In the manufacturing of varistors, ceramic capacitors, and related ceramic substrates, terminal electrode metallization has long been a critical process that directly determines product performance, cost structure, and consistency. Traditionally, the industry relies on silver paste transfer printing or electroplated silver processes, forming silver layers of approximately 20 μm thickness to ensure electrical conductivity, durability, and anti-sulfuration performance.
In recent years, the continuous rise in silver prices has significantly increased the cost burden of thick silver layer processes. Silver paste transfer requires high-temperature sintering with substantial energy consumption, while electroplating—being a wet chemical process—demands dedicated treatment systems, ongoing operational expenditure, and strict environmental compliance. Increasingly stringent emission regulations have further raised the barriers for capacity expansion. Under intensified market competition and shrinking profit margins, identifying alternative metallization solutions that reduce cost while maintaining performance has become an urgent priority for ceramic component manufacturers.
Zhenhua Continuous Coating Line for Ceramic Capacitors and Resistors: A 70% Cost Reduction Breakthrough
1. From 20 μm to 6 μm: Less Silver, Better Performance
Conventional silver paste transfer and electroplating processes typically require ~20 μm thick silver layers to meet conductivity and adhesion requirements. Zhenhua’s dedicated continuous vacuum coating line, based on magnetron sputtering technology, achieves equivalent or superior performance with only 6–7 μm of silver deposition—reducing silver material consumption by up to 70%.
The dense sputtered film exhibits significantly enhanced adhesion and anti-sulfuration properties compared to traditional thick silver layers, along with improved reliability under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions. Furthermore, multiple metal layers can be deposited on both sides of the substrate within a single vacuum cycle, enabling simultaneous double-sided coating. This greatly simplifies the production workflow, improves throughput, and ensures high precision and uniformity in electrode deposition.
2. Continuous High-Efficiency Production Across Multiple Substrate Specifications
The production line adopts a modular and intelligent design, equipped with fully automated loading and unloading systems. This enables a fully integrated, unmanned process from loading, conveying, coating to unloading—significantly reducing manual intervention and contamination risks.
With strong compatibility across various substrate sizes and formats, the system supports rapid changeover and intelligent recognition, allowing seamless switching between different product types. Compared to traditional batch-type equipment, the continuous coating architecture and optimized chamber design deliver several-fold improvements in production efficiency, fully meeting the high-volume, high-quality manufacturing requirements for terminal and internal electrode silver deposition in thermistors, varistors, and ceramic capacitors.
3. 30 Years of Expertise: End-to-End Support from R&D to Customization
With over 30 years of experience in the vacuum coating industry, Zhenhua Vacuum has established comprehensive process laboratories and a team of senior engineers. The company supports a full range of coating technologies, including PVD and PECVD, providing end-to-end services from material selection and film stack design to process optimization for mass production.
Leveraging extensive project experience, Zhenhua deeply understands the core requirements of electronic component manufacturers in metallization processes. The company offers rapid response to customized demands, including tailored equipment configurations, chamber structures, and process integration solutions—while ensuring strict protection of intellectual property and proprietary technologies.
Conclusion
As the electronic components industry advances toward “silver thinning” and high-precision manufacturing, Zhenhua Vacuum continues to deepen the application of magnetron sputtering technology, redefining terminal electrode metallization routes. By unlocking substantial cost reduction potential in large-scale manufacturing and strengthening full-cycle support from R&D validation to mass production delivery, Zhenhua is well-positioned to drive the next wave of quality upgrades across thermistors, varistors, and ceramic capacitors—accelerating the industrialization of vacuum-based electrode coating technologies.
— This article is published by professional manufacturer of silver coating equipment for ceramic capacitors and resistors Zhenhua Vacuum
Post time: Apr-03-2026