TiAlBN Hard Coating for Wear-Resistant Cutting Tools

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cutting tools face reduced service life due to increased load and efficiency in cutting processes, necessitating enhanced mechanical characteristics such as wear resistance, heat resistance, and defect resistance.

Innovation Solution

A cutting tool with a hard layer composed of TiAlB N, having a specific atomic ratio and X-ray diffraction peak intensity ratio, providing superior wear and heat resistance, and a thickness range that enhances mechanical properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If cutting process speed and efficiency are increased, then productivity improves, but the load on the cutting tool increases and service life decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting process speedVSAvoidservice life of cutting tool
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The coating layer uses a composite structure with cubic crystal phase and hexagonal crystal phase in specific proportions (cubic phase 30-70%, hexagonal phase 30-70%). This composite crystal structure combines the high hardness of cubic TiAlN with the high-temperature stability of hexagonal TiAlN, enabling the coating to withstand increased cutting loads while maintaining extended service life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention optimizes specific parameters including the intensity ratio I(200)/I(002) between 0.5-2.0 and full width at half maximum of (002) peak between 1.5-3.5 degrees. These parameter changes control the crystal structure composition and orientation, creating a coating that resists wear and thermal damage under high-speed cutting conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the coating layer is made harder to improve wear resistance, then wear resistance improves, but the coating becomes more brittle and prone to defects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoiddefect resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The dual-phase composite structure (cubic + hexagonal crystals in 30-70% proportions) creates a synergistic effect where the cubic phase provides hardness and wear resistance, while the hexagonal phase provides toughness and defect resistance. This composite approach eliminates the need to choose between hardness and brittleness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The coating achieves different local properties through crystal phase distribution: regions with higher cubic phase content provide wear resistance at the cutting edge, while regions with higher hexagonal phase content provide toughness and crack resistance in the coating body. The specific intensity ratio control creates this localized quality distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 cutting tool exhibits extended service life and improved performance in processing hard-to-cut materials and ordinary steel, with enhanced wear resistance and defect resistance.

Implementation Method 1

a hard layer composed of TiAlB N, having a specific atomic ratio and X-ray diffraction peak intensity ratio

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVapor deposition: Physical Vapour Deposition

Implementation Method 2

the ratio I (200) /I (002) and the full width at half maximum of the X-ray diffraction peak of the (002) plane

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectX-ray diffraction: X-Ray

Implementation Method 3

X-ray diffraction peak of the (002) plane

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBragg diffraction: Bragg Diffraction

Data Source

PatentEP4088842B1Cutting tool
Publication Date: 2024.04.24 SUMITOMO ELECTRIC HARDMETAL CORP
  • EP4088842B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4088842B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4088842B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A cutting tool including a base material and a hard layer provided on the base material, in which the hard layer is composed of a compound represented by TiaAlbBcN, an atomic ratio a of a titanium element in the TiaAlbBcN is 0.25 or more and less than 0.55, an atomic ratio b of an aluminum element in the TiaAlbBcN is 0.45 or more and less than 0.75, an atomic ratio c of a boron element in the TiaAlbBcN is more than 0 and 0.1 or less, a sum of the atomic ratio a, the atomic ratio b and the atomic ratio c is 1, a ratio I(200)/I(002) of an intensity I(200) of an X-ray diffraction peak of a (200) plane to an intensity I(002) of an X-ray diffraction peak of a (002) plane in the hard layer is 2 or more and 10 or less, and a full width at half maximum of the X-ray diffraction peak of the (002) plane is 2 degrees or more and 8 degrees or less.