CUTTING TOOLS COATINGS

 

There are several types of coatings used on cutting tools, each offering specific benefits like increased wear resistance, heat protection, and longer tool life. Here’s a summary of the most common types of coatings for cutting tools:

1. TiN – Titanium Nitride

• Color: Gold

• Benefits:

• General-purpose coating

• Reduces friction

• Increases hardness

• Applications: Milling, drilling, tapping on mild steels and aluminum

2. TiCN – Titanium Carbonitride

• Color: Blue-gray

• Benefits:

• Higher hardness than TiN

• Better wear resistance

• Applications: Stainless steel, cast iron, and non-ferrous materials

3. TiAlN / AlTiN – Titanium Aluminum Nitride / Aluminum Titanium Nitride

• Color: Dark gray to black (TiAlN), purple/blue (AlTiN)

• Benefits:

• Excellent high-temperature resistance

• Oxidation protection

• Great for dry machining

• Applications: Hardened steel, tool steels, high-speed milling

4. CrN – Chromium Nitride

• Color: Silver-gray

• Benefits:

• High toughness and anti-corrosion

• Low friction

• Applications: Medical tools, food processing, plastics

5. DLC – Diamond-Like Carbon

• Color: Black or gray

• Benefits:

• Extremely low friction

• Excellent for non-ferrous metals

• Applications: Aluminum, copper, plastics (no built-up edge)

6. PVD Diamond Coating (CVD Diamond)

• Color: Usually gray or matte finish

• Benefits:

• Ultra-hard coating

• Excellent for abrasive and non-metal materials

• Applications: Graphite, composites, ceramics

7. ZrN – Zirconium Nitride

• Color: Light gold

• Benefits:

• Similar to TiN but with better performance on non-ferrous metals

• Applications: Aluminum, brass, and plastics

8. AlCrN – Aluminum Chromium Nitride

• Color: Dark gray to black

• Benefits:

• Excellent heat and oxidation resistance

• Stronger than TiAlN in some cases

• Applications: High-speed machining, dry cutting, die/mold steels

Summary Table