: Real-time display during operationRemaining time, current speed, temperature;Dynamic display of rotation speed animation during dehydration and temperature curve during drying.
   • Troubleshooting: Automatic self-test at power-on, and the screen will prompt a fault code when there is an abnormality, which facilitates user troubleshooting and after-sales maintenance.

(3) Landing effect

1. Improved user experience:Visual operation replaces traditional blind operation, the mode and parameters are clear at a glance, and the misoperation rate is reduced80%; The damping feels comfortable, the rotation is smooth, and the high-end texture is remarkable.
2. Reliability greatly enhanced: Non-contact magnetic encoding structure, lifespan increased from 30,000 times to100,000 times; The failure rate in humid and vibrating environments is <0.1%, and after-sales maintenance costs are reduced.60%.
3. Product premium increases: Ultra-thin glass panel + circular smart knob, minimalist and high-end appearance, increased product premium15%-20%, market sales increased year-on-year25%.
4. Intelligent foundation laid: Supports the return of running status data, and can be connected to the Meiling smart home system to achieveRemote viewing, APP control, fault warning, adapting to the development trend of smart home appliances.

Industry-wide expansion application solutions