CVD Hard Coating Microstructure for Chipping-Resistant Cutting Tools

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Solution Overview

Problem

Coated tools used in high-speed intermittent cutting of alloy steel face issues with insufficient chipping resistance, wear resistance, and toughness, leading to short tool life despite advancements in hard coating layers.

Innovation Solution

A surface-coated cutting tool with a hard coating layer composed of complex nitrides or carbonitrides of Ti and Al, or Cr and Al, formed through chemical vapor deposition, where the layers exhibit columnar shapes and specific crystal grain orientations to enhance toughness and wear resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a Ti-Al-based or Cr-Al-based complex nitride layer is coated to improve wear resistance, then wear resistance is improved, but chipping resistance deteriorates under high-speed intermittent cutting conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidchipping resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the crystal orientation parameter of the hard coating layer by controlling the deposition process to achieve a specific ratio of (111) plane to (200) plane orientations. This parameter change allows the coating to maintain wear resistance while improving toughness and chipping resistance through the unique crystal structure configuration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite coating structure with multiple layers having different compositions and functions. The hard coating layer contains Ti-Al-based or Cr-Al-based complex nitride with specific crystal orientation, combining the wear resistance of hard phases with the toughness provided by the controlled crystal structure and layer configuration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution significantly improves chipping resistance and fracture resistance while maintaining wear resistance, resulting in superior cutting performance and extended tool life during high-speed intermittent cutting.

Implementation Method 1

formed through chemical vapor deposition

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical vapor deposition: Chemical Vapour Deposition

Data Source

PatentEP3369505B1Surface-coated cutting tool having hard coating layer exhibiting excellent chipping resistance, and production method therefor
Publication Date: 2023.08.02 MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORP
  • EP3369505B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3369505B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3369505B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a hard coating layer (2) that contains at least any of a layer of a complex nitride or a complex carbonitride (3) (composition formula: (Ti1-xAlx)(CyN1-y)) of chemically-vapor-deposited Ti and Al, a layer of a complex nitride or a complex carbonitride (3) (composition formula: (Ti1-α-βAlαMrβ)(CγN1-γ)) of Ti, Al, and Me, and a layer of a complex nitride or a complex carbonitride (3) (composition formula: (Cr1-pAlp)(CqN1-q)) of Cr and Al in a surface-coated cutting tool, some crystal grains that form the layer of a complex nitride or a complex carbonitride have cubic structures, and a predetermined average crystal grain misorientation and inclined angle frequency distribution are present in the crystal grains that have cubic structures.