PVD takes place in a vacuum chamber (10⁻²-10⁻⁴ Pa). The coating material (target) is physically converted from solid to vapor and deposited on the workpiece. Three main methods: evaporation, sputtering, and ion plating. Film thickness: 0.1-10μm — much thinner than electroplating.
TiN (gold): HV2000-2500. TiCN (blue-gray): HV3000-4000. TiAlN (violet-black): HV3000-4500, resists 800-900°C. CrN (silver-gray): good corrosion resistance. DLC (black): HV2000-5000, extremely low friction (0.05-0.1).
PVD: 0.1-10μm, HV1500-5000, 150-500°C process, no wastewater. Electroplating: 5-500μm, HV200-800, room temperature, heavy metal wastewater. PVD has environmental and hardness advantages but costs more and cannot coat complex interiors uniformly.
Injection molds → TiN, CrN. Stamping dies → TiCN, TiAlN. Die casting → AlCrN, CrN. Cutting tools → TiAlN, AlTiN. Tool life increases 3-10x. PVD coating centers are concentrated in Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Suzhou.