High Quality Pvd Multi Arc Ion Vacuum Coating Machine For Decoration Hardware

Product Specification

Lion King Multi-Arc Ion Plating Machine

Technology Overview

Multi-arc ion plating is a PVD technique that uses high-current arcs (100–500 A) to vaporize metallic or ceramic targets in a vacuum chamber (pressure < 10⁻² Torr). The ionized vapor is accelerated toward the substrate by a bias voltage, forming dense, ultra-hard coatings with superior adhesion. This method excels in depositing nitride, carbide, and oxide films for industrial and decorative applications.

Working Principle

Arc Evaporation: High-current arcs strike the target surface, generating ionized metal vapor.

Plasma Acceleration: A negative bias on the substrate attracts ions, enhancing film density and adhesion.

Reactive Gas Introduction: Oxygen or nitrogen can be introduced to form compounds like TiN or Cr₂O₃ .

Key Advantages

High Deposition Rate: Achieves film thicknesses of 1–5 μm/h, ideal for large-scale production.

Hardness & Wear Resistance: Coatings like TiAlN exhibit hardness up to 3000 HV, extending tool life by 3–5x.

Uniform Coverage: Effective for complex geometries (e.g., screws, gears) due to plasma diffusivity.

Corrosion Resistance: Dense films protect against harsh environments (e.g., marine or automotive).

Applied Industries

Tooling & Molds: Cutting tools, Drill bits, punches and precision molds.

Glassware: glass cup, glass lamps, glass artworks .

Hardware: Sanitary ware, door knobs, locks, and cutlery.

Automotive: Piston rings, alloy wheels, Engine components and decorative trim.

Consumer Goods: Watch straps and cases, mobile phone cases, jewelry, and pens. Durable, scratch-resistant gold or black finishes.

Medical: Sterile, bio-compatible coatings for surgical instruments .

Coating Effects & Colors

The machine can get all kinds of colors on stainless steel products, inluding golden, rose gold, bronze, antique-bronze,coffee, blue, purple, black etc.

Surface Finishes: Mirror-like metallic lusters or matte textures.

Color Options: Gold (TiN), black (CrN), blue (TiAlN), and rainbow gradients.

Imitation gold series: TiN, ZrN, TiN+Au, ZrN+Au

Rose Gold Series: TiCN, TiAlN, TiCN+Au--Cu, TiAlN+Au, Cu

Silver white series: CrN, CrSiN, Zr (micro N)

Grey series: Ti, stainless steel (S.S), (S.S) N

Coffee color series: TiCN, TiAlCN, ZrC

Blue series: TiO, CrO, TiALN

Black Series: TiC, TiC+iC, TiCN, TiAlN, TiAlCN, Ti (C,O) and DLC

Structure Types

Vertical Chamber: Optimized for batch processing of small parts.

Horizontal Chamber: Suitable for large-scale deposition on flat or cylindrical substrates.

Substrate Materials

Metals (stainless steel, aluminum), ceramics, and hard plastics.

Coating Materials

Metals: Ti, Cr, Zr, Al.

Nitrides: TiN, CrN, ZrN.

Carbides: WC, TiC.

Supporting Production Lines

Integrates with pre-coating cleaning systems (e.g., ultrasonic baths) and post-coating heat treatment.

Consumables

Target rods (Ti, Cr, etc.), reactive gases (N₂, O₂), and cooling water.

Applications

Cutting Tools: TiAlN coatings for high-speed machining.

Decorative Hardware: Door handles and faucets with corrosion-resistant finishes.

Aerospace: High-temperature coatings on engine components.

Customization

Our systems feature adjustable arc sources, plasma-enhanced deposition modules, and automated process control for tailored coating performance.

Multi-Arc Ion Coating Machine (also known as Multi-Arc Ion Plating Machine) is a core equipment in the Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) technology field, widely used for preparing high-performance functional and decorative coatings. Its features are closely linked to its working principle (using arc discharge to evaporate target materials and ionize particles) and industrial application needs. Below are its key features, categorized by technical performance, functional flexibility, and application adaptability:

1. High Ionization Efficiency & Strong Coating Adhesion

This is the most core feature of multi-arc ion coating machines, rooted in their unique arc evaporation mechanism:

Arc-driven ionization: The machine uses a high-current, low-voltage arc discharge to strike the surface of the target material (e.g., titanium, chromium, zirconium). The arc energy instantly melts and vaporizes the target, and the vaporized particles are strongly ionized (ionization rate can reach 60%-90%, far higher than other PVD technologies like magnetron sputtering).

