Vacuum coating installation operating process

摘要

A process for operating a vacuum coating installation having several chambers (1-3) employs one high vacuum pumping stage (4-6) for each chamber and a total of two pre-vacuum pumping stages (8, 11) for all the chambers, one pre-vacuum pumping stage (8) being preceded by all the operating high vacuum pumping stages (4, 5). After air admission to a chamber (3), this chamber is initially pumped down with the other pre-vacuum pumping stage (11) while the high vacuum pumping stages (4, 5) of the chambers (1, 2) under high vacuum remain connected to the second pre-vacuum pumping stage (8). After attaining a sufficient reduced pressure in this chamber (3), the inlet of the high vacuum pumping stage (6) of this chamber is connected to the chamber (3) and its outlet is connected to the pre-vacuum pumping stage (8) not used for pumping down. Also claimed is a vacuum coating installation for carrying out the above process.