Artificial Metals

Multifunctional metallization

Replacing conventional metals with lightweight plastic components with high-quality surfaces in a brilliant metallic look offers an attractive, cost-effective and sustainable alternative to components made of stainless steel, aluminum or other metals. With our metallization expertise, we offer you a wide range of advantages in the production, color design and finishing of plastic products such as trims, decorative knobs, door handles or sanitary products.

Whether it's corrosion protection, radar and lidar transparency, fluoroscopy, cool-touch function or shielding of electronic device housings - our versatile metal replacement technology impresses with its perfect appearance and the equipment of surfaces with multifunctional properties.

 

PVD Coatings

PVD stands for Physical Vapor Deposition, a term used to describe a group of vacuum-based coating processes. In this process, different metal starting materials are vaporized - for example by ion deposition - and then used in gaseous form for the optical or functional coating of different substrates.

With our extensive portfolio of coating technologies, we have perfected the metallization process to give your products an optimum appearance - whether glossy or matte, in combination with protective coatings or in different color shades.

We already offer you numerous market-tested series solutions such as thermal vapor deposition, electron beam evaporation or sputter metallization. In combination with UV curing and different base coat and top coat solutions, which influence the gloss level and color design, we give your products a flawless look.

Production capacities

Thousands of components are manufactured daily on state-of-the-art process platforms and tens of thousands of square meters of surface area are refined into high-tech surfaces on automated wet-chemical production systems and PVD coating lines.

Whether it's coatings with nanomaterials, the vapor deposition of surfaces in wages to shield plastic housings from electromagnetic radiation, or the painting and finishing of plastics with chromium-(VI)-free coatings - we will be happy to advise you and work with you to plan the best possible selection of materials, coating types, or the additional application of protective coatings so that your product represents added value for the end customer.

Application areas

Exterior

There are numerous areas of application for our metallization technology, especially in the exterior of automobiles: headlight reflectors, mirror caps, and radiolucent and backlit radiator emblems are just a few examples.

Interior

Classy design elements in automotive interiors such as knobs, frames and buttons, partially transparent aluminum switch plates or gold-plated precious components - metallized surfaces are used to create decorative highlights.

Home Appliances

Whether high-quality metal surfaces in a shiny chrome look or in a matte stainless steel look, from classic brushed to polished metallic components in different colors - there are almost no limits to the design possibilities, for example, for oven handles or knobs.

Design elements

Flexible and modern product design options and sophisticated finishes are no problem with our metallization technology. With different color variants, the use with a wide variety of geometries and the combination with functional protective coatings, flawless and durable surfaces are created.

Medical Technology

Our innovative sputtering and vapor deposition processes can also be used for the application of metallic thick films with high electrical conductivity. In this way, they form barriers against high-frequency interference radiation and the electromagnetic compatibility of electrical equipment is ensured.

Electromagnetic Compatibility

Functional metallization coatings in plastic housings ensure the safe use of sometimes vital electronic equipment in the automotive, medical and building technology sectors by protecting circuits from external electromagnetic interference.

In the patented manufacturing technology by means of PVD, Nanogate uses proven sputtering and vapor deposition processes. The shielding layers consist of metals with high electrical conductivity such as aluminum, copper, tin or transparent conductive ITO coatings. They form barriers against high-frequency interference radiation. This ensures the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of devices with plastic housings.

Requirements for the functionality and geometry of the component are already taken into account in the material composition. High adhesion during temperature fluctuations, resistant protective layers against condensation, transparency with low intrinsic color or different surface resistances - we offer you the right solution.

Properties and functions of our EMC coatings

Economic efficiency and optical diversity

  • Metallization of plastics of different geometries in 2D and 3D.
  • Partial coating and partial application by masking out.
  • Textured surfaces in injection molded components made of Duroplast BMC or other polycarbonates enable individual designs such as classically brushed or polished metallic surfaces as well as filigree decorations.
  • Top coats increase abrasion protection as well as chemical and scratch resistance.
  • Additional functional benefits such as translucency, day/night design or lidar and radar transmission.
  • Visual diversity thanks to a wide range of colors and gloss levels from classic chrome look to smoked black metal surfaces and trendy colors such as rose gold.
  • Environmentally friendly production and harmlessness to health thanks to the absence of chrome (VI) and nickel.
REACH and RoHS Compliance

With our PVD technology, we offer an alternative coating option for a wide range of plastics and at the same time a production-ready alternative to conventional processes such as electroplating. With this resource-saving process technology, we open up numerous possibilities for metallizing components in an environmentally and health-friendly manner, despite the advancing ban on chrome VI. Haptically and optically, we achieve almost the same results as with conventional processes. Alternative chrome replacement processes bring many new possibilities for industrial and automotive designers with a wide range of functionalities on different plastic substrates.

Not only the use of environmentally friendly coatings by dispensing with chrome-VI-derivatives, but also reduced energy consumption with an associated reduction in CO2 emissions in the production process conserve natural resources and thus have a positive effect on the energy balance of your products. The recyclability of our products at the end of their life cycle also makes an effective contribution.

With our innovative stainless steel replacement technology, you are already well prepared for the gradual reduction required by the REACH standard by 2026 and the ban thereafter. Our experts will be happy to review your specific requirements.

Design meets function

Noble metallic appearance, translucency or resistant protective coatings - metallized components and surface enhancements from Nanogate impress with their functional and design diversity.

ANTI FINGERPRINT

With our special coating solutions, we protect metal surfaces from unsightly fingerprints. In addition, the Easy2Clean coating enables easy cleaning with less use of water and cleaning agents.

COLOR VARIETY

A wide range of colors is available for the metallic coloring of components. Whether glossy or matte, stainless steel look or trendy colors such as rose gold. There are almost no limits to the color design

EMC-PROTECTION

Our metallic PVD thick films protect housings of various devices and at the same time the circuits from external electromagnetic interference. This ensures the harmless use of electronic devices, some of which are vital, in the automotive, medical and building technology sectors.

CAPACITIVE

The integration of capacitive sensors in metallized plastic parts enables attractive design solutions, such as sensitive door handles, electronic control panels or sliders.

SCRATCH RESISTANT

Nanogate enhances products and increases their value with coatings that are unaffected by scratches - in cars, on furniture or in industry.

RADAR PERMEABLE

The key components of modern vehicles include sensors for detecting the immediate surroundings. In addition to cameras, these are primarily lidar and radar sensors that are inconspicuously hidden in components or even brand emblems. With our wave-permeable PVD coatings in chrome look, we ensure that these remain invisible and function faultlessly.

TRANSLUCENCY

Our ultra-thin translucent PVD coatings also allow the transmission of light through metallic surfaces. This enables the implementation of high-quality day-night designs for plastic components with a chrome look.

Anti Fingerprint
Color variety
EMC-Protection
Capacitive
Scratch resistant
Radar permeable
Translucency

Provide yourself a market advantage with our innovative solutions!

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