Vacuum Electroplating Layout Design and Process Flow Explanation for Plastic Workpieces

Step 1: Workpiece Preparation: After pretreatment processes such as cleaning and drying, the workpiece is clamped and mounted.

Step 2: Product Surface Cleaning → Electrostatic Dust Removal Chamber. The purpose is to remove plastic impurities and improve coating adhesion.

Step 3: Surface Pretreatment → Treatment Agent Spray Booth. Due to surface characteristics, plastic materials such as PE, PET, PP, PS, HDPE/LDPE, TPV, PBT, and PPS require surface activation and treatment agent application before painting.

Step 4: Primer Spraying → Primer Baking. When the plastic surface is uneven or has residual bubbles, primer spraying can form a smooth and flat base, avoiding problems such as bubbles and poor gloss.

Step 5: The product is unloaded from the automatic line. After drying at an appropriate temperature, the workpiece is manually inspected and transferred.

Step 6: The clamped workpiece is conveyed to the vacuum coating area via a conveyor chain. Step 7: The workpieces conveyed to the coating area are fed into the vacuum coating equipment. Under high vacuum, metal atoms are deposited onto the plastic surface through evaporation to form a uniform, ultra-thin coating.

Step 8: Secondary Loading: After vacuum coating, the workpieces are manually unloaded and inspected before being re-clamped onto the automatic coating line.

Step 9: To ensure the quality of the topcoat spraying, the workpieces undergo electrostatic dust removal again.

Step 10: Topcoat Spraying – In the topcoat spray booth, clear varnish or colored paint (UV paint or ordinary paint) is applied to the vacuum-coated workpieces to reinforce the PVD film or for decorative purposes. Multiple colors are sprayed for various purposes.

After both the topcoat and primer spraying, the workpieces need to be dried or cured (UV paint) in a drying oven.

Step 11: Unloading and Inspection: After two spraying and drying processes, the products enter the unloading inspection and packaging stage.

Post-processing stage: manual inspection → finished product packaging. Topcoat can protect the coating, enhance surface gloss and texture, and colors can also be customized according to requirements.