Cemecon's partner W.P.P. Engineering Co., Ltd. (WPP) supports this locally with coating services, consulting, and the integration of the company's own HiPIMS systems, thereby meeting the demands of the market. WPP combines local market knowledge with the technical expertise and quality standards of Cemecon's international locations and its German headquarters.
High demands on tools and coatings
High-energy pulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) is considered a quantum leap in PVD coating of cutting tools and is also regarded in Asia as a sensible investment decision in tool manufacturing. The process is a special magnetron sputtering process for depositing thin films. HiPIMS uses very high target power densities of severalkW/cm2 in short pulses of several tens of μs with a duty cycle (on-off ratio) of less than 10%. A characteristic feature of HiPIMS is the high degree of ionization of the sputtered donor material and the high rate of molecular gas dissociation.
As a result, the process enables extremely dense, smooth, and adhesive layers with outstanding mechanical properties, even with complex tool geometries. In addition, HiPIMS allows for a wide variety of coating materials in the largest range of coating thicknesses available on the market. In Southeast Asia, HiPIMS-coated precision tools are used, for example, by suppliers to the automotive industry, in mechanical engineering, in mold making, in component manufacturing for consumer electronics, and in the bicycle industry.
International network provides local support
Wittaya Ponpet, Managing Director of WPP in Bangkok, has been supporting tool manufacturers in Thailand and Vietnam with his company for many years. His company is supported by the international Cemecon network, including technical service and spare parts supply from the Indian branch. In the Cemecon press release, Ponpet explains the importance of the German company's coatings for tool performance: "The result is tools with maximum performance, long service life, and process reliability. HiPIMS is particularly impressive when it comes to machining demanding materials and surface quality."
WPP offers a coating service in the region that includes pre- and post-treatment as well as quality assurance based on the model of the Cemecon coating center in Würselen. This gives tool manufacturers direct access to HiPIMS technology, even for small series or samples.
In addition to the coating service, WPP also offers in-house coating lines. According to Ponpet, this is changing the strategic orientation of many tool manufacturers in Asia: "Having your own HiPIMS coating system integrated into tool production is seen as a guarantee of success with high quality standards and flexibility. Our customers who invest here can rely on a 'made in Germany' advantage."