Job Coating Division
What is PVD coating?
Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) coatings are a range of thin, hard coatings formed on the surface of a part. PVD coatings provide excellent wear resistance with good corrosion resistance.
How does the PVD process work?
Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) is a process carried out in high vacuum and at a temperature of ± 460°C. A high purity, solid metal such as titanium, chromium and/or aluminium is either evaporated by heat or by bombardment with ions.
At the same time a reactive nitrogen or a carbon-containing gas is added which combines and deposits on the surface of a tool or component as a tough, highly adherent coating. A uniform coating thickness is obtained by rotating the parts at a constant speed about several axes.
Coating properties such as hardness, structure, chemical and temperature resistance can be precisely controlled.
Applications of PVD coatings
PVD coatings can be used for variety of applications ranging from tooling to machine components, and for parts used in various industries. Wherever wear resistance of other special properties is required from the surface, the PVD coating can offer a solution.
In addition to coating our own tooling, Somta PVD coats metal forming dies and punches, piercing punches, injection moulds and inserts, ejector pins and core pins, dental inserts, gear cutting tools, cutting inserts and machine components for customers.
PVD coating these items can improve their life span by 200% to 400%. When used in cutting tool applications, it can also increase speeds and feeds by as much as 50%.
Somta is able to coat any large components that can fit into the chamber size of ⌀ 670 mm x 500 mm (H).
Main Benefit of Coatings on Tooling and Other Parts
Variety of PVD coatings to suit application
- Choose coating to suit application
- Suitable for cutting, punching metal forming, injection moulding, etc.
Low friction
- Improved material flow
- Enhanced work piece quality
- Better release properties
High hardness
- Improved abrasion wear resistance
- Lower susceptibility to cold welding
- Lower maintenance costs
- Fewer tool changes
- Increased service life
Greater thermal and chemical resistance
- High temperatures resistance
- Improved corrosion resistance
Thin coating
- Preserves critical dimensions
- Cutting edges stay sharp
PVD Coating Equipment
Somta has invested in top-of-the-line PVD coating equipment that provides reliable, accurate and consistent application of various standard and specialized PVD coatings.
Oerlikon Balzers
Austrian-based Oerlikon Balzers is one of the world leaders in PVD surface technologies which significantly improve the performance and durability of precision parts and tools in the metal and plastics industries.
PerformCoat
This Swiss-designed and manufactured PfC540 PVD coating machine was developed in conjunction with OSG Japan. It allows us to implement coating layers with adjustable properties for toughness, hot hardness, wear resistance, oxidation resistance and colour. These include mono, multi, nano and gradient coating structure to provide the best solution to our customers.
