Tool Coating

A coating system that combines a patented surface impingement process and tungsten disulfide prolongs cutting tool life, but does it promote faster speeds?

In-house coating of cutting tools is more viable than ever.

Crystalline-diamond coatings can make tool performance sparkle.

Examined are four recent developments in cutting tool coatings: "smooth" diamond coatings, which incorporates that are nanometer-sized; a process that deposits diamond on carbide substrates via a laser; highly lubricious coatings for dry-machining operations; and a patented system for "locking" conventional coatings together.

It took years to perfect, but manufacturers finally found a way to economically coat carbide inserts with a diamond film. This article describes the coating process and looks at that companies that are offering diamond-coated tools, the companies that are coating tools for other manufacturers and the companies that are supplying coating equipment. Thick-film diamond is also discussed.

A clear and intact substrate surface is important to the success of a coating deposited on a carbide insert. This article looks at the surface problems and contamination, introduced by the insert manufacturing process, that the coating company or insert user must correct before the insert is ready to be coated.

To meet their customers' demands, mold and die shops are milling hardened steels at high speeds. This article discusses the use of coated carbide inserts to handle the heat generated by these operations. Specifically, the article talks about recently developed aluminum-titanium-nitride coatings, which reportedly are much more stable at elevated temperatures than other coatings.

The author looks at some recent advancements in tool coatings: multilayer,
multielement, diamond, nanocomposite.

As the use of hard-to-machine work materials grows, the need for high-performance tool coatings increases. This article discusses developments in coatings that have increased their usability. Among the coatings discussed are medium-temperature CVD coatings and multilayer PVD coatings.

Amorphous diamond coatings can offer performance close to that of CVD diamond film at a fraction of the cost. This article describes the amorphous diamond coating process and the coating that is produced. A comparison to CVD diamond coatings is also presented.