Coating & Surface Treatment Equipment

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.

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

The PVD and CVD processes produce coatings with specific strengths and weaknesses. This article compares the processes and attempts to correct some common misconceptions about CVD coatings. The findings of a survey on tool coaters' use of coating materials and methods are also reported.

Researchers report on their study of coating performance. Their tests of TiN, TiCN and TiAlN coatings involved turning Inconel 718, medium-carbon steel and ductile cast iron. The wear rates and failure mechanisms of the coated tools are compared.

The benefits of TiN and TiCN coatings are list in high-temperature applications such as the machining of exotic metals. TiAlN coatings, on the other hand, perform better at higher temperatures. This article describes the properties of TiAlN that make it the coating to use with high-temperature work.

Researchers studying the performance of diamond coatings have found a number of factors of the coating process that determine the ultimate success of the coating. This article looks at factors such as substrate preparation, stresses in the coating and substrate and the diamond coating's formation patterns.

The presence of an eta phase between a coating and the substrate is generally considered harmful to coating adhesion. However, this article argues that when the formation of the eta phase is carefully controlled, it can actually enhance adhesion. The conditions that promote the formation of beneficial eta phase are explained.

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.

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.

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.

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.