Metallization | decoration
Whether for design, functional or aesthetic reasons, interest in plastics metallization is growing fast. Chris Smith explores some of the available options for moulders
Plastics get the metal effect
Time and time again, plastics have proven themselves capable of replacing metal in a wide range of applica- tions, typically providing improved performance and considerable cost savings. However, for both designers and end-users the gleaming mirror-like fi nish of polished metal retains a powerful appeal. That, perhaps, accounts for the rapidly growing interest in plastics metallization. “There has been a huge increase in requests for
metallization on plastics over the past two years,” says Petter Carlfjord, Sales Manager Plastics at Swedish company Impact Coatings, which manufactures inline PVD metallization systems. “The number of parts being decorated today with some sort of metallization treatment has increased greatly in automotive and white goods,” he says. “Just 10 years ago you would fi nd very few metallized parts on appliances but now even a coffee machine has many. There is a growing trend towards this type of treatment, whether it is electroplating the traditional way or with PVD technology in combination with lacquers. And, of course, there is also a market for metallic paint treatments,” says Carlfjord. Traditionally, PVD metallisation has been carried out
as a batch process. Impact Coatings demonstrated, together with German injection moulding company Ehlebracht Plastics Technology and pi4 Robotics, a fully automated in-line PVD vacuum metallizing line using its PlastiCoater technology at the Fakuma fair last
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year. The production system took an ABS part direct from an Engel injection moulding machine and applied a decorative 200nm chromium fi nish. It included 100% part inspection and fully automated tray palletising. Impact Coatings’ PlastiCoater system is optimised for
inline production as part of a fully integrated injection moulding cell. “You can use it on a batch basis if you want to but it is designed for in-line,” says Carlfjord, who explains that the prime advantage of the inline approach is the reduced risk of contamination. “If you are producing mouldings in one hall and shipping them to another for metallizing you have a risk of contamination. You can, of course, minimise this if you do it in-line.” The PlastiCoater system uses sputtering PVD
technology. It is able to keep pace with an injection moulding machine because it does not rely on creating a vacuum for each component in sequence but, instead, uses a load-lock system that allows four objects to be handled at one time in a constant vacuum (sputtering actually uses low vacuum with argon gas). The system can support a number of different sputtering techniques and can handle a variety of different metals, including aluminium, chromium, copper and stainless steel. One of the factors behind the interest in PVD
metallization technology is environmental – many companies are looking for an alternative to plating to avoid the use of hexavalent chromium. However, Carlfjord says that while metallization can produce layers up to 10 microns thick, the inline PlastiCoater
June 2015 | INJECTION WORLD 29
Main image: Metallizing
offers a wide range of
metallic and colour effects
PHOTO: AP METALISING
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