Metallic Bipolar Plates
Vacuum Coating Equipment & Technologies

As a manufacturer of bipolar plates for PEM fuel cell systems and electrolyzers, you are faced with the challenge of meeting the needs of a rapidly growing market. In addition, you have the task of raising the industrialization of your processes to a new level.

We offer you ideal solutions for cost-effective and highly productive manufacturing, tailored to your current and future requirements.

Our coating systems are based on platforms that allow you to scale from research and development to large-scale production.
 

Advantages of bipolar plate coating

Bipolar plates should be as durable, conductive and cost-effective as possible. To meet these requirements, metallic bipolar plates are coated with functional layers. PVD technologies are typically used for this purpose.

For the PEM fuel cell, we went one step further and developed and validated our own carbon-based layer stacks. The aim was to meet the demanding range of requirements for bipolar plate coating in an optimal and scalable way.

We will support you from the research and development phase to the establishment of an industrial coating solution for bipolar plates.

Would you like to learn more? Then click on the content below or contact us directly.

Corrosion protection & long lifetime

through electro­chemical & mechanical resistance

Improved conductivity

due to reduced interfacial contact resistance (ICR)

Scalable processes

from R&D to mass production at low cost of ownership

Bipolar Plate Stack on glossy surface

Technical Details

Scalability & process chain
PVD coating equipment
Layer stack & qualification

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Equipment

For the coating of PEM fuel cell and electrolyzer bipolar plates, we can provide a wide range of PVD equipment - from standardized platforms to individual solutions that are tailored to your needs. This portfolio ranges from R&D over pilot to high-volume production equipment for the coating of strip material (roll-to-roll, R2R) and plates (sheet-to-sheet, S2S).

In addition, we offer to discuss your coating requirements with you and to adapt our coater concepts to perfectly match your plate designs and production volumes. Beyond that, we can calculate the total cost of ownership for you.

Perspective view of a VON ARDENNE metal strip coating system.
MSC1250 A2AMetal Strip Coating SystemLearn more
Perspective view of a horizontal VON ARDENNE coating system.
HISSHorizontal Coating SystemLearn more
Perspective view of a VON ARDENNE metal strip coating system.
MSC500BMetal Strip Coating SystemLearn more
Perspective view of a VON ARDENNE inline coating line.
XEA|nova® LInline Coating SystemLearn more
Technologies
Electron Beam TechnologyMelting & Evaporation with Proprietary ComponentsLearn more
Magnetron SputteringKey Technology from In-house Development & ManufacturingLearn more
Support

Engineering
Simulation . Sampling . Layout

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Perspective view of a VON ARDENNE sampling and testing equipment.

Technology & Application Center
Sampling . Development . Scaling

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Service
Customer Portal . Spare Parts . Trainings

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Media
Joint project for fuel cells of the future: BiPro2Scale

Holistic product and process development of scalable bipolar plates for the implementation of innovative fuel cells for CO2-neutral applications

Investing in clean hydrogen: VON ARDENNE with GFC at Hannover Messe 2025

GERMAN FUEL CELL COOPERATION (GFC) presents complete line for the production of metallic bipolar plates in the special area Hydrogen + Fuel Cells at…

What makes electron-beam assisted PVD coating so special?

The ability to coat surfaces with specific materials is extremely important for many technologies and products in our lives. This article shines a…

German Fuel Cell Cooperation Exhibits at Leading European Hydrogen Event

GFC will present a production line for metallic bipolar plates for fuel cells and electrolyzers and provide valuable expert insights at the hy-fcell…

Customer Portal "myVA" Now Available

It's here: the myVA Customer Portal. VON ARDENNE has developed it with the aim of simplifying interactions, providing valuable insights and increasing…

Premiere at H2 FC EXPO 2024 in Tokyo:

German Fuel Cell Cooperation (GFC) Presents High-Volume Production Line for Metal Bipolar Plates

First PVD tool for PEM Electrolysis to be Commissioned

The first pro­duction coating system for full-size PEM electro­lyzer com­po­nents is about to be in­stalled.

Investing in Clean Hydrogen – US premiere at Hydrogen Technology Conf. & Expo Houston 2023:

German Fuel Cell Cooperation (GFC) presents high-volume production line for metal bipolar plates.

World premiere at f-cell 2022 in Stuttgart:

German Fuel Cell Cooperation presents highly productive production line for metallic bipolar plates

 

CONTACT
10.06.2025 - 12.06.2025
GPD Finnland 2025

Tampere, Finland

Presentation

18.06.2025 - 20.06.2025
FCVC 2025

Information coming soon

Susann Puppe

Sales & Business Development ManagerVON ARDENNE GmbH

Alexander Wemme

Vice President Energy Conversion & StorageVON ARDENNE GmbH

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