A coating system comprising: a coating chamber; and a rotary cathode assembly disposed in the coating chamber, the rotary cathode assembly comprising a cathode having a tube shape and defining a hollow center a shield surrounding the cathode, the shield defining an access opening for exposing a portion of the cathode; and a rotary magnet subassembly disposed within the hollow center of the cathode, the rotary magnet subassembly includes a first magnetic component having a first magnetic field strength and a second magnetic component having a second magnetic field strength, the first magnetic field strength is greater than the second magnetic field strength, wherein the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component are rotatable between a first position (P 1) in which the first magnetic component faces the access opening and a second position (P 2) in which the second magnetic component faces the access opening; the coating system comprising a controller and a power system; wherein the power system is configured to power the cathode; wherein, in the case that the rotary cathode assembly is used for cathodic arc deposition, the power system is configured to output a first voltage in a first voltage range and a first current in a first current range and the controller is arranged to position the second magnetic component at the second position, and wherein, in the case that the rotary cathode assembly is used for magnetron sputtering, the power system is configured to output a second voltage in a second voltage range and a second current in a second current range, and the controller is arranged to position the first magnetic component at the first position. a coating chamber; and a rotary cathode assembly disposed in the coating chamber, the rotary cathode assembly comprising a cathode having a tube shape and defining a hollow center a shield surrounding the cathode, the shield defining an access opening for exposing a portion of the cathode; and a rotary magnet subassembly disposed within the hollow center of the cathode, the rotary magnet subassembly includes a first magnetic component having a first magnetic field strength and a second magnetic component having a second magnetic field strength, the first magnetic field strength is greater than the second magnetic field strength, wherein the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component are rotatable between a first position (P 1) in which the first magnetic component faces the access opening and a second position (P 2) in which the second magnetic component faces the access opening; the coating system comprising a controller and a power system; wherein the power system is configured to power the cathode; wherein, in the case that the rotary cathode assembly is used for cathodic arc deposition, the power system is configured to output a first voltage in a first voltage range and a first current in a first current range and the controller is arranged to position the second magnetic component at the second position, and wherein, in the case that the rotary cathode assembly is used for magnetron sputtering, the power system is configured to output a second voltage in a second voltage range and a second current in a second current range, and the controller is arranged to position the first magnetic component at the first position. wherein, in the case that the rotary cathode assembly is used for cathodic arc deposition, the power system is configured to output a first voltage in a first voltage range and a first current in a first current range and the controller is arranged to position the second magnetic component at the second position, and wherein, in the case that the rotary cathode assembly is used for magnetron sputtering, the power system is configured to output a second voltage in a second voltage range and a second current in a second current range, and the controller is arranged to position the first magnetic component at the first position.