PVD coating

PVD coating is a dry process carried out in a vacuum chamber without the use of dissolved metal salts, unlike traditional electroplating.

The components are mounted on a support and placed in a vacuum chamber. The chamber also contains two large plates of metal, such as chromium or zirconium, depending on the desired coating. These plates act as the source material from which the coating is formed. The different shades are created by varying not only the source material, but also the different process parameters.

The coating is done using a “line-of-sight” process, which means that the coating can only be vaporized onto surfaces that are exposed to the source material in a direct line. To ensure that the coating is as uniform as possible, the mounts rotate around two axes.

When the process begins, the chamber is heated, and a vacuum is created. By applying electricity to the source material, the metal evaporates by means of an electric arc, releasing atoms from the metal plates.

At the same time, a process gas, such as nitrogen, is introduced into the chamber, which is heated and converted into an electrically conductive plasma. The atoms from the source material react with the plasma and form a chemical compound that condenses on the component surface. This creates a very thin but incredibly durable coating. The result is a homogeneous surface with strong bonding to the base material, which provides both long durability and a stable appearance over time.

You can read more about PVD at the supplier of our plant.