Tool coatings High-performance coatings offer extended tool life and process reliability

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CemeCon AG

AMPCO METAL Deutschland GbmH

Ramada Acos

Hipims coatings are boosting performance and efficiency in heavy-duty machining. With tailored coating solutions like Ferrocon and Steelcon, Cemecon ensures extended tool life, reliability and optimised production processes, making it a key partner for manufacturers looking to thrive in demanding markets.

New high-performance materials, the transition from combustion engines to alternative drive systems and increasing innovation and cost pressures are encouraging machining companies and tool manufacturers to explore optimisation opportunities. Hipims (High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering) coatings have proven to enhance performance, accelerate machining, extend tool life, and improve process reliability. Cutting inserts coated by Cemecon consistently deliver high-level performance, with extensive testing available to validate these results.

For industries such as e-mobility, heavy-duty machining, aerospace, and tool and mould making, reliable daily performance is critical. Cemecon provides the necessary partnership for tool manufacturers to meet these demands. Hipims coatings ensure optimal chip flow, better surface quality, longer tool life, and often allow for higher cutting parameters.

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The performance of coated inserts is a result of highly tailored processes, including precise adaptations of coating materials, thickness, pre-treatment, and finishing specific to each tool and application. Cemecon maintains stringent quality control through regular checks of materials and processes, ensuring consistently high standards, supported by their skilled workforce.

Inka Harrand, Product Manager for Cutting Inserts, highlights that Cemecon has developed specialised processes specifically for cutting inserts, with coatings tailored to the unique requirements of this tool group. The outstanding quality of these coatings is reproducible globally, facilitated by strict batch separation, individualised production processes, and thorough documentation across all Cemecon coating centres.

This blend of performance, reliability, and reproducibility, along with short delivery times and personalised customer support, paves the way for Cemecon to expand into new markets.

Tool and mould making: Thick layers for milling steel

In order to maintain a leading global position in tool and mould making, the economical production of moulds, punches and dies to the highest quality standards is an absolute must.

One of the most important technologies in tool making is milling. It enables high-quality results to be achieved with high productivity and flexibility. Innovative tool solutions for tool and mold makers are in demand.

Ferrocon with 6 µm coating thickness and Ferrocon Quadro with a 12 µm coating thickness are ideal for roughing operations on steel moulds. Thanks to the high coating thickness, the cutting inserts achieve a very good metal removal rate, which automatically increases productivity.

Heavy-duty machining: High layer thicknesses for high cutting volume

Ferrocon, with a coating thickness of 6 µm, and Ferrocon Quadro, with a coating thickness of 12 µm, are optimal choices for achieving the necessary maximum wear resistance, especially in heavy-duty machining applications such as rails, switches, pipes, and crankshafts, as well as in rotary skiving of cast iron and ferrous materials. In these roughing operations, every micrometre plays a crucial role in determining the cost-efficiency of the process. Inka Harrand: “Higher coating thicknesses significantly extend the service life of cutting inserts — the key to economic efficiency. The correlation in such applications is almost linear — and this is where Ferrocon with a coating thickness of 6 µm and Ferrocon Quadro with a coating thickness of 12 µm come into play.”

New for cutting inserts: Steelcon

The silicon-doped Hipims coating material Steelcon is ideal for machining stainless and hardened steels above 50 HRC. The high silicon content enables economical machining under extreme conditions. Steelcon is very wear-resistant and has a high thermal stability. The homogeneous wear behavior guarantee maximum process reliability. In practice, Steelcon proves its wear resistance in a comparative test when machining X2CrNiMo17-12-2 (1.4404) with a Ø 40 mm milling tool with 3 RPMT1204 inserts.

In terms of maximum wear, the tool coated with Steelcon has a maximum wear mark width of VBmax = 0.01 mm at the end of its service life compared to comparable tools on the market with VBmax = 0.22 mm or VBmax = 0.32 mm.

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