Investigation on HSS single point cutting tool manufactured using physical vapor deposition coating process

Abstract

Enhancement of wear resistance is of a major interest for the cutting tool industry. This work emphasizes the influence of bilayer coating on high speed steel single point cutting tool using physical vapor deposition technique. The high speed steel (HSS) substrate is coated first with TiN followed by coating of AlCrN. The microstructure of the coated tool is observed using scanning electron microscope. The hardness and wear resistance are determined for both coated and uncoated tools using Vicker’s microhardness test and tool weight loss percentage method, respectively. Corrosion test is carried out by salt spray test. The machining performance of the bilayer coated tools is evaluated and compared with that of the uncoated tools. The life of coated tools is about 4.41 times higher than that of uncoated tool.