NOVELTY - The vacuum coating plant comprises an evacuatable process chamber (02), an inlet opening (10), an outlet opening (11), a wafer element (03) that is coated in a conduit in the process chamber and is conveyed through the inlet opening and the outlet opening in the process chamber. A locking flap is equipped in the inlet opening and in the outlet opening and is blocked between an open position and a pressure lockable closing position along a locking flap closing travel. A transport system is equipped with three transport units (04, 05, 06, 07) for transporting the wafer element.    USE - Vacuum coating plant useful for coating a wafer element for the production of a solar cell.    ADVANTAGE - The vacuum coating plant ensures simple and economical coating of wafer element with improved mechanical strength and temperature resistance.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The vacuum coating plant comprises an evacuatable process chamber (02), an inlet opening (10), an outlet opening (11), and a wafer element (03) that is coated in a conduit in the process chamber and is conveyed through the inlet opening and the outlet opening in the process chamber. A locking flap is equipped in the inlet opening and in the outlet opening and is blocked between an open position and a pressure lockable closing position along a locking flap closing travel. A transport system is equipped with three transport units (04, 05, 06, 07) for transporting the wafer element, where the first transport unit is arranged before the inlet opening, the second transport unit is arranged in the process chamber and the third transport unit is arranged behind the outlet opening. The transport unit comprises a rotating transport element on which the wafer element is promoted from top and is moved through rotating drive of the transport element in the transport unit through the vacuum coating plant. The transport system comprises an adjustable transfer transport device at the inlet opening and/or at the outlet opening. The transfer transport system is adjusted between the transfer position and the normal position. The wafer element is transferred in the transfer position of the transfer transport device from a transport unit into conveying direction of the transport unit through the open inlet opening or through the open outlet opening. The inlet opening and/or the outlet opening are opened or closed in the normal position of the transfer transport device through adjusting the associated locking flap along the locking flap closing travel. The locking flap is revolvably arranged and is blocked through a swing movement between the open position and the pressure tight closing position along the locking flap closing travel. A sealing element is equipped at the side of the locking flap pointing to the inlet and the outlet openings and pressure tightly seals a sealing groove between the wall of the process chamber and the locking flap in the locking position. The transport elements are formed at the transport unit and/or the transport element, at the transfer transport device in the type of a conveyor ban, in the type of a conveyor cords or in the type of conveyor wire. The transport element is produced from polymer filaments, ceramic materials or ceramic filaments. The transport element of the transfer transport device is stretched over two redirection rollers. A redirecting element is movably arranged and is pivotable between the transfer position and the normal position. The transport element passes in the transfer position in the transport direction. The transport element is arranged in the normal position within the locking flap closing travel. The transfer transport device is formed as integral component part to the transport units. The transfer transport device and the transport unit join a transport element for transporting the wafer element. A part of the transport unit forming the transfer transport device is adjustable between the transfer position and the normal position. The joint transport element of the transfer transport device and the upstreamly and downstreamly arranged transport unit is stretched in the transport unit over two deflection rollers. The redirecting element is adjustably arranged and is adjustable between the transfer position and the normal position. The joint transport element is guided over a mechanically adjustable clamping element in order to realize the length balance during adjusting the transport element between the transfer position and the normal position. A further plant for processing the wafer element is arranged in the conduit before and/or behind the vacuum coating plant. The wafer element is conveyed by the transport device without intermediate storage of preliminary plant in the vacuum coating plant and/or without intermediate storage of the vacuum coating plant in the downstreamly arranged plant. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a method for coating a wafer element in a vacuum coating plant.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a cross-sectional view of a vacuum coating plant.    Process chamber (02)    Wafer element (03)    Transport unit (04, 05, 06, 07)    Locking flap (08, 09)    Inlet opening (10)    Outlet opening. (11)