Volframi

The glass industry has utilised several thin film deposition techniques for years to improve the properties of glass or add new capabilities. In recent times, the partial sputtering process of nanomaterials has gained recognition in revolutionising smart glass products that cater to automotive, construction, and other industries. However the pace of innovation has been held back by challenges that are often time-consuming and less efficient to overcome using conventional methods. Reimagining the coating technology for partial processing, Volframi formulated the process to be more practical, simpler, and affordable. This has led to the development of innovative glass products for the construction, transportation, and power generation industries.

Volframi’s innovative partial processing method produces conductive patterns on the surface of a substrate glass without any redundant coating processes. The patented partial processing technology uses targeted processing to assimilate coatings and provide numerous possibilities of conductive patterns. In the new coating method, the vacuum chamber size does not depend on the size of substrates, i.e., a small chamber can be used to create targeted thin film coatings on very large substrates.

The coatings can be created on a substrate without coating the entire surface, which is advantageous when designing mechatronic features such as control switches on a large glass pane. The new method reduces the total process time and material usage while minimising process steps and ensuring that the tool footprint is small.

By configuring grids of conductive patterns on a substrate, Volframi integrates multiple functionalities on glass surfaces of any size, making small coating areas more feasible.

“Our technology uses multiple source materials to produce all the desired conductive patterns at the same time. Volframi provides multiple coatings on scalable substrates such that the glass may have various functions,” says Jukka Vuoristo, CTO of Volframi.

Conventional partial coating tools lack flexibility in producing scalable coatings. However, Volframi has made it possible to create different coating processes simultaneously using cutting-edge tools while configuring the chambers for partial processing techniques. The sputtering device developed by Volframi integrates partial processing methods for targeted glass coating, reinventing industry specific applications that require unique customisation.

Volframi’s innovation solves the glass processing industry’s puzzle of a ‘one-size-fits-all’ partial coating tool that caters to different configurations of glass coatings. Although glass manufacturers followed many practices to foster different functionalities of coatings on the glass, they proved to be inefficient. The tool devised by Volframi brings a large selection of capabilities to glass processors of all sizes in an affordable and flexible package.

Intelligent glass control, a prototype developed by Volframi showcases distinctive features of the partial processing coating technology. The technology provides scalable solutions for transparent and integrated control systems such as electrochromatic glasses, blinds, and awnings. The mechanisation can also generate coat variants to detect humidity, temperature, and glass breakage. With such techniques, lighting or audio levels can be accessed straight from the glass, and intuitive ways of controlling windows are made possible without the need for separate controllers or cords.

Volframi’s cost-efficient, sustainable solutions allow users to configure numerous functions to control the glass according to their convenience or environment. Volframi’s innovative partial processing technology caters to next-gen industry needs across the glass and automotive sectors and tackles the biggest barriers to the use of sputtering processes in the mechatronics of smart glass products.