Valmet opens Mini-lab

Increasing demand for in-house research and development resources has led Valmet General to develop its new range of small-scale laboratory and pilot type ’Mini-Lab & Holosec’ vacuum coaters. This reflects an evolving market trend of customers wanting to buy smaller, versatile machines in both special (sputtering, e-beam, etc.) and standard (evaporation) types of metallising.

The company says the benefit of this recent, new activity in the market will be more rapid improvements in coatings on a wide range of flexible substrates.

Currently, Valmet General’s vacuum coating development machines include a 1 metre wide 3 zone sputter coater, a 2 metre wide high speed evaporation coater, a plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) machine and a roll-to-roll evaporation box coater.

These research and development machines are particularly suited and designed for special converting applications, particularly high-value coatings such as anti-static, anti-reflective and other conductive coatings within the ’specials’ market. Other examples are clear barrier coatings for food packaging as well as security type coatings such as holograms and de-metallised films.

The Mini-Lab machine will operate at speeds of between 0.01 and 5m/min. It will have a maximum web width of 400mm, with a maximum roll diameter of 450mm, on a 3″ core. The machine contains two cathodes, which are either single planar cathodes, dual rotatable cathodes or combinations of both.

The Mini-Lab vacuum coater is ideally suited to a laboratory type environment – its overall design and

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter

Leave a comment:

Your email address will not be published. All fields are required

Advertisement

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Advertisement