Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS
Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS

PVD Coatings

An important area of work is the development of customer-specific coating solutions. If the requirements cannot be met with known coating systems, modified or completely new coating concepts are required. Mostly, these concepts are developed in basic research projects in order to adapt them later to concrete applications.

Wear Protection Coatings

Hard coatings can significantly improve the service properties of tools (e.g. possible cutting speeds, machinable materials, durability) compared to uncoated ones.
© Fraunhofer IWS
Hard coatings can significantly improve the service properties of tools (e.g. possible cutting speeds, machinable materials, durability) compared to uncoated ones.

Modern machining technologies are inconceivable without tools with high-performance coatings. In particular, innovative processes, e.g. for high-speed, hard and dry machining, place high demands on the tool surface and increasingly require tailored, functional and robust high-performance coatings. In addition to high-performance tool coatings, the coating of machine elements to achieve optimum friction and wear properties is the key to increasing resource and energy efficiency and ensuring reliability.

Decorative Layers

By means of PVD processes, decorative coatings can be produced in various colors. In addition to opaque coatings, color impressions through interference effects are also possible.
© Fraunhofer IWS
By means of PVD processes, decorative coatings can be produced in various colors. In addition to opaque coatings, color impressions through interference effects are also possible.

In addition to the functional properties, PVD coatings also offer possibilities for decorative surface design. In this context, the combination of properties of many coating systems (e.g. scratch protection + chemical resistance + decoration) is interesting for numerous applications, e.g. for the finishing of jewelry, water fittings, door handles, etc. Increasingly, PVD-based solutions are also being used as an environmentally friendly substitute for electroplated coatings.

Electrically Conductive Layers

Sensor structure manufactured on a ceramic body by PVD metallization and subsequent laser structuring.
© Fraunhofer IWS
Sensor structure manufactured on a ceramic body by PVD metallization and subsequent laser structuring.

PVD processes are perfectly suited for the deposition of thin layers of metal or metal compounds. For the production of complex conductor or sensor structures, either masked coating or subsequent structuring, e.g. by means of high-precision laser ablation, is possible. Other possible applications include the metallization of plastics, textiles, etc., e.g. for antistatic treatment. Highly conductive metal nitrides are suitable for coating electrical contacts to prevent wear, corrosion and deposits.

Layers for Frictional Force Transmission

SEM micrograph of a coated surface for friction increase.
© Fraunhofer IWS
SEM micrograph of a coated surface for friction increase.

The function of a large number of component connections, such as press, flange or screw connections, is based on frictional force transmission.

The transmissible forces of such a connection depend to a large extent on the static friction coefficients of the surfaces of the friction partners. By increasing the existing static friction coefficients, correspondingly greater forces and torques can be transmitted or the number of fasteners (screws) and their dimensions can be reduced.

PVD coatings with a specially tuned micro-roughness can drastically increase the static friction coefficients of technical surfaces. The coatings, which are only a few micrometers thick, are suitable for setting high static friction values in numerous applications.