PLATIT’s new DLC coatings
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lead story PLATIT’s new DLC coatings Diamond hardness & graphite lubrication combined written by Dr. Hamid Bolvardi, Dr. Jan Kluson, Mojmir Jilek, Christian Galamand and Dr. Andreas Lümkemann Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) coatings have unceasingly absorbed overwhelming interest from industry as well as academic research institutions within last years. High hardness and elastic modulus, chemical inertness, optical transparency, superior tribological properties and good corrosion resistance as well as high biocompatibility and resistance to bacterial colonization make DLC an engrossing coating system. Owed to the unique and broad range of properties, DLC coatings are constantly employed in new applications from cutting and forming tools to components; saw blades, end mills, micro-tools, punches, injection and extrusion molds and dies, automotive, decorative, medical applications are just few raised examples here. figure 1 PLATIT’s DLC coatings portfolio PLATIT’s coating portfolio comprises three DLC coating types which are aimed and fine-tuned to address specific market and application needs (figure 1). DLC1 and DLC2 are hydrogen containing and DLC3 is the hydrogen free coating generation [1, 2]. DLC coatings consist of a mixture of sp3 (diamond) and sp2 (graphite) bonds. The higher sp3 bond fraction results in a higher density, hardness (at ambient and elevated temperature), thermal stabil- ity, oxidation resistance, higher residual stress and lower thermal conductivity [3, 4, 5]. DLC3 (ta-C) with the highest sp3 content, i.e. >  %, is fine-tuned mainly for tools and 50  particular components. DLC1 and DLC2 are specifically aimed to address application challenges in components and sliding contacts. PL711 DCMS & HiPIMS coater: dedicated design, high productivity The PLATIT’s PL711 coating machine is an ideal solution with a new dedicated design for coating components with DLC at high productivity and low maintenance intervals. Despite of all DLC acquainted advantages, typically DLC coating machines would require cleaning intervals which leads to additional costs and machine downtime. Along of PLATIT’s PA3D module (new designed lateral Helmholtz coils) carbon plasma will be confined to carousel as sche ma ically illustrated in figure 2. This innovative design will t significantly reduce the chamber contamination and increase the deposition rate and productivity, i.e. an ideal design specially for hydrogen containing DLC coatings. figure 2 PLATIT’s PL711 highly productive DCMS & HiPIMS coater Pi411 PLUS arc and sputtering coater: ultra-flexible Due to its modular design and the range of available technologies, e.g. arc, sputter, PECVD, OXI processes, Pi411 PLUS is the world’s most flexible coating unit. PLATIT’s new DLC3 (ta-C) is a sputtered coating with SCIL ® technology requiring no hardware change in Pi411 PLUS coater compared to prior or later nitride o

References [1.] www.platit.com [2.] Compendium - PLATIT AG [3.] M. Kamiya et al., Vacuum 83 (2009), page 510 - 514 [4.] A.C. Ferrari et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 75 (1999), page 1893 -1895 [5.] R. Kalish et al., Appl. Phys. 74 (1999), page 2936 - 2938 [6.] T. Cselle et al., Werkzeug und Technik, no 183, August 2020 figure 3 - DLC3 coated endmill under scanning electron microscope PLATIT's sputtering SCIL® technology with unique rotating cathodes, enables the synthesis of the new high quality DLC coatings (figure 3). High magnetic field strength inside the SCIL® sputter cathode and its very...