Virtually every material made from steel or plastic can be coated or metallized using our PVD and PACVD processes
All materials can, in principle, be coated using the PVD and PACVD processes, subject, in each case, to the following rule: heat treatment must be carried out so that the coating temperature (~ 150°C bis 600°C), does not cause any loss of hardness or warping.
Readily coatable are metallic materials such as high-speed steels, hot and cold working tool steels, stainless steels, heat treatable steels, cemented carbides, cermets, as well as case-hardened, ball-bearing and nitrided steels.
Plastic parts made from a variety of polymers can also be coated, provided they have been previously nickel-plated or electroplated. In some cases, plastics can be coated directly for decorative purposes, i.e. they should be protected against abrasion or not be subjected to mechanical stress. Translucent and opaque coatings can also be applied directly on plastics.
Conditionally coatable materials are cast iron, chromium and nickel-plated metals, copper alloys and aluminium alloys, ceramics and sapphire.
Non-coatable materials are sintered metals with open pores (vacuum-incompatible).