Surface Finishing & 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.

The finishing options for medical components.

The advantages of roller burnishing compared to abrasive finishing processes.

An examination of deburring and the cost of poor quality.

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.

Due to the exceptional strength of IN 100, INCO 718 and other nickel-based alloys, they're difficult to machine. The author, who spent 40 years endmilling these aerospace materials, discusses their unique characteristics and methods for successfully machining them.

Equipping toolchangers with nylon abrasive-filament brushes can greatly enhance process economics and the flow of parts. Case histories of in-machine deburring operations support these contentions, and the author describes how such systems should work.

The trend toward developing finer and finer carbide grains continues. The author looks at recent developments in the production of nanosized tungsten-carbide grains, which are smaller than 0.2 microns in diameter. Though not used widely at present for the production of cutting tools, some predict that will change as the technology evolves.

The author, an expert on cutting tool edge preparation, explains the importance of applying the proper edge hone to a tool. He also discusses a brush-type honing machine designed to apply a variable edge--a capability not available with other machines on the market.

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