International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology

Vol.75 (2015), pp.51-58

http://dx.doi.org/10.14257/ijast.2015.75.06

Study of Coated TiN and TiC on Cutting Tools for the PVD and
CVD Coated Tungsten Carbide by Sand Blasting Pretreatment of
Nickel and Carbon

N. Balasubramanyam1, Smt. G. Prasanthi2 and M. Yugandhar3

1
Asst. Prof, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sreenivasa Institute of
Technology and Management Studies, Chittoor, A.P., India
2
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, JNTUA College of
Engineering (Autonomous), Anantapuram, A.P., India
3
Asst. Prof, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sreenivasa Institute of
Technology and Management Studies, Chittoor, A.P., India

Abstract
It has been well established that advanced surface coatings on cutting tools improve
wear resistance by modifying the contact conditions between the chip and tool interface.
As a result of the recent developments in cutting tool industry, coated tools have made a
significant contribution to the metal cutting operations in terms of tool life, cutting time
and machining quality. The challenge of modern machining industries is focused mainly
on the achievement of high quality, in terms of work piece dimensional accuracy, surface
finish, high production rate, less wear on the cutting tools, economy of machining in
terms of cost saving and increase the performance of the product. In general, the most
important point in machining processes is the productivity, achieved by cutting the
highest amount of material in the shortest period of time using tools with the longest life
time. The present research work describes the development, Mechanical, Tribological
performance of Nano material coating of TiN,TIC, on Tungsten Carbide cutting tool. The
Mechanical, Tribological properties of TiN,TIC, are to be compared with uncoated
Tungsten carbide cutting tool. And also different coating methods like Chemical Vapour
Deposition, Physical Vapour Deposition Method, can be used for comparision.The
present work will help to find the tool life and wear behaviour of the each coated tool and
it will help to find the best tool coating applicable for the cutting tool. The experiments of
Mechanical, Tribological properties tests have to be conducted as per ASTM standards.
SEM analysis has to be done for investigating the surface morphology of Tungsten
Cutting tool. The coated cutting tool have to be modelled using suitable assumption and
analyzed by means of finite element method using ANSYS software. Both results of
Experimental and ANSYS software are to be compared.

Key Words: Nano coatings, Titanium Nitride, Titanium Carbide

1. Introduction
The cutting tool industries are constantly facing the very common industrial challenge
of reducing cost of machined parts and at the same time improving the quality of the
machined surface. These issues are generally addressed by improving cutting tool
materials, applying advanced coating, improving the geometry and surface characteristics
of the cutting tools, optimizing machining parameters [1]. The need for the use of newer
cutting tool materials to combat hardness, wear situation has resulted in the emergence
surface coatings, which contributes in reducing cost per machined parts through
increasing productivity and extending tool life. The benefits of advanced coatings are of
higher hardness, low friction at the chip tool contact, higher wear resistance, high hot

ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST

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International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol.75 (2015)

hardness and high thermal and chemical stability. The machined surface quality with the
coated cutter can also be improved by avoiding any built-up edge due to the reduced
friction between the tool and work piece. Based on the abundant advantages of surface
coatings and the requirement of industrial development and requirement, it is necessary to
develop TiN, TIC, coatings on Tungsten carbide cutting tool [2]. Based on these driving
force, it is necessary to do surface coating of TiN, TIC, on Tungsten Carbide cutting tool
to give good mechanical and tribological properties.

2. Experimental Procedure
TiN and TiC are deposited on a tungsten carbide cutting tools by physical vapor
deposition by cathodic arc PVD using a system Bias and Cathodic Arc Evaporation
(Oerlikon-Balzers). For the deposition of the coating, TiN and TiC (wt%) alloy was used
in a controlled nitrogen atmosphere. The deposition time was adjusted to obtain a layer
with a predetermined thickness of( 2 μm-20 μm) . The deposition of coating was made
under a nitrogen atmosphere to ensure the nitriding of the compound and, next, the
sample was subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of 500 °C during 4 hours under
an inert atmosphere. Heat treatment was made with the aim of modifying the coating
microstructure, extending the diffusion of nitrogen, and leading to the formation and
growth of TiN precipitates. Additionally, heat treatment is very beneficial to eliminate the
amorphous phases formed during coating processes and the phases could become more
crystalline and also could improve adhesion between coating and substrate. Besides, heat
treatment also helps to obtain an improvement of structural integrity and a reduction of
stress and fragility in coatings[3]. The morphological characterization of the cross-section
of the coated and uncoated tool was performed by two scanning electron microscopes:
The elemental chemical analysis was done using an EDXS with a detection limit of 0.1
wt%. The crystalline structure was characterized by X-ray diffraction (GI-XRD
PANalytical X'Pert PRO MRD) with grazing incidence from 20° to 80° and angle of
incidence of 0.5°. The figure [1] and [2] shows typical coating area obtained by PVD and
CVD.

