Physical vapor deposition printing is depositing thin films through a process in which the basic process is transferring atoms from solid to vapor form and back gradually building a compound material on the substrate. The method is an entirely physical process using techniques such as high temperature vacuum evaporation instead of chemical reactions at the substrate.

Advantages of PVD Printing:

• PVD coatings can have more corrosion resistance than coatings applied through electroplating.
• Coatings have a high abrasion resistance, temperature resistance, and good impact strength.
• So durable that topcoats are almost never necessary.
• More environmentally friendly that electroplating and painting.

PVD Printing Process:

Physical vapor deposition occurs in a vacuum at a specific working pressure and temperature depending on the needs of the substrate. The high-purity solid coating material is evaporated with heat or bombarded with ions (sputtering). Simultaneously, a reactive gas like nitrogen is introduced to form a compound with the metal vapor. The mixture of coating materials and gas deposit on the substrate as a thin adherent coating.