International Conference on Recent Advances in Mechanical Engineering and Interdisciplinary Developments [ICRAMID - 2014]

Performance of PVD Coated on High Speed Steel

Cutting Tool in Industrial Applications
R.Ravi Raja Malarvannan*

T.V. Moorthy

M.Shunmuga priyan

Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Department of Manufacturing Engineering,

Anna University,
Anna University,
Anna University,
Chennai-25
Chennai-25
Chennai-25
tvmoorthy1@gmail.com
malarvannan112@gmail.com
iampriyan25@gmail.com
Key words: PVD, HSS, TiN, AlCrN, SEM, EDX, Hardness, Wear test

Abstract. An experimental investigation of mechanical properties of TiN and AlCrN Coated cutting
tools have been performed at room Temperature. HSS single point cutting tool is taken as substrate
material. Aluminium chromium nitride (AlCrN) and Titanium Nitride (TiN) is applied by physical
vapour deposition method. Vaporized and condensed form of the desired film material on to various
work piece surface is generally known as Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD). The finished products
surface finish is increased by the coated tool and hence it reduces the cost of quality control process in
industry. In uncoated HSS tool, the tool frequently requires replacement or reconditioning, which is
not required for TiN and AlCrN Coated cutting tool and hence it reduces the cost for replacements .In
PVD coating, the tool life is increased about 7.5 times compared to the uncoated cutting tool. For the
factor of cost analysis, the cost required for making an AlCrN coated cutting tool is drastically reduced
and increased life of tool also reduces the cost to procure a new tool or replacing an old one.
1. Introduction
High speed steel (HSS) is being widely used in manufacturing industries due to its higher hardness at
higher temperature., However due to the continuous usage of this HSS, it will be subjected to high
contact pressures, high temperatures and severe chemical attack which will result in more wear[1-3].
In order to effectively overcome the aforesaid problems, several surface modification methods such as
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and Physical vapor deposition (PVD) coated cemented carbides,
cermets, Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) are still frequently used in cutting tool industry [4].Among these
two techniques, PVD is preferred as it is a line-off-sight process. In addition to this, very thin coating
of thickness ranging from 3 m to 5m can be deposited which works very well on sharp edge tools.
Moreover, this technique can be performed relatively at less temperatures without affecting the bare
substrate.TiN coating is well known for its low coefficient of friction, higher hardness and high
oxidation resistance and also it is also evident that CrN coating provides high toughness, higher
hardness, higher wear resistance and low coefficient of friction [5-7] Tribological behavior of TiN
coating using PVD was investigated by means of dry and lubricated sliding wear test at room
temperatures and at 200C and their results revealed significant decrease in the wear of the tool steel
under sliding wear test [8-9].Vera et al have reported that the thickness of TiN coatings performed by
deposited by PVD performs lesser than the CrN coating [10].TiAIN coatings obtained by PVD
technique was mostly applied to improve the life time and performance of a wide variety of tool
materials for their good properties such as wear, chemical stability and high hardness (11-13). For the
attractive properties particularly under the high temperature condition a new ternary nitride AICrN
with higher percentage of aluminium has become the major roll of coating (11, 14, and 15). TiAIN
coatings have been widely investicated by the methods of reciprocating sliding and ball on disc test for
Tribological behavior study. The wear resistance and the friction coefficients of various counter
bodies were studied as a function of coating composition and test. Inadequate efforts were made to
investigate the wear mechanism of the TiAIN coating up to the present scenario.[11,16-22].Although,

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International Conference on Recent Advances in Mechanical Engineering and Interdisciplinary Developments [ICRAMID - 2014]

promising results in oxidation tests as well as cutting tool applications have been reported for the
AlCrN coating, our knowledge about the tribological properties of this coating is rather poor [15,2331]. Though lot of works have been carried out using TiN and CrN coatings for cutting tools, only
very few works were carried out using AlCrN coating.. Hence in this work, both the TiN and AlCrN
coatings have been deposited on the HSS using Physical vapor deposition technique and the
mechanical properties such as hardness, wear and scratch behavior of the above coatings are compared
in detail.
2. Experimental
The working principle of PVD coating in coating of plasma beam sputtering apparatus (Oerlikon
balzers India Ltd) cathodic arc at a deposition temperature of approximately 950C. AISI HSS cutting
tool were used as substrates which were polished to Ra = 0.1 m prior to deposition. The deposition
lasted for 6 hours, respectively. For the first 10 minutes, as a standard procedure, pure chromium was
deposited in order to enhance adhesion. After deposition on coated sample were prepared to fixing the
deposition chamber and fixing the parameters on coating at controlled condition. The metallographic
preparation of samples prepared for micro-hardness testing on surface in different areas. The hardness
was checked cross sectional of the coated surface to testing values were obtained the applied load on
surface of the specimen was 100gf and 20 s dwell time to testing of hardness. Moreover, after testing
roughness value of prepared samples by using non contact surface roughness tester. The microstructure
and characterization of each cutting tool wear scar, composition were found by optical microscope
(OM), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Energy dispersive spectrometry. The composition of
cutting tool testing by metallographic analysis the elements of tungsten 18%, Chromium 4%,
Vanadium 1% and the small elements were composed on carbon content of 0.5 0.65 % were
reported.

