Abstract: A procedure for coating the surfaces of a component under vacuum using a vacuum coating system is disclosed. The procedure includes at least two of the following process steps: a) Plasma activation of the component surface to be coated in an evacuated plasma activation chamber and/or b) applying the coat in an evacuated coating chamber and/or c) plasma polymerization for creating a protective coating on the previously applied coating in an evacuated plasma polymerization chamber. The plasma activation chamber and/or the coating chamber and/or the plasma polymerization chamber are ventilated and opened between at least two of the aforementioned process steps, and the component is fed to the subsequent process step.