Products Description
Process Capabilities Overview
Pvdcvd.com operates dedicated vacuum deposition facilities engineered for high-precision thin-film coating and surface modification. We provide contract coating services for industrial components requiring wear resistance, low friction, corrosion protection, or specific electrical and thermal properties. Our infrastructure supports scale transitions from initial coupon validation to continuous production.
Substrate Materials
We apply PVD and CVD coatings to a wide range of engineering substrates. Substrate metallurgy, pre-treatment response, and thermal stability dictate our parameter selection.
Tool & Die Steels:
AISI H13, D2, M2, CPM series (tempering temperature thresholds respected).
Carbides & Cermets:
Cobalt-bonded tungsten carbide (WC-Co) cutting and forming inserts.
Refractory & Reactive Metals:
Titanium alloys (Ti-6Al-4V), Inconel, Monel, and stainless steels (304, 316, 17-4PH).
Technical Ceramics & Quartz:
Alumina, silicon nitride, and fused silica for semiconductor and high-temperature fixtures.
Surface Preparation
Coating adhesion depends on interface cleanliness and topography. Parts undergo pre-treatment protocols prior to chamber entry.
Ultrasonic Aqueous Cleaning:
Multi-stage cascading ultrasonic degreasing to remove residual machining oils and particulates.
Abrasive Blasting / Micro-blasting:
Controlled grit blasting (using alumina or glass beads) to adjust surface roughness (Ra) and mechanical anchoring sites.
In-Chamber Plasma Etching:
Argon ion bombardment performed immediately prior to deposition to sputter off native oxides and activate the substrate surface at the atomic level.
Deposition Processes
Our facility houses modular vacuum chambers configured for specific thin-film architectures.
Arc PVD (Cathodic Arc Evaporation):
High ionization rate yielding superior film-to-substrate adhesion for heavy-duty cutting tools and stamping dies.
Sputtering (Magnetron Sputtering):
DC and RF magnetron configurations delivering smooth, droplet-free, uniform coatings for precision optics and electronics.
PECVD (Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition):
Low-temperature deposition of diamond-like carbon (DLC) and silicon-based films for tribological applications.
We deposit single-layer, multi-layer, nano-composite, and gradient coatings tailored to specific operational loads.
Coating Performance
Performance metrics are verified under standardized testing protocols to match application demands.
Hardness:
20 to 45 GPa (measured via nano-indentation depending on composition).
Adhesion Strength:
HF1 to HF2 ratings on Rockwell C indentation tests; critical load (Lc) exceeding 40 N on scratch testing.
Coefficient of Friction (CoF):
0.05 to 0.15 against steel (dry sliding conditions for DLC systems).
Temperature Resistance:
Operational stability up to 700°C in oxidizing atmospheres (for high-alloy nitrides).
Process Control
Repeatability requires closed-loop parameter monitoring across every run.
Vacuum Level:
High-vacuum base pressure down to 5 × 10⁻⁴ Pa via turbo-molecular and cryogenic pumping arrays.
Gas Flow & Partial Pressure:
Mass flow controllers (MFC) regulate reactive gas injection (N₂, Ar, acetylene) within ±1% tolerance.
Bias Voltage & Current:
Pulsed DC bias power supplies control ion energy bombardment to regulate film density and residual stress.
Thermal Regulation:
Thermocouple-monitored substrate heating and radiant shielding maintain target process temperatures within ±5°C.
Quality Inspection & Testing
Incoming geometry and outgoing film properties undergo strict verification.
Thickness Measurement:
Calibrated ball-crater method (Calo-test) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF).
Adhesion Testing:
Rockwell indentation adhesion testing (ASTM C1624 / VDI 3198) and automated scratch testers.
Surface Topography:
Non-contact optical profilometry for Ra, Rz, and defect density mapping.
Traceability:
Individual batch traveler documentation linking furnace run logs, gas recipes, and operator signatures.
Sample Coating & Process Validation
New component integration follows a structured engineering workflow.
Part Review:
Engineering assessment of part geometry, masking requirements, and tolerance stacks.
01
Trial Coating:
Processing initial customer-supplied coupons or trial parts under baseline parameters.
02
Evaluation:
Customer-side performance testing (bench testing or field trials).
03
Parameter Locking:
Finalization of the Process Sheet (Recipe) to freeze deposition variables for future production runs.
04
Custom Process Development
Standard catalog recipes do not address every application requirement. Our engineering team collaborates with customer R&D groups to formulate custom coating architectures and parameter sets.
Coating Architecture Design:
Engineering multi-layer, gradient, or nano-composite thin-film structures tailored to specific tribological, thermal, or chemical loads.
Substrate Compatibility Testing:
Developing specialized interlayers and low-temperature deposition routes for reactive or temperature-sensitive alloys.
Prototype Iteration:
Rapid deposition trials on customer-supplied coupons followed by metallurgical cross-sectioning and adhesion analysis.
Production Scaling:
Translating validated laboratory recipes into robust high-volume batch production sheets with locked parameter controls.
Process Capability FAQ