How do PVD, CVD and TD coatings improve tool life and performance?
Although all of our various coatings have some variation in their properties in order to augment their performance in specific applications, there are two main properties that are fundamental to all of our coatings: high hardness and lubricity (low coefficient of friction). The average relative micro-hardness of our PVD, CVD, and TD coatings would be well over 80 Rc. When this hardness is compared to 58-62 Rc of tool steel, 62-65 Rc of HSS, or 70-76 Rc of carbide, one gets a clearer picture of the comparative hardness of our coatings. This higher hardness gives cutting tools, forming tools, and wear components much greater protection against abrasive wear. As for lubricity, the Coefficient of Friction of our coatings can be significantly lower than un-coated tool substrates. For forming tools, this low Coefficient of Friction means that tools work with less force due to reduced resistance. In cutting applications, reduced friction means less heat is generated during the machining proce
