PVD Coating Rotation Mechanism for Uniform Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) techniques result in non-uniform coating thickness due to uneven exposure of article surfaces to the coating material, with some surfaces receiving the material at angles other than perpendicular, leading to heterogeneous coating.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus and method involve rotating the articles about a third axis perpendicular to the primary rotational axes of the planetary gear set system, ensuring all surfaces are equally exposed to the coating material, utilizing an epicyclic reduction gear and kinematic mechanism to facilitate this rotation, thereby aligning all surfaces perpendicular to the coating stream.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If articles are coated using conventional planetary gear system with rotation about two parallel axes, then the coating process is simple and efficient, but the coating thickness is non-uniform on different surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a third rotational axis perpendicular to the two parallel axes of the planetary gear system. This dimensional addition transforms the rotation from 2D (two parallel axes) to 3D (three mutually perpendicular axes), enabling all surfaces of the article to be exposed equally to the coating material stream and achieving uniform coating thickness on all surfaces.
2Manufacturing precision
If articles are rotated about three perpendicular axes, then uniform coating thickness is achieved on all surfaces, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation mechanism is segmented into three independent rotational components about three mutually perpendicular axes. Each axis can be controlled independently, allowing precise control of the article's orientation during coating. This segmentation enables the complex 3D rotation to be managed as three simpler, independent rotational movements, making the system controllable and manufacturable.
3Manufacturing precision
If the coating material stream deviates from perpendicular direction, then the conventional system cannot maintain uniform coating, but the improved system achieves homogeneous coating even with stream deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic rotation about three perpendicular axes during the coating process. This dynamic movement continuously changes the orientation of the article surfaces relative to the coating material stream, ensuring that even when the stream deviates from the perpendicular direction, all surfaces receive equivalent exposure over time. The dynamic rotation compensates for stream misalignment and achieves homogeneous coating.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures a uniform and homogeneous coating thickness on all surfaces, even when the coating material stream deviates from the perpendicular direction, achieving complete utilization of the coating material and eliminating thickness discrepancies.
Implementation Method 1
The methods currently used to make this type of coating are based on the so-called Physical Vapor Deposition or PVD technology, wherein the material used for coating the objects is transferred, in a vaporized form, starting from a solid source of the same starting material
Implementation Method 2
The apparatus according to the invention comprises an epicyclic reduction gear and a kinematic mechanism which enable the object to be coated to rotate about three mutually perpendicular axes
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus and method for coating articles with a Physical Vapor Deposition technique, wherein articles (3) are subjected to a rotation about a first axis (X1) and simultaneously to a rotation about a second axis (X2) parallel to said axis (X1). According to the invention, the aforesaid articles (3) are also subjected, during said rotations about said axes (X1,X2), to a rotation about a third axis (Y) perpendicular to the aforesaid axes (X1,X2). Compared to the prior art of the sector, the apparatus and method of the invention have the advantage of equally exposing all the surfaces of the article to the stream of the coating material, so that the article can be coated with a coating layer having a uniform and homogeneous thickness.