Inspection & Material Check
We confirm the alloy, check for prior coatings and identify any welds, pits or scratches that must be addressed. Non-compatible materials are flagged before you are charged.
Fabrication or Repair
If we are building the item, welding and assembly happen here. If it is a reclaimed piece, weld dressing and structural repair are carried out.
Surface Preparation
Grinding, buffing, mirror polish, hairline brushing or bead blasting to the agreed base texture. This stage determines the final appearance more than anything else.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Multi-stage degreasing and ultrasonic wash. A single fingerprint left on the surface becomes a permanent visible defect after coating.
Loading & Fixturing
Parts are mounted on custom jigs and rotating fixtures so every face is exposed evenly to the plasma.
Vacuum Pump-Down
The chamber is evacuated to roughly 10⁻³ mbar. This removes air and moisture that would otherwise contaminate the coating.
Ion Etch
A high-energy plasma scrubs the surface at atomic scale, removing the last oxide layer and ensuring a true metallurgical bond.
Deposition
The titanium or zirconium target is vaporised. Reactive gas is introduced to form the coloured compound, which deposits atom by atom onto your parts.
Cool-Down & Venting
Controlled cooling under vacuum prevents thermal shock and colour drift before the chamber is vented.
QC & Dispatch
Adhesion tape test, colour match against the approved master swatch, and visual inspection under standardised lighting before protective wrapping and dispatch.