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Blade coating technology is one of the key technologies in the field of modern cutting blade manufacturing, and materials and cutting process known as the three pillars of cutting blade manufacturing. Coating technology through the blade substrate coated with one or more layers of high hardness, high wear-resistant materials, significantly improve the blade’s wear resistance, oxidation resistance, anti-adhesion, thermal shock resistance and other comprehensive performance, so as to extend the life of the blade, improve cutting efficiency and machining accuracy.
Coating Material
There is a wide range of blade coating materials, mainly including carbide, nitride, carbon-nitride, oxide, boride, silicide, diamond and composite coatings. Common coating materials are:
TITANIUM NITRIDE COATING
Titanium nitride coating, or TiN coating, is a hard ceramic powder with a golden yellow colour that can be applied directly to the substrate of a product to form a thin coating.TiN coatings are commonly used on blades made of aluminium, steel, titanium alloys and carbide.
TiN coatings are rigid materials that increase the hardness and durability of inserts, as well as resisting wear and friction. the cost of TiN is typically low, which makes it ideal for manufacturers looking for a cost-friendly solution.
TITANIUM CARBON NITRIDE
TiCN is a coating that combines titanium, carbon and nitrogen to form a coating that helps strengthen industrial blades. Many of the applications are the same as TiN coatings, however, TiCN coatings can perform better in specific applications with higher surface hardness, and are often chosen when cutting harder materials.
TiCN is an environmentally friendly coating that is non-toxic and FDA compliant. The coating has strong adhesion and can be applied to a wide variety of materials. Industrial blades coated with TiCN have a silvery grey colour, which not only provides high corrosion and wear resistance, but also extends the life of the blade by withstanding lower temperatures and reducing damage (e.g., splintering) that occurs during normal operation.
DIAMOND-LIKE CARBON COATING
DLC is a man-made material with properties similar to those of natural diamonds, greyish-black in colour and highly resistant to corrosion, abrasion and scuffing, DLC coatings are applied to blades in the form of a vapour or gas, which cures to help improve the protective features of industrial knives.
DLC is thermally stable up to about 570 degrees Fahrenheit, making it ideal for use in extreme temperatures and conditions, and DLC coatings also help industrial knives combat surface degradation caused by a variety of factors such as humidity, oil and salt water.
TEFLON BLACK NONSTICK COATING
Teflon black non-stick coatings are commonly used on industrial blades to reduce the build-up of sticky surfaces, foodstuffs and plastics, and this type of coating offers many benefits, including excellent abrasion and corrosion resistance, and is also FDA-approved, making it ideal for the food processing industry.
HARD CHROME
Hard chrome is a commonly used coating in the finishing process. Hard chrome coatings resist corrosion, abrasion and wear, making it one of the most effective coatings in a variety of industries.Hard chrome is ideally suited to materials such as steel as it helps to resist corrosion and oxidation while still helping to maintain surface hardness.
POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE
PTFE is a highly flexible coating with excellent resistance to most elements. With a melting point slightly above the 600 degree Fahrenheit range, PTFE can perform over a wide range of temperatures. PTFE is also resistant to chemicals and has low electrical conductivity, allowing it to be used as a blade coating for a variety of applications.
In addition, there are a variety of coating materials such as CrN, TiC, Al₂O₃, ZrN, MoS₂, and their composite coatings such as TiAlN, TiCN-Al₂O₃-TiN, etc., which are able to further enhance the comprehensive performance of the blades.
Coating Method
Currently, the main commonly used blade coating methods are chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and physical vapour deposition (PVD), as well as some emerging coating technologies such as plasma chemical vapour deposition (PCVD) and ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD).
CVD (chemical vapour deposition)
Using the vapour, hydrogen and other chemical components of metal halides, decomposition, thermo-combination and other gas-solid reactions at high temperatures (950 ~ 1050 ℃) to form a solid deposition layer on the surface of the blade substrate. the CVD coating process has a higher temperature, reliable bonding, but may bring about problems such as residual tensile stresses.
PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition)
Under vacuum conditions, low voltage, high current arc discharge technology is used to evaporate the target material and ionise it with the gas, which is deposited on the blade substrate using the accelerating effect of the electric field. the PVD coating has a lower temperature (300~500°C), which will not damage the hardness and dimensional accuracy of the blade substrate, and the coating has a high degree of purity and densification, and is firmly bonded to the substrate.
PCVD (Plasma Chemical Vapour Deposition)
Using plasma to promote chemical reaction and reduce the coating temperature to below 600°C. It is suitable for occasions where diffusion or exchange reaction is not easy to occur between the cemented carbide substrate and the coating material.
IBAD (Ion Beam Assisted Deposition Technology)
While depositing the coating in the cold phase, bombard the continuously deposited material with an ion beam of certain energy to improve the bonding strength between the coating and the substrate.
Advantages of coated blades
Improved wear resistance: The coating material has high hardness and wear resistance, significantly extending blade life.
Improved oxidation resistance: The coating acts as a chemical and thermal barrier, reducing diffusion and chemical reactions between the blade and the workpiece.
Reduced friction: Coatings have a low coefficient of friction, improving the cutting process and machining quality.
Increase metal fatigue resistance: Coated materials effectively resist fatigue crack extension.
Increase thermal shock resistance: The coating material has good thermal stability and adapts to high temperature cutting environment.
Prevents corrosion: Corrosion can be a serious problem, especially for steel blades, and high-quality, well-designed coatings can significantly reduce maintenance requirements and the risk of corrosion.
Extend product life: Blade coatings can improve durability, damage resistance and overall blade functionality, and the right blade coating can help extend the life of industrial cutting blades, which is essential for reducing downtime and improving efficiency.
You need to consider the following factors before choosing a blade coating
Product Use
Firstly, it is important to identify where the product will be used, such as food processing, automotive, aerospace, medical devices, etc. This will have a direct impact on the choice of coating, and if you are working in the food processing industry you will need to ensure that your blade coatings are FDA compliant and non-toxic. TiCN and Teflon are excellent blade coatings that are non-toxic and FDA-compliant or approved, which allows you to use them in food processing without risking contamination of your product with harmful chemicals or materials. If your industry requires flexible blades, DLC coatings and hard chrome are an excellent choice.
Make sure the blades are high quality
In ddition to looking for quality from the manufacturer, you need to make sure that your knives are high quality before applying the coating. Even with a high-quality coating, a low-quality blade won’t last very long, and this can affect the effectiveness of the coating. If you want to make the most of blade coatings, you need to make sure that you start with high-quality industrial knives.
Performance requirements
These include hardness, abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance, adhesion resistance, etc. These performance requirements will determine the type of coating material.
Cost Considerations
The cost of the coating material and coating method are also important considerations when making a selection.
Blade coating technology is an effective way to improve blade performance, extend blade life, improve cutting efficiency and machining accuracy. Through the selection of suitable coating materials and coating methods, coated blades with excellent comprehensive performance can be prepared to meet a variety of complex processing needs. In the future, with the continuous innovation and development of coating technology, coated blades will play a more important role in the manufacturing industry.
