Technical PVD FAQs

What materials can be coated?
PVD can be applied directly to stainless steel. The most common applications are chrome plated zinc, brass, steel, aluminum and ABS plastic.

What surface finish do we require?
The PVD coating follows the contours of the surface, so if you coat a polished surfaces you will have a polished PVD finish or if you coat satin, matte or brushed surfaces you will get PVD satin. matte or brushed finish. PVD does not level or fill like traditional electroplating, so surface imperfections that are visible prior to PVD coating are still visible after coating — and in many cases magnified.

What is the thickness of the PVD coating?
Depending on the application (Functional or Decorative) the thickness range is 0.30 to 1.0 micron for Decorative and 2.0 – 5.0 microns for Functional.

How hard is the coating?
Again, depending on the application, this can range from 2000 to 3500 HV or approximately 70-80 HRc.

What is the Coefficient of Friction?
The average is 0.15.

What is the process temperature?
Depending on the substrate material, coating thickness and application, it can range from 100 F to 350 F.

What is the corrosion resistance?
The industry standard for chrome-plated brass is 1000 hours neutral salt fog or 100 to 150 hours CASS.

What colors are available?
The range of colors includes Brass tones, Gold Tones, Black to Gray, Silver, Copper, Rainbows & Bronze Tones. We also pioneered PVD antique finishes like Oil Rubbed Bronze.

Are there any size constraints?
We have one of the largest decorative PVD chambers available today. We can coat anything 8” diameter or width; to 48” tall or 19” wide; to 48” tall.

Can we mask areas?
PVD is a line of sight process so, with the right tooling, parts can be masked in areas that do not require coating. We cannot use tapes or adhesives.