Fig. 1: HSS Single point cutting tool nomenclature [32]

3-Results and discussion
The Fig. 2 shows the coating thickness of AlCrN and TiN on HSS tool by scanning electron
microscope. The figure shows the represents of thickness of coating between two layers. The SEM
image of AlCrN coating thickness clearly revealed the range of 2.28 to 2.43m thickness. Moreover,
the result was showed the image of minimum porosities in the coated surface. In second image of TiN
coating used same parameters the coating thickness was varied.

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Fig. 2 SEM image shown AlCrN and TiN Coating Thicknesses

The X-ray energy dispersive spectrograph EDS analysis were used to determine the composition of
cutting tool coated surface at ambient condition shown in the Figure 3. In this coating was concluded
that tool layer elements present in AlCrN testing by EDX analysis. From the results the Al maximum
percentage present and sub elements such as Cr and N and small composition were presented. It
confirmed that TiN coating the same maximum content of material Titanium present in the coated
surface was recorded.

Fig. 3: EDX analysis of AlCrN and TiN based composite coating

The figure shows (Fig.4) scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation of TiN coated tool
revealed that a layer of was deposited on the tool revealed that a layer was deposited on the tool cutting
surface at all cutting speeds whereas it was not present on the uncoated tools when machining at high
cutting speeds. The TiN layer has a high yield strength compared to HSS and can stand the normal
compression stress acting on the cutting tool rake face during machining without fragmenting.

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Fig. 4: SEM images of machining edge of TiN coated tool

The figure 5 shows the 3D surface roughness express with the after machining of the component. The
surface roughness was measured by non contact roughness tester in both materials. The machinng of
component using AlCrN coated tool used the roughness value higher than the TiN coated tool.
Titanium is more hardest densed coating is formed interier of the tool. In the dry sliding condition the
tool was used to the surface was tested roughness is more compared to other coated tool.
ROUGHNESS TEST

TiN COATED TOOL

AlCrN TOOL

Fig. 5 Surface Roughness of AICrN, TiN

In this paper the various types of test have been conducted for the comparison purpose. The hardness
and surface roughness (figure 5) values for both the tools have been taken under same conditions. The
weight loss in the tool after each machining has been weighted using standard equipment. The surface
roughness was measured using Talysurf (surtronic 3+) surface roughness tester. The tools used in the
Lathe machine and the weight loss percentage after each machining was determined. Table1. Shows
the comparison of weight loss percentages in cutting tools.
Table: 1Comparison of Weight loss percentages

Tools
Uncoated HSS
Cutting Tool

Weight Loss Percentage After

Sequence of Trials
3.45 %

Remark
(Efficient And Economic Cutting Tool
Based On Life)
Life time of the uncoated cutting Tool

AlCrN Coated
Cutting Tool

0.44 %

Increased in Life 7.84 Times Compared

To Uncoated Cutting Tool

TiN Coated
Cutting Tool

0.76 %

Increased in Life 4.53 Times Compared

To Uncoated Cutting Tool

The tool life of titanium nitride coated tool is increased by 4.53 times than the tool life of non-coated
HSS tool. The tool life of Aluminium Chromium nitride coated tool is increased by 7.84 times than the
tool life of non-coated HSS tool.Tool life model development history is presented with detail
discussion of the latest development of tool life including the insert groove in the life estimation

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regarding the modeling it is found that response surface methodology combined with the factorial
design of experiment are useful techniques for tool life testing.
4-Conclusion
The main theme of the paper is to explore the relationship between the mechanical properties measured
at an ambient and at an elevated temperatures and compare it to wear resistance of cutting tools with
hard TiN and AlCrN coatings in addition to this is to determine a set of properties that could be
responsible for cutting tool life improvement under specific applications. In this work, we have
subjected both the tool to various types of test and works. The hardness and roughness value for both
the tools have been taken under same conditions. The weight loss in the tool after each machining has
been weighed using standard equipments. From the above investigations, it is evident that the tool life
of Titanium Nitride (TiN) coated tool is increased by 4.41 times than the Tool life of uncoated HSS.
The life of AlCrN Coated Cutting tool is increased by 7.84 times than the Tool life of uncoated HSS

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