PVD Thermal Deposition
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) is a means of producing metal-based hard coatings on a variety of substrates. It works by partially ionizing the desired metal within a strong vacuum and allowing the metal vapor to deposit onto the form. This results in a microns thin film of metal giving the appearance of a solid metal piece.
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Our metalizing utilizes a paint-metal-paint process that is geared towards customization, longevity, and appearance. This method of applying a basecoat to the substrate prior to metalizing allows for maximum adhesion to the surface and sets up the product for a stunning finish.
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Metalized Coatings utilizes top-of-the-line Mustang Vacuum Technology allowing for complete coverage of even the most complex 3D substrates. This technology along with our custom recipe generation technique allows for dreams to become reality with a multitude of metal finish types ranging from Chrome, to Brass, to Aluminum, and many shades in between.
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Our metallizer supports both Thermal Deposition and Magnetron Sputtering approached to PVD coating. The former involves taking a near full vacuum out of the deposition chamber. Next, the desired metal is heated to a point where a vapor pressure is produced around the supply metal. These particles are then attracted to the oppositely charged filament on the other end of the chamber, this particle cloud is what seamlessly coats the substrate.
The latter process involves again pulling a near full vacuum, but rather than heating the target source material, it is given a negative electric charge. Free electrons from the target material then flow towards the positively charged Argon gas within the chamber, this action then accelerates the gas towards the negative source. This collision has enough kinetic energy to "sputter" atomic sized particles of the target which then cross the chamber and coat the desired substrate.
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UV Topcoat Painting
Our UV topcoat has been a mainstay in the global automotive market for over 20 years, but has also been formulated with long term application and environmental concerns in mind. Our application methods create a scratch and chemical resistant layer free of any contaminates leading to a stunning finish.
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Our UV topcoat process is most geared towards automotive exterior applications, but our one of a kind line can support 2K paints as a whole. This platform support brings the strength and quality of finish that we are known for to anything that can fit down our line. Feel free to reach out and find out how we can help you make your vision a reality!
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The specially formulated topcoat utilizes photoinitializers that align themselves into a hard, insoluble polymer network. This alignment makes coatings both physically and chemically resistant. Properties such as these are often sought after in the automotive industry due to the long term environmental exposure cars have with physical abrasives and chemicals used to combat snow and ice on the road during winter travel.
Here is an example of a dental model that is without coating on top and painted on the bottom of each picture.
Environmentally Friendly Processes
Metalized Coatings LLC has taken initiative and dedicated itself to supporting the fight against climate change and utilizing environmentally friendly processes to achieve our results.
Coating parts in metal is traditionally a very environmentally damaging process, not to mention the functional issues that arise using electroplating to coat substrates. The electroplating process utilizes a myriad of harsh chemicals and acids to create a finish that cannot even effectively coat complex 3D geometries. Channels and crevices are difficult to electroplate without a large buildup on the edges that would need to be processed further to remedy. Our PVD process completely removes the need for harsh chemicals along with providing a finished product that possesses a more uniform coating, not to mention the increased adhesion thus longer lasting parts via our paint-metal-paint process.
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In terms of our painting capabilities, they are also in line with our vision and remove the most harmful parts of the traditional painting process. VOC's of volatile organic compounds are used in most paints as a means of dissolving the pigment and allow for transfer before evaporating. This evaporation is what proves harmful to the environment and directly leads to ozone production thus accelerating the "Greenhouse Effect" in our atmosphere. Rather than using this damaging method, Metalized Coatings uses UV curing paint. Our paints replace these harmful chemicals that evaporate with photoinitiators who react with UV light to harden the coating, resulting in a higher quality coating with no harmful byproducts.