Fraunhofer Institute for Electron Beam
and Plasma Technology FEP
Fraunhofer Institute for Electron Beam
and Plasma Technology FEP

In-line Vacuum Coating Equipment for Sheets and Metal Strips – MAXI

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Development of new products based on new coating systems and complex PVD technologies under scalable conditions (up to a coating width of 500 mm)

Typical substrates

  • single and double side coating of metal, plastic, glass or ceramic sheets with a maximum dimension of 500 × 500 mm.
  • coating of metal strips with a maximum width of 300 mm and a maximum thickness of 1.5 mm

Task spectrum

Production of large area coatings:

  • for special tests
  • as pilot production of small series for Fraunhofer FEP customers
  • for sampling at the end customer
  • for market development
  • testing of key components under near-industrial conditions
  • detailed studies on economic efficiency

Applications / Functions

Corrosion-resistant coatings ZnMg, Ti, Al, Cr, Cu, Sn, Zn
Decorative coatings TiN, Cr, Ti, TiO2
Transparent abrasion-resistant coatings SiOX, Al2O3
Hard coatings TiN, TiC, a-C, WC, Al2O3, a-C(:H) (:Ti/W)
Insulating coatings SiOX, Al2O3
Conductive coatings
 Al, Cu, Sn, Mo
Brazing and welding layers
 Cu, Sn, Si
Photocatalytic layers TiO2
Solar absorption layers Ti or Cr based cermets
Conversion layers SiOX
High-reflective layers SiO2, TiO2
Special functional layers Al, Cu, Sn

Coating processes

  • high-rate electron beam evaporation
  • evaporation of metals, compounds, alloys
  • plasma-activated deposition processes (SAD and HAD)
  • reactive deposition processes
  • pulse magnetron sputtering
  • other PVD processes (e.g. jet evaporation)
  • PECVD processes

Plant and equipment

General modularly built 8-chamber equipment
General dimensions length / width / height: 14 m / 2.5 m / 4 m
Coating width up to 500 mm
Substrate speed 0.001 … 1.0 m/s
Strip dimensions
  • width up to 300 mm
  • thickness 0.015 mm – 1.5 mm
  • weight of coil up to 1000 kg
Sheet dimensions
  • size up to 500 mm × 500 mm
  • weight up to 15 kg
1st electron beam gun power maximum 160 kW
2nd electron beam gun power maximum 300 kW
Additional equipment
  • heater, power maximum 60 kW
  • different ion etchers, power maximum 30 kW
  • dual magnetron sputter system, power maximum 30 kW
  • power supply for plasma activation, arc current max. 3000 A
  • magnetic trap for the EB coating of temperature sensitive substrates
  • turn-over device for double side coating of sheets
  • XRF-thickness-distribution-measurement-system
  • optical film thickness measurement system by using acromatic ligh

Electron beam evaporation
SAD process
Pulse Magnetron Sputtering
Winding station 1
Coating of sheets and metallic strips
Coils
Magnetic field enhanced ion etcher
Radiation heater
High-power electron beam gun
Post-treatment station
XRF thickness distribution measurement system

More information