There are a number of
approaches to improve the
performance of coated
inserts. Fine adjustments of
chemistry in the coating furnace,
careful structural control of the
individual coating layers, top and
bottom grinding of the inserts and
polishing of the edges after
coating helps in improving
the performance.
In addition to these
modifications, for the past few
years Seco Tools has tried to take a
more fundamental approach to the
coating enhancement.
For
example, one of the reasons the
insert edges are polished is to
remove a few modest defects in
the coating.We can improve the
smoothness, the residual stress
state and reduce chip drag
by polishing.
But, what would happen if the
defects were not there in the first
place? Seco Tools concentrated on
improving the structural integrity
of the individual coating layers.
The latest development to come
from this line of research is the
'Duratomic' coating.
To use an analogy, we all know
that diamond, the hardest material
known to the human race, can be
cleaved relatively easily in certain
crystallographic directions. In other
directions, however, diamond is
very resistant to any form of
'breakage' or wear. By carefully
modifying the coating cycle, we
learned how to control the crystal
texture of these
coatings. This is
what we have
termed as the
'Duratomic'
process. By
controlling the
coatings from an
atomic level we
made the coating
more durable. By
bringing another
crystallographic
direction into the cut we also
increased the toughness and wear
resistance.
The basic structure is
Aluminium Oxide, as it is a very
good starting point for machining
steel. The cumulative result has
improved the mechanical and
thermal properties together with
altered toughness, far beyond the
capabilities of any existing grade
on the market.
'Duratomic' coating shows
significant improvements in
toughness and heat/wear
resistance, as well as having unique
surface characteristics that reduce
the tendency for formation of
built-up edge.
What does this do for our
customers?
It provides them
longer tool life, better surface
finishes, ability to hold tighter
tolerances with fewer offsets,
flexibility to machine a wide
variety of materials with one
carbide grade, and with the
opportunity to go to a dry
machining operation.
Seco Tools' new turning grade
TP2500, the first to feature with the
'Duratomic' coating consistently
outlasts and outperforms any other
grade on the market. Its high degree
of wear resistance and toughness
make it the easy first choice grade in
over 80 per cent of all steel turning
applications.TP2500 has been
proved to be one of the excellent
grades for Stainless Steel and Cast
Iron applications also
.....CONTD
