Home PA-CVD DLC coating

THERMI®-DLC DLC coating

Cette famille de revêtements DLC (Diamond Like Carbon), dédiée aux applications tribologiques, permet non seulement d’améliorer le frottement mais aussi de réduire de manière significative les usures et le grippage. Ces revêtements, intégrant le carbone amorphe hydrogéné a-C : H, représentent une solution technologique avancée dans le domaine des matériaux à couche mince (< 5 µm) et d’une dureté élevée (1500 – 2500 HV).

Thanks to their low coefficient of friction, they reduce friction losses and improve motor and mechanical efficiency, delivering outstanding performance in demanding sectors such as aerospace, plastic injection molding and power generation. 

These Magslide DLC and NitroSlide DLC coatings also provide dry lubrication, eliminating the need for liquid lubrication in applications where their use is prohibited, such as the food, textile and medical sectors. The unique combination of wear resistance, high hardness and superior tribological quality significantly extends the service life of mechanical wear parts, whatever the type of part treated.

What's more, DLC coating is biocompatible, making it a preferred choice for coating medical devices, offering excellent protection against corrosion and abrasion in corrosive environments such as those encountered in medicine and thefood industry.

Parts processed by DLC

Our process

Several technologies are effective.

A clean room environment

Cleanliness,surface finish and mastery of the deposition process are the key parameters for obtaining a high-performance, adherent DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating.

- Theproduction workshop is housed in an insulated ISO 7 cleanroom (Lyon site), to limit and control contamination by external dust and provide enhanced protection against airborne particles.

- The parts cleaning/degreasing line is fully integrated into the production line, optimizing surface treatment and guaranteeing exceptional adhesion and coating quality.

- Advanced surface preparation machines optimize surface finish and guarantee optimum adhesion, essential for corrosion andabrasion resistance.

Low-temperature treatment

Le THERMI®-DLC est appliqué sur tout type de pièces en acier, titane, cuivre, aluminium, carbure, céramique, etc., via un traitement basse température (< 250°C) permettant de garantir l’absence de reprise d’usinage. Cette technique préserve les propriétés mécaniques et chimiques des composants, essentielles pour maintenir une haute performance et durée de vie prolongée des pièces traitées.

Innovative technologies

Our innovative PA-CVD solution offers a cost-effective alternative to WC-C deposition and, in some cases, hard chrome, thanks to a plasma-assisted coating process that delivers high hardness, low friction and exceptional strength.

    Features and benefits

    Our DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating technologies are perfectly tailored to our customers' needs, and can be adjusted to suit performance and part geometry requirements. The hydrogen content of the carbon-based layer can be adapted to optimize the expected characteristics, such as high corrosion resistance and reduced wear, depending on the environment.

    Non-adhesive

    DLC coatings solve the adhesion problems encountered by theplastic injection molding industry, among others, by offering a solution that minimizes friction and seizure.

    Corrosion resistance

    THERMI®-DLC coating provides an effective solution to corrosion, extending the life of parts and reducing the need for frequent maintenance.

    Biocompatibility

    THERMI®-DLC coatings can be used in the food industry. Their biocompatibility makes them particularly suitable for medical applications, including tools and implants, thanks to their excellent resistance to sterilization processes and their absence of toxicity.

    Adaptability

    Our solutions are flexible and adaptable to customer needs, integrating all the latest vacuum coating techniques in a single vacuum chamber:

    - PA-CVD (Plasma-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition): This technique enables denser deposition and better adhesion of coatings on various metals such as steel, aluminum, and even more delicate materials like titanium.

    This technology can also be used to produce chromium nitridecoatings by magnetron sputtering.

    Productivity

    Our processes enable high loading rates with improved productivity, guaranteeing maximum efficiency while maintaining high coating quality. This process is crucial for applications requiring high durability, such as aeronautical components and medical tools.

    Clean for the environment

    Our clean technologies offer a sustainable alternative to hard chrome plating and are not subject to REACH regulations, representing an ideal solution for reducingenvironmental impact.

    For study and order

    Information to be communicated :

    - Steel grade (standardized designation preferred) or other (carbide, aluminum, titanium, etc.)

    - Previous treatments.

    - Functional parts, geometric tolerances to be respected

    - Hardness tolerances.

    - Thickness required

    - Part layout, weight, number of parts per shipment and per year.

    Ask for a quote

    business sectors concerned

    THERMI®-DLC coatings are produced at the THERMI-LYON and THERMI-PLATiN' sites. Through their respective organizations, THERMI-LYON offers DLC for the aeronautical components and parts market, and THERMI-PLATiN' for the forming tool (injection mold, punch, die), medical and aesthetic parts markets.

