Three Types of Advanced Manufacturing

Written by: Denton Vacuum, LLC

Advanced manufacturing allows to create devices and parts that “borrow” the property of one substance and lend it to another. A good example of this borrowing is the screw, which can be made out of plastic and metalized with steel or iron to increase its durability.

The precise cooling of materials has led to several manufacturing breakthroughs. Here, we explore three major methods used in a variety of consumer and industrial-grade products.

Sputter Deposition

Sputtering is an important part of the natural sciences, although you might not believe it at first glance. A sputter coating of a conductive metal is often applied to a scientific specimen. This thin layer of highly conductive metal prevents the actual subject from receiving the charge that is common when a scanning electron microscope is used. Although this method is inferior to X-Ray, it’s useful to magnify up to 500,000 times.

Vacuum Deposition

Vacuum deposition systems help to evenly coat the surface of a substrate, and are used frequently in the enhancement of medical devices. A coating such as a lubricant can be applied evenly to a substrate like a catheter. The end result is a device that slips seamlessly into the patient. Anti-microbial coatings even keep patients safe from internal infections.

Magnetron Sputtering

A magnetron sputtering system is used when a coating of metals is needed. The magnets in the system push particles with the opposite charge around the chamber, which eventually settles them onto the substrate. The device is fitted with a rotating arm, which gives the substrate an even coating.

Bio: Denton Vacuum, LLC sells vacuum deposition systems used in a variety of industrial processes.