COMPONENT COATING TO MINIMIZE RAW
MATERIAL USAGE
ply uniform layers to the components and requires concepts
for monitoring the substrate temperature. Depending on
the substrate material and coating material, key parameters
for an effective coating process are maintenance of strict
temperature limits to avoid substrate damage and in some
C om ple x sur f a c e s , s e n s i ti v e m a te ri a l s , and y et v ery hi gh demands on func ti onal i ty - the c oati n g of non-
cases controlled heating to achieve a specific morphology or
st a nda rd subs tra te s i s v e ry c h a l l e n g i n g . N ew c ombi nati ons of tec hnol ogi es are requi red i n order t o open
phase.
up oppor t uni ti e s fo r th e e co n o mi ca l l y v i abl e v ac uum c oati ng of mas s -produc ed c omponents .
Using new combined vacuum methods, the Coating of
Components business unit of the Fraunhofer FEP now also
The optimum usage of resources is imperative in the 21st
vacuum coating is gaining further importance. In some areas
offers alternatives to chemical methods in areas where regu-
century. The onward march of globalization and rapid
of consumer goods production PVD and CVD are established
lations on work safety and environmental protection make
industrialization has brought resource availability and
methods for functionalizing and improving the functionality
their use increasingly unprofitable or difficult. The Coating
management to the attention of society. Regulations of the
of products. Examples are the metallization of plastic
of Components business unit continues its work on the
European Union promote the sustainable use of strategic
components such as decorative and operating elements,
functionalization of small components (bulk goods). Besides
materials and primary energy sources in order to limit the
lamp reflectors, and housings for electronics. Protective layers
corrosion protection via multilayers deposited via PVD, the
emission of substances that are harmful to the environment.
applied by PVD methods protect fasteners on aircraft against
aim is to realize other functionalities on small components,
Reaching these goals requires altered consumer behavior on
corrosion, with safety standards being particularly high here.
for example low-friction carbon-based layers deposited via
the one hand and new and innovative production processes
Low-friction layers on components reduce losses in drive and
PECVD at very high rates (see the article on page 108 by
and product qualities on the other. Germany occupies a key
transmission systems. Abrasion-resistant layers allow highly
Dr. B. Zimmermann). Reduced friction loss on many small
position here because manufacturing industry in Germany
efficient machining processes to be carried out, including on
parts can result, for example, in improved efficiency of drive
makes up a third of the economy, has a strong position on
new, highly resistant, high-strength materials.
systems and hence lower usage of resources.
The demand for function optimization via coating is also
For larger components the Fraunhofer FEP wants to create
increasing. Process developers are constantly confronted by
a platform for combination-coating using magnetron
Key manufacturing sectors in Germany are the car manufac-
new requirements regarding the materials to be coated, the
sputtering, electron beam high-rate deposition, and
turing industry, the metal processing industry, and machine
complexity of specifications, and cost efficiency. New efficient
PECVD. For coating metal strips, high-rate electron beam
construction. These and other sectors are actively involved
coatings, comprising for example thick multimaterial layer
deposition has been shown to produce layers with unique
in minimizing the use of raw materials - on the one hand
systems having specific structures and functions, also need
combinations of properties which cannot be economically
for economic reasons and on the other hand to maintain
efficient and reliable coating processes to be developed.
realized using other methods. The equipment required to
their market position with resource-saving products. They
The Fraunhofer FEP has set itself this challenge and is
open up this technology for 3D coating is a short cycle unit
also strive to do this out of a responsibility to society and the
developing combined methods which bring together aspects
in which the components are fed via a load lock into the
environment.
of electron beam technology and plasma technology.
process chamber without breaking the vacuum and the
Vacuum coating has for some time played a role in
Besides the process-related challenges, the coating of 3D
then subjected to coating processes either sequentially or in
these developments. Due to ever stricter regulations,
objects requires suitable substrate movement in order to ap-
parallel.
a comparative European basis, and can take on a pioneering
role internationally.
rotating components – a prerequisite for 3D parts – are
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The combinations of processes under development will
open up new freedom for the layer compositions which has
hitherto not been possible using traditional vacuum coating
processes for coating 3D components. These compositions
will include dielectric materials not possible using arc
evaporation, and also thick layers of the order of 100 µm
which cannot be economically applied by either sputtering
or arc evaporation. In general the work will concern layer
systems which can only be applied in an uninterrupted
process by a combination of different technologies. These
include, for example, systems of the type M - MC - MCxNy
- CxNy whose layers with their individual functionalities are
vital for good overall performance. Multiphase layers, having
oxidic components that only become effective in different
exposure situations, can also be prepared using suitable
hybrid processes. This means that new substrate / functional
surface combinations will be possible, helping to bring
together apparently opposing features such as lightweight,
improved performance, and abrasion-resistance in, for
1 Combined methods for depositing multimaterial layers
example, components of combustion engines.
magnetron
The development platform that has been described for
small components and substrates up to a typical size of
300 mm, and in some cases even larger, will also be used by
the Coating of Components business unit to enhance the
know-how of the Fraunhofer FEP in its core areas of expertise
CONTACT
and for coating non-standard substrates. Together with
industrial partners the Fraunhofer FEP will thus contribute
to optimization of resource usage for industrial production
and at the same time the manufacture of resource-saving
products.
Dr. Heidrun Klostermann
plasma-activated
evaporation
electron gun
Phone +49 351 2586-367
crucible
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