FAQs
Coating will not smooth out or fill imperfections like electroplating, so surface imperfections will still be visible after the application process. As a rule, the surface as it is before the process will be the same after the application, and in some cases even some defects on the surface stand out more after the process.
Depending on the vaporized metal (target) and the mixture of reactive gases used during the PVD deposition process, different color finishes can be produced. The range includes, among others: brass tones, gold tones, black to gray, chrome, copper and bronze tones.
Those hard coatings are by far the most durable coatings available today. Decorative coatings provide excellent scratch and corrosion resistance. However, they do not have the same tribological properties as much thicker PVD films designed for wear. Since the primary function of the coating is to create a cosmetic rather than a tribological finish, the film thickness for most decorative coatings is between 0,5 in 1,5 µm.
PVD is "line-of-sight" a process where ions travel from the cathode to the tool on the table and crystals grow on the tool if the ion path is unblocked. In order to cover the areas where the coating is not desired, special masks are most often made, since we cannot use glues or tapes in the heated vacuum chamber.