The Largest DLC Coating System Installed during COVID

Background

Our client is a well-known PVD coating center based in Los Angeles, California, specializing in providing PVD coating services to the aerospace and defense industry. As the business grows, the client is looking to add a dedicated PVD coating system to DLC coating.

Challenges

The client needs a PVD coating system dedicated to DLC coating with a large chamber and high throughput to keep up with the customer demand. Most importantly, they need the PVD coating system in operation in six months - during COVID. COVID has impacted many businesses, including the PVD equipment manufacturers. Most of the PVD equipment manufacturers are based in Europe, and none of them were able to deliver the equipment within the six-month timeframe.

Solutions

Despite COVID, we managed to custom design our largest PVD coating system STAR6 to the client's exact specifications and deliver the PVD coating system within 6 months. The STAR6 PVD system has a loading capacity of 580mm OD x 800mm height, and it was tested with more than 10 batches of DLC coating to ensure the quality is consistent every single batch before final delivery.

Results

Our installation team from Vancouver took the necessary precautions during the pandemic and successfully installed the STAR6 PVD coating system at the client's coating center in early March 2021. The client's team went through extensive training for two weeks, from using the system to maintenance to troubleshooting. The client is coating DLC exclusively on the STAR6 running 3 shifts per day. The STAR6 is one of the largest DLC coating systems in the California area.