    Our various documentations

    Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating

    DLC is a state-of-the-art solution for industries requiring extreme resistance to wear and seizure. Suitable for a wide range of applications, this vacuum coating is ideal for mechanical, medical and food parts.

    Read more

    See all our documentation

    Our FAQs

    What is vacuum deposition?

    Vacuum deposition is a surface treatment used to deposit a material or alloy on a mechanical part.

    The use of vacuum technology ensures a perfectly clean, non-polluting process.

    It is not subject to REACH legislation.

    What are the advantages of PVD technology?

    This process greatly increases resistance to wear, abrasion, friction and corrosion. As a result, component life is greatly extended.

    Standard thicknesses are of the order of 3µm and deposition is carried out on finished parts.

    What's the difference between PVD and PACVD?

    PVD is physical vapor deposition. The element to be deposited is obtained by evaporation or sputtering via a physical process. PACVD is plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition. The element to be deposited is obtained from chemical reactions. Plasma enables this chemical reaction to take place at lower temperatures.

    What are the industrial applications of vacuum deposition?

    Vacuum deposits are classified into several categories: anti-wear, friction, decorative and biocompatibility. The applications are therefore very varied: automotive components, aerospace, tooling, cutting tools, medical devices, decorative parts...

    How do I choose the right deposit method?

    The deposition method depends above all on the nature of the coating to be deposited and the substrate.

    If the substrate cannot be heated to high temperature, the deposition must be carried out using low-temperature technology.

    If the coating to be deposited consists of a solid element (metal or graphite target), a physical process such as PVD is used. If the coating consists of a gas or liquid, a chemical process such as CVD or PACVD is used.

    What is the purpose of case-hardening? 

    Incorporate carbon below the surface of the steel part to improve fatigue and wear resistance on the surface, while maintaining good core mechanical properties.

    See all FAQs

    Do you have a question or a need?

    Our dedicated team will advise you on the technologies best suited to your needs.

    Contact us

    Our latest news

    impact of medical certifications on heat treatment
    What is the impact of heat treatment certification in the medical sector?
    In the medical sector, every component, every device, every material is subject to stringent requirements. When it comes to heat treatment, these requirements are not limited to surface quality or mechanical resistance. They encompass traceability, process reproducibility and compliance with international standards. This is where [...]
    May 7, 2025
    What is the impact of heat treatment certification in the medical sector?
    aeronautical supply chain challenges in île-de-france
    The challenges of the aeronautical supply chain in the Paris Region
    Aeronautics is one of the world's most demanding sectors, and the Paris Region is one of its most dynamic industrial hubs. At the crossroads of innovation, precision and performance, the region's aeronautical supply chain plays a key role in the competitiveness of the French industry. To meet the needs of manufacturers [...]
    April 15, 2025
    The challenges of the aeronautical supply chain in the Paris Region
    Electric car being charged
    Mechanical components of an electric car
    Electric cars have profoundly transformed the automotive industry by rethinking traditional mechanical principles. Unlike internal combustion vehicles, which rely on a combustion engine, these vehicles run on an electric motor powered by a battery. This change has led to a major evolution in the design of mechanical components, which must be adapted to the new [...]
    March 4, 2025
    Mechanical components of an electric car
    aged steel tube
    What does alloy ageing involve?
    Alloy ageing is a widespread phenomenon in the metallurgical industry. Whether used in the aeronautics, automotive or other high-tech sectors, metal alloys evolve over time under the effect of various factors such as temperature, mechanical stress and the environment in which they are exposed. This transformation can be beneficial to the [...]
    March 4, 2025
    What does alloy ageing involve?
    press-hardened part
    Focus on press hardening and its advantages
    Press-hardening serves a very specific purpose: to prevent part deformation during the rapid cooling phase induced by quenching. This method improves the performance of steels by giving them a martensitic structure, without the need for reworking. Designed for large production runs of parts with complex geometries, [...]
    January 30, 2025
    Focus on press hardening and its advantages
    martensitic-hardened metal parts
    Focus on martensitic hardening and its advantages
    The aim of martensitic hardening is to bring out a specific constituent in steels, called martensite, to make them harder and more resistant to wear and mechanical stress. It is one of the oldest known heat treatments of metals, and is still used today, thanks to its effectiveness and the [...].
    January 30, 2025
    Focus on martensitic hardening and its advantages