PVD Coating Plant

Ion plating is a technique by which coatings of a substance, usually a metal or a compound, are deposited upon a target part or surface. The coating material is vaporized and ionized by an electric arc, then propelled at high speed towards the target, where the electrical charge of the ionized particles causes them to bond to the surface of the target. This technique is sometimes called physical vapor deposition. It is usually done in a vacuum chamber or in an atmosphere of inert gas.

The basic technique for ion plating can be modified in a number of ways. By introducing certain gases and other vaporized ions into the closed environment, it is possible to combine the vaporized ions of one material with other ions to create a new compound that then bonds to the target. Combining different types of materials allows for a wide variety of coatings.

Coatings applied by ion plating techniques are often very thin and very even. These coatings can have thicknesses on the order of microns. The ability to apply such thin coatings evenly makes this technique good for parts with irregular shapes as well as for applying coatings that cannot be applied by other techniques, such as electroplating.

Vacuum PVD Coating Plant