Vacuum coatings are used in numerous industrial applications. In addition to functional properties such as hardness or wear resistance, the visual effect plays a key role. Color, saturation and gloss level react sensitively to changes in process parameters, so that even slight deviations can lead to perceptible color differences. Reproducible color testing is therefore an important part of quality assurance.
Inline measurement in a high vacuum
Inline measuring systems that are used directly in the vacuum chamber are available for the continuous monitoring of color values during the coating process. The colorSENSOR CFO from Micro-Epsilon is designed for measurements under high vacuum conditions of up to 10-⁵ mbar and at temperatures of up to 600 °C. Specially developed sensor systems such as the colorSENSOR CFO sensor deliver stable measurement results even under these conditions. The specified reproducibility is ΔE < 0.3 at measuring frequencies of up to 30 kHz. This allows color changes during the process to be recorded in real time.
Support for PVD and CVD processes
Vacuum coatings are produced using both physical processes (PVD) and chemical processes (CVD). Both technologies differ in terms of process control, temperature profiles and layer formation. Inline color measurements can contribute to process monitoring in both methods by allowing conclusions to be drawn about coating quality and optical properties. The continuously recorded measurement data supports consistent color quality across different coating processes and material systems and can help to reduce rejects.