Ion bombardment enhancement: The ionized target particles are accelerated toward the workpiece surface under the action of a negative bias voltage applied to the workpiece. This "ion bombardment" process not only cleans the workpiece surface (removing oxides and contaminants) but also makes the coating particles penetrate the substrate surface to form a metallurgical bond (instead of simple physical adhesion). As a result, the coating adhesion is significantly improved—typically reaching 20-80 MPa, which can withstand friction, impact, and thermal cycling without peeling.

2. Wide Adaptability to Target Materials & Coating Types

The machine can match various target materials to prepare coatings with different compositions and functions, meeting diverse industrial needs:

Diverse target compatibility: It supports pure metal targets (Ti, Cr, Al, Zr, Cu), alloy targets (TiAl, TiCr, ZrNb), and even ceramic targets (TiN, Al₂O₃, CrN—prepared by reactive coating with gas).

Multi-functional coatings: By adjusting target materials and process gases (N₂, Ar, O₂, C₂H₂), the following coatings can be prepared:

Decorative coatings: TiN (gold), TiCN (rose gold), CrN (silver-gray) for hardware, watches, and sanitary ware.

Wear-resistant coatings: TiAlN (for cutting tools), CrN (for molds), WC/C (for mechanical parts) with hardness up to 2000-4000 HV (far higher than stainless steel).

Corrosion-resistant coatings: Al₂O₃ (oxide ceramic), ZrN (for marine components) to resist acid, alkali, and salt spray.

Functional coatings: TiC (high thermal conductivity) for heat sinks, DLC (diamond-like carbon) for anti-wear and self-lubricating surfaces.

3. Excellent Coating Compactness & Uniformity

The high ionization rate and ion acceleration process ensure the coating has a dense structure and uniform thickness:

Low porosity: Ionized particles are deposited on the workpiece surface in an "ordered arrangement" under electric field guidance, avoiding gaps or voids that easily form in traditional evaporation coatings. The coating porosity is usually less than 1%, which can effectively block the penetration of corrosive media (e.g., water, chemicals).

Good uniformity: By optimizing the number and layout of arc sources (multi-arc design, usually 2-8 arc sources), adjusting the workpiece rotation speed, and controlling the bias voltage distribution, the machine can achieve uniform coating thickness on workpieces of different shapes (even complex parts like deep holes, grooves, and curved surfaces). The thickness deviation is generally controlled within ±5%.

4. Precise Process Parameter Control & Stable Production

Modern multi-arc ion coating machines are equipped with advanced control systems to ensure coating quality consistency:

Multi-parameter adjustable: Key process parameters can be precisely controlled, including:

Arc current (controls target evaporation rate and ion concentration);

Workpiece bias voltage (controls ion acceleration energy and coating adhesion);

Vacuum degree (10⁻³-10⁻⁵ Pa, ensuring no impurity interference);

Gas flow rate (controls reactive gas concentration and coating composition).

Automated control: Most models adopt PLC or industrial computer control, supporting preset process recipes (storing 100+ sets of parameters) and real-time monitoring of parameters (arc stability, vacuum level, coating thickness). This reduces human operation errors and ensures stable coating quality in batch production.

5. Environmental Friendliness & High Production Efficiency

Compared with traditional coating technologies (e.g., electroplating), it has obvious advantages in environmental protection and efficiency:

Green and pollution-free: The process uses inert gases or reactive gases (no toxic chemicals like cyanide or heavy metals) and produces no waste liquid, waste residue, or harmful exhaust. It meets strict environmental standards (e.g., EU RoHS, China GB 21900).

High deposition rate: Due to the high evaporation efficiency of arc discharge, the coating deposition rate is 2-10 μm/h (faster than magnetron sputtering). For example, a 2-5 μm thick decorative TiN coating can be completed in 30-60 minutes, suitable for mass production (e.g., daily output of 10,000+ hardware parts).

6. Strong Adaptability to Workpiece Sizes & Shapes

It can handle workpieces of various specifications, from small parts to large components:

Workpiece size range: From micro-parts (e.g., electronic connectors, watch parts) to large components (e.g., automotive engine parts, mold cores with a diameter of 1-2 meters), as long as the workpiece can be placed in the vacuum chamber (chamber volume ranges from 0.1 m³ to 10 m³ for industrial models).

Complex shape compatibility: The "line-of-sight" limitation of PVD is reduced by the multi-arc layout and ion acceleration. For workpieces with blind holes (depth-to-diameter ratio ≤ 3:1) or grooves, the coating thickness uniformity can still meet industrial requirements.

Summary of Core Advantages

In short, the multi-arc ion coating machine balances high coating performance, functional flexibility, and industrial production efficiency, making it an irreplaceable core equipment in the fields of advanced manufacturing, new materials, and surface engineering.

