Physical pre-treatment for surface activation

In many cases, pre-treatment is an essential prerequisite for the secure adhesion of adhesive and finishing coats on plastics, metals, ceramics, paper and glass. Arcotec pre-treatment systems enable you to quickly and reliably activate the surfaces of films, paper and moulded parts to a consistently high quality.

With over 50 years of experience, Arcotec GmbH is a successful manufacturer of all four methods of physical pre-treatment under atmospheric pressure (corona, plasma, flame with silica coating). The Arcotec pre-treatment systems used worldwide are a testament to our consistently high quality and our unique expertise in the field of surface pre-treatment.

• Customer-specific solutions: Arcotec offers you customised solutions for the efficient pre-treatment of surfaces – from laboratory applications to large-scale production.
• Environmentally friendly and waste-free: Unlike chemical pre-treatment, physical surface activation processes do not require aggressive primers.
• Simple integration into your production: Our pre-treatment systems can be fully integrated into your in-line production and impress with their high treatment speeds.
• Top quality for 50 years: With 50 years of practical experience and over 25,000 systems produced, we find the optimum solution for every challenge, no matter how complex.

The surface of many films and moulded parts made of polymers has a non-polar surface. Metals and glass also often exhibit low surface tensions. As a result, adhesives, paints and other finishing layers adhere poorly to them. The surface tension can be increased through appropriate pre-treatment. During the pre-treatment of plastics, the molecular chains on the surface are broken up, which increases the adhesion forces.

Four different physical processes are available for surface activation: corona, plasma and flame treatment, as well as silica coating. Corona and plasma systems generate a plasma through high-voltage discharges. Flame treatment, on the other hand, uses a burner with a specially adjusted flame. Precursors containing silane are used for silica coating.

During pre-treatment with plasma or flame treatment, process gases can also be added to enhance the activation effect. Flame treatment systems also offer the option of silica-coating the treated surfaces to further improve adhesion. Our experts will advise you personally to find the most suitable pre-treatment method for you. Feel free to get in touch with us!