Figure 1. Typical Coating Area Obtained by PVD

Figure 2. Typical Coating Area Obtained by CVD

2.1. HARDNESS TESTS:-Hardness tests were conducted by means of a MicroVickers

Clemex MMT-X7 indenter equipped with a pyramidal diamond tip Berckovich applying 1
kgf during 10 seconds. The readings will be taken for tungsten carbide cutting tool coated
with TiN and TiC for various cutting tools of varying wt% (2 μm -20μm).and after

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studying the readings,the wt% of Tin and TiC will be recommended. The table [1] shows
the difference between PVD and CVD.

Table 1. Difference between PVD and CVD

THICKNESS
PROCESS MICRON INCH MM
PVD 2 TO 4 0.0000709 TO 0.00012 0.002 TO 0.004
CVD 2 TO 3 0.000079 TO 0.00016 0.002 TO 0.003

2.2. Wear Test Procedure: A pin-on-disc device with round tool inserts was applied to
conduct friction and wear tests in which both the friction coefficient and the linear wear of
the tribo-pairs were continuously recorded versus sliding distance. The volumetric wear
rate was used to compare the wear resistance of the tribo-pairs tested. LOM, SEM and X-
ray microanalyses by EDAX were applied for observations of wear scars and wear
products. The investigations of coating microstructures by MO and TEM were performed.
The examination of fun blades after the exploitation and the analysis of the obtained
results were correlated with the performed microstructure observations and micro
hardness data of coatings. Though high-speed steel retains its importance for such
applications as drilling and broaching, most metal cutting is carried out with carbide
tools.Wear test will be carried out on CSM Instruments Tribometer by pin-on-disk test in
dry[4].The values of the coefficient of friction (μ) were obtained directly from the
installed Tribox 4.1 software. Sapphire ball with a diameter of 6 mm, roughness Ra = 0.02
μm and hardness of 2,300 HV was slid on the WC-Co substrate coated with the TiN.
Surface roughness measurements were carried out with a Confocal Microscope Carl Zeis
Axio CSM-700 on the coating surface; the average value of AlCrN-T sample was Ra =
0.86 μm. For the pin on disk test, the sapphire ball was fixed on the load arm and the
sample was placed on a rotating disc with a rotating radius of 3 mm. The standard contact
loads used were 1, 5 and 10 N. The sliding speed was 0.10 m/s with an acquisition rate
of2.0 Hz and a distance of 1,500 m for the complete test. The temperature during the test
was maintained at 26 ± 1 °C with a relative humidity of 30%–40%. The wear test results
wil be noted down and the wear which shows less wear for that wt% coating will be
recommended for practical application. The Table [2] and [3] Shows detailes of tungsten
carbide and Cutting tool detailesa and fig [3] shows tool description.

Table 2. For Tungsten Carbide

Table 3. For Cutting Tools Detailes

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Figure 3. Tool Description

Ceramic and metallic (cermet) powders with microstructures engineered at the nano
scale enable producing coatings having enough hardness, wear resistance, and durability
to serve as a cost-effective replacement.

3. Coating Technique
3.1. Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
CVD will be used to coat TiN, TiC on tungsten carbide cutting tool. In the CVD
process, the tools are heated in a sealed reactor to about 1000ºC (1830ºF). Gaseous
hydrogen and volatile compounds supply the metallic and nonmetallic constituents of the
coating materials, which include titanium carbide TiC, TiN. Thickness of CVD coatings
can range from 2μm to 20μm.The high process temperature used in CVD ensures good
bonding between the tungsten carbide cutting tool and the coating material. This increases
the, toughness results in minimal chipping and improved surface finish. When machining
stainless steels and other materials that are prone to causing built-up edge on the cutting
tool.

.
Figure 4. Chemical Vapour Deposition

3.2. Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)

PVD is the other major process used to produce cutting tool coatings. In PVD, the
coating is deposited in a vacuum. The metal species of the coating, obtained via
evaporation or sputtering, reacts with a gaseous species (nitrogen or ammonia, for
example) in the chamber and is deposited onto the substrate. Because PVD is a low-
pressure process, the coating atoms and molecules undergo relatively few collisions on
their way to the substrate[4]. PVD is therefore a line-of-sight process that requires

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moving fixtures to ensure uniform coating thickness .The main difference between PVD
and CVD is the former's relatively low processing temperature of PVD which is 500ºC
(930ºF).This lower processing temperature resulted in multiple benefits for PVD coatings.
PVD coatings are essentially free of the thermal cracks that are common in CVD coatings.
In PVD, processing temperatures are low enough that eta-phase formation is eliminated,
allowing deposition of PVD coatings on sharp edges. Ability to coat sharp edges is also
enhanced by PVD coatings' relative thinness versus CVD. Coating microstructures
depend on processing conditions. Adjusting process parameters in PVD allows
modification from a columnar to an equi-axed structure [5]. PVD coatings also have very
high built-in compressive stresses that help them resist crack initiation and propagation.
Minimizing crack formation and propagation can help prevent premature tool failure,
improving tool edge security. The Figure [5] shows the PVD.