Specification:

Features

1.The arc moves rapidly on the whole surface of the target to ensure the target surface  be etched uniformly, which optimizes the adhesion of the film and makes coating surface smooth and dense.

2.Faster batch turnover efficiency and coating production efficiency.

3.The machine can ensure the uniformity of thickness in the available coating range.

4.High quality hard coatings give cutting tools higher cutting and feeding speeds, and help extend service life to reduce the replacement time of tools, thereby reducing the total processing cost.

5. The great friction and hardness of the coating ensure less lubrication and cooling to gain high quality surface of the machined parts.

Multi-Arc Ion Plating (MAIP) machines rely on various power supplies to generate and control plasma, regulate material evaporation, and influence film growth. These power supplies are critical for determining coating properties like adhesion, density, and composition. Multi-Arc Ion Plating (MAIP) machines power supplies are primarily categorized by their output waveform and control logic. The most common types are DC power supplies, Pulsed DC (PDC) power supplies, and (less frequently) Radio Frequency (RF) power supplies.

Comparative Analysis of MAIP Power Supplies

The table below summarizes the core differences between the three main types:

Key Considerations for Power Supply Selection

Choosing the right power supply depends on 4 critical factors:

1. Coating Requirements

Smoothness/defect tolerance: If macro-particles are unacceptable (e.g., medical implants, optics), choose PDC or RF.

Deposition speed: For high-volume production (e.g., HSS tools), DC is preferred.

Coating type: Reactive coatings (TiAlN, Al₂O₃) require PDC; insulating coatings need RF.

2. Target Material

Conductive metals/alloys (Ti, Cr, Al): DC (low cost) or PDC (high quality).

Insulating materials (Al₂O₃, SiO₂): RF (hybrid system).

Reactive alloys (Ti-Al, Cr-Al): PDC (stabilizes arc-gas reactions).

3. Budget

Entry-level production: DC (low upfront and maintenance costs).

Mid-to-high-end production: PDC (balance of quality and cost).

Specialized R&D: RF (for ultra-high-performance coatings).

4. Process Scalability

Batch production (large parts): DC (fast rate).

Precision batch production (small parts): PDC (quality + efficiency).

Lab-scale R&D: RF (flexibility for new materials).

Conclusion

The power supply defines the performance of an MAIP machine:

DC is the economical choice for low-to-moderate quality coatings where speed matters.

Pulsed DC is the industry standard for high-quality, reactive, or macro-particle-sensitive coatings (e.g., tools, implants).

RF is a specialized option for ultra-thin, insulating, or lab-scale coatings, where cost is secondary to performance.

By aligning the power supply with your coating goals, target material, and budget, you can optimize MAIP process efficiency and coating quality.

Lion King Multi-Arc Ion Coating Machine

I. Feature Description

The Lion-ION Multi-Arc Ion Coater adopts a vertical front-door design, paired with an optimized door spindle and rotation system. This configuration not only ensures the most convenient operation experience but also enables the deposition of high-quality coatings such as TiN (titanium nitride) and TiO₂ (titanium dioxide).

The vacuum chamber is constructed from SUS304 stainless steel, with a hidden cooling water jacket. The chamber undergoes fine polishing, resulting in an elegant and durable appearance.

Equipped with multiple sets of newly developed multi-arc ion sources, ensuring ion sputtering is more uniform, pure, and dense with consistent quality in every coating cycle.

Integrated with an advanced multi-channel gas inlet system, enabling precise control of gas flow rates to meet the requirements of compound film deposition.

Fitted with a unipolar pulsed bias power supply, which significantly enhances the energy of charged particles, thereby achieving excellent film adhesion and surface finish.

Incorporates a newly developed intelligent PLC control system and HMI (Human-Machine Interface), simplifying coating operations and making them faster and more user-friendly.

II. Technical Configuration

Note:

Standard Vacuum Chamber Dimensions: Φ2000 mm × H4000 mm, Φ2200 mm × H4500 mm

Customization available: Vacuum chamber dimensions and equipment configurations can be tailored to meet customers’ specific product requirements and special process needs.

III. Application

The Vacuum Multi-Arc Ion Coating Machine is capable of depositing coatings on the surfaces of metal, ceramic, and other material substrates. It is widely used for coating stainless steel display racks, handles, plumbing hardware, and similar products, making it an ideal alternative to traditional electroplating.

Key Coating Types:

Gold, silver, titanium nitride (TiN), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium nitride (ZrN), titanium aluminum chromium nitride (TiAlCrN), and other functional metal-based coatings.

Core Advantages of Coated Products:

Enhanced surface hardness and wear resistance

Improved corrosion resistance

Elevated aesthetic appearance (e.g., metallic luster, customized colors)

Characters of Functional Coatings