Alberto Biana, Director General of Oerlikon Balzers

"The development of oxide coatings of metals by means of PVD technology to the sector of the Court is now a reality"

The sector of PVD coatings applied to tools and utensils used in the processes of chip startup, solid forming cutting and veneer, plastic injection and injection pressure of aluminum, has experienced a breakthrough since the introduction of the first PVD coating on the market for 30 years. The road opened by Oerlikon Balzers with the invention of this first PVD coating has consolidated in the market, having become a real necessity in these production processes the PVD coating. In this period the sector has experienced a great growth globally and we have developed several generations of coatings, appreciating a specialization of the same as the application (cutting, stamping, etc.).

Also, the market has seen how the coating service has been implemented in those countries where the users of the coating have production centres. Growth in Asia (India, Korea and China) has been especially important in recent years. At this time Oerlikon Balzers has 80 centers of service at the international level.

In regards to the evolution of the sector and trends, PVD coatings sector is of auxiliary nature to many productive sectors (automotive, manufacturing tools, aviation, etc.) the challenges facing them are basically the same facing the client sectors. However, there are cited two key issues to develop in the coming years, on which is proving very clear trends: globalization or expansion and technological innovation in development of new products that provide ever-increasing value to end customers.

With regard to globalization, those companies that want to play an important role in the sector will have to develop a network of centres at the international level, giving an advanced coating and quality service in all the countries where their customers are establishing, with the same standards of quality and performance of product. With respect to innovation, the development of oxide coatings of metals by means of PVD technology to the sector of the Court is now a reality. Until now it was only possible to get these coatings by CVD process, so it required high temperatures. Today Oerlikon Balzers has already developed a new technology, P3e ('Pulsed Enhanced Electron Emission'), which will be the basis to design coatings of metal oxide. To respond to the demands of the automotive sector, will be designed new coatings to make the Court more productive and made of high resistance sheets and coatings to allow for hot shaping to become habitual.