Figure 5. Physical Vapour Deposition

Surface roughness: It is done by using the Profilometer. The profilometer gives the out
put with the help of graph.

4. Methodology
4.1. Coating of NANO Powder on Tungsten Cutting Tool
This can be achieved by depositing a thin layer (typically 2-20 µm) of coating of
suitable material over the surface of the tool. Coatings act as diffusion barrier between
the tooland the sliding chip, they increase wear resistance of the tool, prevent
chemical reactions between the tool and work material, reduce built-up edge
formation, decreasefriction between the tool and chip, and prevent deformation of the
cutting edge due to excessive heating [5]. The below graph[1] shows the cutting tool
life.

Graph 1. Shows the Cutting Tool Life

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5. Conculsions
The AlCrN-T coating deposited by the PVD process showed physical properties with a
wide range of applications for manufacture. The structural analysis shows that the heat
treatment of AlCrN coating allows recrystallization and crystal growth, enhancing its
wear behavior. These characteristics make the coated tools better for cutting applications.
The AlCrN-T coating presented low friction coefficients and wear rates tested by pin-on-
disk, in comparison with previous works It was revealed that the AlCrN-T coating has a
wide potential tribological application under the condition of sliding wear. It took more
than 2000 cycles for the AlCrN layer to reach a value of 0.55. The machinability study
with the coated carbide tool and a work piece of titanium alloy, presented improved
results according to previous research, and it was fully demonstrated that an AlCrN-T
coating can be used with acceptable levels of productivity in the machining of aerospace
and biomedical components, with adequate process parameters, lubrication and other
conditions. Further experimentation should be made in order to demonstrate the viability
of other novel coatings (multi-layer) with similar constitutive and heat-treated materials.

NOMENCLATURE

TIC Titanium Carbide

TIN Titanium Nitride
PVD Physical Vapor Deposition
CVD Chemical Vapour Deposition
MO Optical Microscopy
SEM Scanning Electron microscope
EDXS Energy Dispersive X-ray detector
LOM Light microscopy
TEM Transmission electron microscopy

References
[1] Kao, C.M.; Lee, J.W.; Chen, H.W.; Chan, Y.C.; Duh, J.G.; Chen, S.P. Microstructures and mechanical
properties evaluation of TiAlN/CrSiN multilayered thin films with different bilayer periods. Surf. Coat.
Technol. 2010, 205, 1438–1443.
[2] Fox-Rabinovich, G.S.; Beake, B.D.; Endrino, J.L.; Veldhuis, S.C.; Parkinson, R.; Shuster, L.S.;
Migranov, M.S. Effect of mechanical properties measured at room and elevated temperatures on the
wear resistance of cutting tools with TiAlN and AlCrN coatings. Surf. Coat. Technol. 2006, 200, 5738–
5742.
[3] Jabbari, Y.S.A.; Fehrman, J.; Barnes, A.C.; Zapf, A.M.; Zinelis, S.; Berzins, D.W. Titanium nitride and
nitrogen ion implanted coated dental materials. Coatings 2012, 2, 160–178.
[4] Rodriguez, A.R.; Balancin, O.; Gallegos, J.; Fazolo-de Assis, C.L.; Matsumoto, H.; Brandão-de
Oliveira, F.; da Silva-Moreira, S.R.; da Silva-Neto, O.V. Surface integrity analysis when milling
ultrafine-grained steels. Mater. Res. 2012, 15, 125–130.
[5] Kuram, E.; Simsek, B.T.; Ozcelik, B.; Demirbas, E.; Askin, S. Optimization of the Cutting Fluids and
Parameters Using Taguchi and ANOVA in Milling. In Proceedings of the World Congress on
Engineering, London, UK, 30 June–2 July 2010.

Authors
Mr. N. Balasubramanyam M.Tech1
Assistant.Professor
Department Of Mechanical Engineering
Sreenivasa Institute of Technology and Management Studies,
Chittoor-517127, Andhra Pradesh, India

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 International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol.75 (2015)

Dr. Smt. G. Prasanthi M.E., Ph.D 2

Professor
Department Of Mechanical Engineering
JNTUA College of Engineering (Autonomous)
Anantapuramu-515002, Andhra Pradesh, India

Mr. M. Yugandhar M.Tech3

Assistantt.Professor,
Department Of Mechanical Engineering
Sreenivasa Institute of Technology and Management Studies,
Chittoor-517127, Andhra Pradesh, India

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