Tales From The Front: Look Inside SilcoTek Inert Coating Manufacturing

July 31 2015 Process Analytical

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Imagine you're a manufacturer offering custom coating solutions; your customers come from a wide range of industries and applications, from manufacturing high precision automotive fuel injectors, to high durability inert oil and gas tools, to high purity semiconductor surfaces. 

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Now imagine the customer can ship their parts to you on almost no advanced notice in quantities ranging from one part to thousands with sizes ranging from components as big as the letters on this page all the way up to the size of a small piano.  Materials and surfaces can range from 1000 pound stainless steel vessels, to delicate glass vials.  Further complicating the process; parts are shipped with the expectation that the they will be returned in a handful of days in perfect condition with a high durability inert coating.  Welcome to an average day in SilcoTek® Coating Manufacturing. 

How do we manage vast differences in customer needs?  We do it through management of a robust and flexible manufacturing system, integrated process control and, most importantly, exceptional manufacturing technicians backed by dedicated engineers and scientists.  In short, everyone contributes to the process of customer satisfaction. 

So what happens to your parts when they arrive at SilcoTek® for inert CVD treatment?  Here's a quick overview: 

Parts are received, and confirmed for quantity, product application, and special handling or process needs.

Shipping

Technicians work hard to properly screen incoming parts for imperfections or any potential material issues or incompatibilities. 

The part is then prepared for optimal quality and adhesion by removing potential contaminants, assuring the surface will support application of our inert, corrosion resistant coatings.

Cleaning The Surface

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Looking Into The Cleaner

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Parts are fixtured and loaded into one of several chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process ovens.  The loading process can be as easy as placing a small part into a vessel to rigging a part with a forklift truck.

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Loading a small oven

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Loading a large oven

Our patented CVD processes are fully automated with extensive monitoring and safety systems.  A process upset can be detected and alarmed in milliseconds and corrected, assuring a high quality surface.

After processing, parts are inspected for coating quality

 

Final Visual Inspection

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Verifying Sample Surface Energy

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After inspection, parts go through a final verification of quantity, coating type and confirmation of shipping.

Then we do it all over again for the next customer.  The positive results of manufacturing's efforts are realized by our growing number of customer fans!

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