The requirements, specification and chosen implementation of a secure, reliable and compact process control system on a personal computer is described for automating closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputter ion-plating machines. The made-to-order nature of many such installations has consequences for the design of the control system, necessitating great flexibility and ease of reconfiguration. The system described has been implemented for the deposition of Al2O3, alloy nitride, ‘diamond-like’ carbon and other coatings. Examples are presented of the control script language and a typical mimic display.
