M. Mücke, Bühler Alzenau GmbH, Alzenau, Germany
Vacuum coating from roll to roll is an established technology in the web processing industry. The applications are manifold. Complex multilayer stacks can be applied with R2R coating systems equipped with a precisely defined set of e.g. magnetron sputter sources. Examples of applications include low emissivity layer stacks for energy control, anti-reflective and decorative coatings, or electronic applications such as solar and electro chromatic applications or flexible printed circuit boards. Architectural, transportation, consumer goods and other industries benefit from this wide range of applications and coating equipment.
A number of these processes require high productivity to produce a high volume of product at competitive costs. This presentation will highlight the automation and modularity of the FLC1600 R2R system to increase productivity. One, two or more main coating modules can be integrated. The modules can be arranged and configured to increase the versatility of the process or the productivity of the system. The applicability of the system platform for high product versatility and productivity will be demonstrated. Furthermore, productivity is gained by increasing the coating speed. With modern process automation, oxidic processes are set stable at a high deposition rate. The presentation introduces the use of the Plasmaster program for R2R coating automation of flexible products.