Wels, [2 July 2026] - RUBIG is expanding its technology portfolio in PVD coating and industrial plant engineering through its partnership with the French company PD2i - Partner Development Industry International. The collaboration strengthens RUBIG’s capabilities in Arc coating systems for application-specific solutions tools, molds, and dies, and opens additional opportunities.
The focus is on Arc coating solutions for heavily loaded forming and stamping tools, molds, and dies. The systems will be offered under the name MICROPULS® LOTUS Arc. This adds an Arc-based technology variant to RUBIG’s established sputter-based PVD system technology and further broadens the company’s portfolio in PVD and PE-CVD coatings, DLC, plasma and gas nitriding, as well as vacuum hardening.
RUBIG and PD2i Combine Expertise for Arc Coating Solutions
Solutions for Highly Stressed Tools
MICROPULS® LOTUS Arc is designed for applications in which tools, molds, and dies are exposed to extreme mechanical, thermal, and tribological loads. These include deep drawing, stamping, punching, cold forming, hot forming, die forging, powder pressing, non-ferrous metal forming, and aluminum die casting.
Applications in plastic injection molding can also benefit from specially adapted PVD coatings, for example on mold cavities, cores, and gating systems. The objective is to increase tool life, reduce adhesion, and make production processes more stable and cost-effective.
Coating Properties Precisely Tailored to the Application
A key success factor is the precise alignment of coating properties with the tool, substrate, and application. High-performance coatings must balance central requirements such as high hardness, hot hardness, toughness, low friction, thermal stability, and oxidation resistance.
For plastic injection molds, additional requirements may include corrosion resistance, scratch resistance, improved mold filling behavior, and optimized demolding. This makes it possible to functionalize surfaces in a targeted way and adapt them to specific production conditions.
Duplex Processes as a Distinct Added Value
Particular potential lies in combining Arc coating technology with RUBIG’s existing expertise in heat treatment, vacuum hardening of molds and dies, plasma nitriding, and materials engineering.
Duplex processes, meaning the combination of plasma nitriding and PVD hard coating, create high-performance surface solutions for especially demanding industrial applications. This is where RUBIG can deliver a significant advantage: material selection, pre-treatment, coating design, process engineering, and system technology can be evaluated and coordinated as an integrated process chain.
"With MICROPULS® LOTUS Arc, we are expanding our coating portfolio with a technology that is particularly relevant for highly stressed forming tools, molds, and dies. We combine PD2i’s deep Arc coating experience with our own competencies in plasma nitriding, PVD, PACVD, DLC, heat treatment, vacuum hardening of molds and dies, materials engineering, and industrial plant engineering. Through RUBIG’s global technology and sales network, customers worldwide gain access to application-specific surface solutions."
DI Thomas Müller, MSc
"With RUBIG, we have found a partner with comprehensive expertise in surface technology, heat treatment, vacuum hardening, materials engineering, and industrial plant engineering. This creates a strong basis for developing Arc coating technologies for molds, tools, and dies internationally."
Dr. Pierre Collignon
A Further Step Toward Integrated Surface Solutions
Through this partnership, RUBIG strengthens its position as a provider of integrated surface technologies - from coating development and process design through to industrial equipment solutions.
Customers benefit from an expanded technology spectrum and application-specific coating solutions aimed at longer tool life, reduced friction, lower wear, and improved process reliability. In addition, RUBIG’s worldwide technology and sales network supports close customer contact and makes advanced surface technologies available to customers across international markets.
With MICROPULS® LOTUS Arc, RUBIG is taking the next step toward industrial high-performance surfaces - from heat treatment, vacuum hardening, materials engineering, and duplex processes through to application-specific PVD coating.
