The dependence on machineries in industries has been growing since a while now. Manual labor is increasingly being replaced by advanced machines in the manufacturing sector for increasing productivity and efficiency. It is obvious then that such machines need to operate smoothly, which is why, hard coatings are used for protecting them against wear and tear. These coatings further provide increased lifetime, greater functionality, enhanced energy efficiency, which, in turn, decrease lubricant requirements and fuel consumption. Therefore, the growth of the manufacturing industry is predicted to result in the expansion of the global hard coatings market.
Hard coated films are produced by utilizing a plasma deposition process which offers several benefits. A computer is used for tightly controlling the plasma deposition process, thereby allowing for even layering, enhanced performance, and high environmental aptitude. Hard coating technique involves the anodization of sulfuric acid with electrolyte concentration, electric current, and temperature parameters that are altered for producing the hardened surface. These coatings are resistant to hardness and wear, corrosion, temperature, and electricity. They further have a low friction coefficient after lubrication, attributed to which, their demand is rising across several industries.
One of the key applications of these coatings is lenses, where they are used for making lenses scratch resistant. Other than that, hard coatings also find applications in decorative coatings, gears, cutting tools, optics, cylinders, bearings, firearms, cylinders, hydraulic and pneumatic components, implants, and injection moulding dies. The two hard coatings processes are chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD). The CVD coating technique is atmosphere-controlled, where the solid state precursor is coated in a gaseous form in a CVD reactor. This is technique is utilized for surface coating process for producing fine grained, high purity, and impervious bulk materials which are utilized in several industries.
Coatings produced through this process are utilized in semiconductors, nanomachines, and optical fiber industry. Under the PVD technique, the base material is utilized for forming a thin coating layer on an object by condensing and evaporating the used material. The technologies used under this process are sputter deposition, electron beam, physical vapor deposition, evaporative deposition, cathodic arc deposition, and pulsed laser deposition. Due to its wear resistance and hardness, enhanced oxidation resistance, and decreased friction, the PVD technique is being demanded by a number of industries, including cutting tools, aerospace, and automotive.
The requirement for cutting tool especially, in countries including Malaysia, China, and India, is creating high demand for hard coatings in APAC. In addition to this, the durability, steady application, and less time taking properties of the PVD technology is used in the cutting tools industry, and is leading to the replacement of traditional deposition technology.
In conclusion, the demand for hard coatings is growing due to the expansion of the manufacturing industry and rising demand for cutting tools.
