If you are in the business of providing surface finishing services and want to expand your offerings, than learning about the vacuum metallizing service is one good option that you can consider to expand your business and join the ranks of vacuum metallizing suppliers.

For a company providing vacuum metallizing services or vacuum metallizing products, it is always beneficial to update your knowledge about new technology in vacuum metallization. If you want to enter the vacuum metallizing business, it is necessary to have an understanding of the vacuum metallizing equipment required for different types of applications. You can also consult different vacuum metallizing equipment suppliers to gain detailed information on the vacuum metallization process.

For training yourself and/or your employees about vacuum metallizing equipment and relevant technology, you can:

1. Read basic information about the vacuum metallizing process and relevant terminology
2. Join associations for surface finishing companies
3. Read magazines and journals that provide updates about the vacuum metallizing industry

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find training courses on the vacuum metallizing process

You can enhance your employees' skills by enrolling in courses on metal finishing that provide information about the vacuum metalizing process.

I recommend: Lightspeed Technologies offers various professional courses in manufacturing technology, including courses in finishing methods. You can also enroll in industrial and manufacturing engineering courses, offered by Western Michigan University that have finishing and fabrication as part of their curriculum.

Subscribe to magazines that provide information about the vacuum metallizing process

You can subscribe to metal finishing magazines that give insights about various aspects of the finishing industry, including vacuum metallizing and new developments in the industry.

I recommend: Products Finishing Magazine, a reputable web resource by Gardner Publications, caters to surface finishing professionals. You can also subscribe to Metal Finishing, a metal casting journal that provides updates about the surface finishing industry. Surface and Coatings Technology is another international journal by Elsevier B.V. devoted to the science and application of advanced surface treatments.

Join associations for vacuum metallizing and other metal finishing companies

Associations for surface finishing and coating companies provide a platform for communication and interaction amongst the service providers and customers of different types of finishing technologies.

I recommend: You can join the Association of Industrial Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (AIMCAL), a global non-profit association for companies that specialize in converters of metallized, laminated and coated flexible substrates. Society of Vacuum Coaters (SVC) is another global forum for vacuum coating, surface engineering and related technologies that also conducts various events and learning programs. In addition, you can join the Institute of Metal Finishing, an international organization that offers a platform for metal finishing professionals and offers various courses in many sciences including vacuum metallizing.

Many of the shiny “chrome” parts on car dashboards and toys are actually plastic that has been covered with a thin coat of aluminum through a process called vacuum metallizing. In this process, a part (plastic, glass or metal) is placed in a chamber and most of the air is pumped out. Metal vapor enters the chamber and condenses on the part to form a very thin and shiny metallic coating. A transparent topcoat is then applied to protect the part from scratching and humidity. A gold finish and other colors can be achieved by adding dye to the topcoat.

Vacuum metallizing, sometimes called sputtering, is used in a myriad of applications and many more will emerge as industry learns how cost effective it is to mass produce using this method. The three most popular applications for vacuum metallizing are:

1. Reflective finishes on road signs, emergency lights and flash lights.

2. Decorative chrome coatings on wheels, headlamps and interior and exterior car trim, as well as vacuum metallization on trophies, shower parts, jewelry, ipod cases and toys.

3. Shielding from heat, vapors, electro magnetic interference and radio interference on computers, cell phones and cameras.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find out how the vacuum metallization process works

Many sites offer good information and other services for vacuum metallizing.

I recommend: The DSM Engineering Plastics site explains how the different plastics used for vacuum metallizing have improved in quality and aesthetics. Interplex has a short video that shows parts going through the vacuum metallizing process. MFG.com offers a free service that helps buyers create RFQs to find companies with the right expertise and capacity for their vacuum metallizing applications.

Purchase services from vacuum metallizing suppliers

If you just have just one application that needs to be metallized, outsourcing is ideal. Most vacuum metallizing suppliers offer a full line of services.

I recommend: Mueller Corporation offers vacuum metallizing services for shielding, reflective coatings, chrome alternative coatings and decorative metallic coatings. Spartek offers a variety of vacuum metallizing products ranging from small precise automotive and cosmetic pieces to large molded parts weighing up to 15 lbs.

Find vacuum metallizing equipment suppliers

It may be more cost effective in the long term to coat your own vacuum metallized parts. The newest technology allows the part to be pretreated, metallized and top coated in a single processing cycle. There are also vacuum metallizing systems that work in conjunction with an injection molding press to further increase efficiencies.

I recommend: Mustang Vacuum Systems manufactures coating and metallizing equipment, sputtering machines, optical coating units and batch metallizers. Innovative Systems Engineering is a vacuum metallizing manufacturer of sputtering systems, evaporators, plasma deposition and etching systems. Custom equipment can be made to specification.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Vacuum metallization processes are greener than other applications such as electroplating because they generate no air or water pollution.
• •  Aluminum is the metal of choice in most vacuum metallizing applications because it has high adherence properties, is relatively inexpensive and has a silvery brilliance.

Vacuum metallizing is the process of evaporating metals inside a vacuum chamber, which then bond to the desired substrate, to achieve a uniform metalized layer. There are different applications for vacuum metallizing, including automotive and motor sport accessories, automotive interior trims, sporting goods, toys, models, novelty items, display items, decorative fixtures and cosmetic closures.

If you want to establish yourself as a provider of vacuum metallizing services, you will need to understand the basic terminology associated with vacuum metallizing. This guide covers some of the relevant terms, such as shielding, electroplating, PVD and thermal evaporation.

Action Steps
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Shielding

Shielding is a process that allows evaporating up to 8 microns of aluminum. The typical thickness of evaporated aluminum for light reflectors and chrome decorative coatings is approximately 1000 angstroms. Shielding is done by vacuum metallizing.

I recommend: You can read through an explanation about shielding at Omega Shielding Products, a certified manufacturer of EMI shielding and RFI shielding products.

Electroplating

Electroplating is a process in which a layer of a metal is deposited on metallic or non metallic electrodes by electrolysis in an electric cell. The process of electroplating is also used in vacuum metallizing.

I recommend: You can read through an explanation of the electroplating process at Finishing.com, an informative website for the finishing industry.

PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition)

Physical vapor deposition (PVD) covers a group of surface coating technologies that are extremely useful for various applications, such as vacuum metallizing, decorative coating, tool coating and other equipment coating functions.

I recommend: AZoM, an online knowledge resource, provides primary materials information for the engineering professional.

Vacuum thermal evaporation

In a vacuum thermal evaporation deposition process, heating is done until evaporation of the material is deposited on the desired surface.

I recommend: Oxford Vacuum Science, a supplier of vacuum products, offers detailed information about thermal evaporation processes.

CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition)

CVD is characterized by uniform vacuum metalized coatings. It provides hardness, wear and corrosion resistance to various products, such as nozzles, rolls and forming tools.

I recommend: You can learn more about chemical vapor deposition at Hsin-Tien Chiu, an informative website. For more information on CVD process, you can read through Corrosion Doctors’ website.

Vacuum deposition

Vacuum deposition is useful for depositing coating on a material at sub-atmospheric pressure on a solid surface.

I recommend: You can read through the dictionary of descriptive terminology by CoOL (Conservation OnLine), a project of the Preservation Department of Stanford University Libraries and Academic Information Resources. In addition, you can read through the glossary of terms and acronyms for vacuum coating technology at Society of Vacuum Coaters (PDF).