PVD coating machines and PVD coating testing machines are the two subcategories of PVD thin film coating technology.
PVD coating equipment
Surface coatings are deposited using methods such as magnetron sputtering, arc evaporation, etc. via PVD vacuum coating machines sold by a variety of coating equipment manufacturers. Most PVD coating equipment use at least 4 magnetrons, 2/3 fold rotation mechanisms, and fully automated computerised control for magnetron sputtering. It is now cost-effective for businesses in the majority of business sectors to purchase their own turnkey systems and coat internally. Coating has substantially lower unit costs and negligible lead times.
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Equipment for testing PVD coatings
In a production setting, testing equipment is employed to guarantee quality control. The following is a list of the primary coating testing tools.
Tester for scratch adhesion
To gauge how well thin coatings adhere, utilise the scratch adhesion tester. Utilising a Rockwell diamond, adhesion testing is carried out while a rising weight is given to a coated test piece, coated component, or coated tool. An optical microscope can be used to confirm the load at which the coating breaks after a load cell or acoustic emission measurement.
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Rockwell adhesion tester
The Rockwell adhesion tester, also known as the Daimler-Benz test and created by the Union of German Engineers (Verein Deutscher Ingenieure, VDI), is another quick form of adhesion testing utilised in production departments. With a 150kg applied load, a Rockwell “C”-type diamond cone indenter is used for this test. After the adhesion test, the Rockwell “C” indent is examined to determine the adherence. However, this test is only effective on moderately hard substrates (such high speed steel).
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Coating thickness tester (Calo® tester or ball crater thickness tester)
The Calo tester or ball crater thickness tester, depending on the testing equipment supplier, are rapid ways to gauge thin film coating thickness.
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Pin on disc wear and friction tester
The pin on disc tester measures the coating’s tribological characteristics, including friction and sliding wear, by sliding a fixed ball counterpart against a coated test piece.
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Abrasion tester
The abrasion tester can be used to gauge a coating’s resistance to abrasion. In this test, the coated sample or component is put onto a rotating steel spherical. Next, a slurry of diamond solution is drizzled onto the spherical. The coating is removed by the diamond. When the coating has reached the substrate, the coating wear can be observed visually. To calculate the coating abrasive specific wear rate, software is typically employed.
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