Extending Tool Life Across Cutting, Forming, and Molding with TiN & AlCrN Coatings.

Modern manufacturing runs on precision and reliability. Whether in cutting tools, forming dies, die-casting inserts, or high-gloss plastic molds, tool failure translates into production loss, inconsistent quality, and higher operating costs.

To overcome these challenges, Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) coatings such as Titanium Nitride (TiN) and Aluminum Chromium Nitride (AlCrN) have become industry standards for improving wear resistance, oxidation stability, and surface quality.

At NTI Nanofilm, we engineer TiN and AlCrN coatings with process-specific precision, delivering performance tuned for each substrate, geometry, and production environment.

The Challenges: Heat, Wear, and Adhesion

Cutting Tools face continuous abrasive wear and thermal cycling at the tool edge. Machining steels up to 45 HRC or dry cutting without lubrication causes micro-fractures and coating delamination, especially under high-speed conditions.

Forming & Punching Tools encounter repeated sliding contact, deformation, and galling. Without surface protection, adhesion and chipping quickly degrade part accuracy.

Die-Casting Inserts in aluminum production suffer from heat-checking, erosion, and soldering at molten metal temperatures above 650 °C. Once cracks propagate, cycle life drops drastically.

Plastic Injection & High-Gloss Molds require mirror finishes and smooth release surfaces. Even minute wear marks or pitting affect optical clarity and appearance, increasing re-polish and downtime.

How TiN & AlCrN Solve These Problems

TiN, Balanced Wear & High-gloss surface Protection
The classic gold-tone TiN coating provides balanced hardness, lubricity, and chemical inertness. It’s ideal for cutting and forming under mild to moderate load and for high-gloss surfaces where visual appeal matters. TiN ensures a consistent finish and cleaner part release.

AlCrN, High-Temperature & Oxidation-Resistant Shield
AlCrN coatings excel where heat, oxidation, and load are severe, such as gear-hobbing, die-casting, and high-speed machining. The aluminum-rich composition forms a dense Al₂O₃ barrier during operation, preventing softening and oxidation. It retains hardness above 1000 °C and resists edge rounding, extending service life by 2–3×.

Why NTI Nanofilm Performs Better

Unlike conventional coatings, NTI Nanofilm’s advanced FCVA and high-density PVD platforms deliver ultra-smooth, low-droplet surfaces with exceptional adhesion strength and coating uniformity even on complex geometries.

• Higher coating density → minimizes pinholes and micro-porosity, enhancing corrosion and oxidation resistance for longer service life.
• Uniform edge adhesion → maintains sharp geometry and cutting accuracy for micro-cutters, ejector pins, and precision molds.
• Application-specific recipes → every coating process is tailored to substrate, surface finish, and working temperature, providing better performance than standard one-formula approaches.
• In-house process integration → surface cleaning, masking, coating, and final inspection are managed under one roof to ensure quality consistency and fast turnaround within five days.

While many coating providers focus on standard formulations, low-cost cycles, or high-volume production, NTI Nanofilm distinguishes itself through customization, engineering depth, and finish quality. Each project is supported by direct technical consultation and a closed-loop quality control process, ensuring:

• Greater flexibility in small-batch or specialized applications.
• Consistent surface finish and thickness accuracy without manual rework.
• Shorter lead times with local technical support.

The result is a smoother, denser, and more precisely engineered coating—one that consistently outperforms conventional coatings in wear resistance, oxidation stability, and edge retention.

Performance Table: Coating Specifications by Application

Application / Part	Recommended Coating	Typical Parts / Examples	Coating Thickness (µm)	Micro-hardness (Hv)	Coefficient of Friction	Key Benefit
Cutting Tools	AlCrN	End mills, drills, reamers, gear-hobbing cutters	2–4	3200	< 0.4	Exceptional heat and wear resistance for dry cutting up to 45 HRC
Forming / Punching	AlCrN	Trim punches, micro-cutters, connector dies	2–4	3000	< 0.4	Edge durability and adhesion control under high mechanical load
Die-Casting Inserts	AlCrN + Plasma Nitriding	Cylinder head & block inserts, core pins, water channels	3–5	3000 – 3200	< 0.4	Anti-soldering, erosion and thermal-fatigue resistance.
Plastic Injection Mold	TiN	Ejector pins, runners, low glass-fill molds (< 20 %)	1–3	2300	< 0.4	Smooth part release, scratch resistance and reduced galling
High-Gloss Mold	TiN	Automotive lamp molds, mirror molds, touch-lens tools	1–2	2300 – 2500	< 0.4	Mirror-finish stability, excellent polishability and easy maintenance
Decorative / Aesthetic Tooling	TiN	Visible mold inserts, branded housings, premium parts	1–2	2300	< 0.4	Signature gold tone with functional wear protection

Real-World Results

Field evaluations across Southeast Asia show consistent improvement:

• 2–3× longer service life for cutting & forming tools.
• 30–40 % reduction in maintenance downtime on die-casting molds.
• Lower scrap rate and cleaner surface release for aluminum and plastic parts.
• Better dimensional control due to minimized thermal distortion.

NTI Nanofilm’s coatings have been validated in production environments such as automotive cylinder-block casting, connector stamping, and consumer appliance molding—where reliability and consistency are critical.

Why Manufacturers Choose NTI Nanofilm

Feature	NTI Nanofilm	Conventional Coaters
Technology Platform	FCVA / High-density PVD	Standard arc / HIPIMS
Surface Finish (Ra)	≤ 0.02 µm (mirror-ready)	0.05–0.10 µm (droplet texture)
Coating Density	> 98 %	≈ 92 – 95 %
Adhesion Strength	> 80 N (scratch test)	50–60 N typical
Turnaround	≤ 5 days incl. masking & inspection	7–10 days
Customization	Application-specific recipes	Fixed standard parameters

Partnering for Lasting Performance

In every machining line, stamping press, or molding cell, performance equals profit. Choosing the right coating can turn a good tool into a long-lasting one.

TiN and AlCrN coatings from NTI Nanofilm deliver consistent, engineered protection across all tooling categories, cutting, forming, die-casting, and molding. Combining advanced FCVA deposition, deep process control, and local service agility, NTI helps manufacturers extend tool life, stabilize quality, and reduce total cost of ownership.

Engineered precision. Proven productivity. Powered by NTI Nanofilm.