INORCOAT

Galvanic chrome plating is commonly used in industrial applications to increase the resistance to wear. However, it has a serious disadvantage: it is highly harmful to the environment and will have to be replaced by alternative processes. These are in fact available with plasma coating technology – also known as PVD (physical vapour deposition) in technical jargon – but they are currently too expensive and inefficient for many industrial applications.

It was this shortcoming that Romain Waidelich set out to remedy with his start-up company INORCOAT. His vision is “to simplify the complex plasma coating or PVD process and make it more understandable and accessible to the customer.”

To create the data for the electrical design of the PVD systems, INORCOAT relies on Zuken’s E3.series. “The electronic and electrotechnical systems are, in a way, the heart of a PVD system,” says company owner Romain Waidelich. “We are working in the range of 100 kW and therefore have to meet stringent requirements for EMC certification. Comprehensive and reliable documentation. Comprehensive and reliable documentation such as E3.series provides us is therefore very important.”

Another critical aspect is cost containment and quality management: “As a lean organization, we rely on a flexible cooperation with suppliers,” explains Romain Waidelich. “We, therefore, find it important to keep control cabinet and cabling development in-house as a core competence. With E3.series we have the capability to configure our systems in a modular approach from a library of certified components and to produce accurate data for quotation and commissioning at the push of a button.”

In this way, the company sees itself well equipped to explore new applications in the process industry, mechanical engineering, and aviation. Even design options such as the use of color – even on coins – are feasible. The cooperation with the Portuguese National Bank has apparently got “the coin” rolling. It will be interesting to see what happens next.