PVD COATING
We offer our customers the option of having the life of their cutting tools prolonged using Physical Vapor Desposition (PVD) coating.
PVD coating is a process whereby positively charged ions of various coating metals, on introduction of nitrogen gas, react and adhere to the negatively charged tool. The result is an extremely strong bond between the thin-film coating and the tool, formed at temperatures too low to affect the sub-strata hardness of the tool.
This table shows the microhardness, friction coefficient on dry steel, maximum application temperature and coating colour for various coating types. The first column lists coating types, the second column shows the microhardness, the third column shows the friction coefficient on dry steel, the fourth column shows maximum application temperature and the fifth column lists the coating colour.
| Coating Type | Microhardness (HV) | Friction Coefficient On Dry Steel | Maximum Application Temperature °C | Coating Colour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titanium Nitride (TiN) | 2300 | 0.4 | 600 | Golden |
| Titanium Aluminum Nitride (TiAlN) | 3300 | 0.3 to 0.35 | 900 | Violet |
| Chromium Nitride (CrN) | 1750 | 0.5 | 700 | Grey |
Coated tools generally offer:
- Better sliding properties due to an improved surface quality
- Assistance in chip removal
- Improved component surface finish
- Reduction in both the thermal shock and susceptibility to cold welding of the tool
- Increased surface hardness, improving the wear resistance of the coated tool and thereby lowering tooling costs and the number of tool changes while increasing the service life and number of regrinding cycles of the tool
- Improved thermal and chemical resistance of the tool, enabling dry machining and the application of higher cutting feeds and speeds.