Advanced Coating Service helps injection molding and machining shops enhance productivity, reduce downtime, increase profit margins and improve overall performance by applying PVD coatings to tools, molds, and finished machine components.
PVD coating process involves vaporizes specialized materials through a high tech vacuum process. The vaporized material is deposited as a thin layer on your tools, injection molds, or machined component. The layer is so thin that it does not affect the overall shape of the tool – it simply provides an armor-like surface to metallic components.
When a reactive gas, such as nitrogen, or a hydrocarbon-based gas is introduced to the metallic vapor, it creates nitride, carbide, or carbo-nitride coatings as the metallic vapor stream chemically reacts with the gases.
It becomes a part of the tool or mold, which is why it helps improve longevity and performance.
THE BENEFITS OF PVD COATINGS FOR CUTTING TOOLS AND INJECTION MOLDS
Here are 14 ways that ACS and PVD coatings create an advantage for injection molding shops and machine shops. (Not positive about what PVD coating is? Read this first to see the whole picture: “What is PVD Coating?”)
01 EXTENDED TOOL LIFE.
The ultra-hard, micro-thin layer of metal particles protects your tools against abrasive materials, hot operation temperature and the natural wear-and-tear of cutting tools.
02 REDUCED MACHINE DOWN TIME.
When your tools last longer, you don’t need to waste time and effort switching them out, resetting and performing test runs. All hands stay on deck for longer, and everyone (you and your customer) wins.
03 BETTER CUTS.
The PVD coating enhances lubricity and hardness, allowing your cutting tools to cut through materials with greater ease, making sharper, cleaner cuts. And since the tools will last longer, you’ll see these cleaner cuts for more machine cycles.
04 FASTER CUTS.
Cutting tools coated with PVD coating can often run at a faster feed rate and still achieve the same quality of cuts, because the cutting surfaces are enhanced by the dense and smooth PVD coating.
05 SMOOTHER PUNCHES.
Likewise, forming tools coated with PVD coatings experience less galling and material pickup, leading to higher quality results and increased uptime.
06 HIGHER QUALITY MOLDED PRODUCTS.
The lubricity of PVD coatings on injections molds helps the molten plastic slide over the mold and penetrate crevices much more effectively than uncoated molds.
07 REDUCE LABOR COSTS.
Harder tools cut faster and last longer, meaning you get more runs from a single man-hour than you would with uncoated tools. Plain and simple.
08 REDUCE OPERATIONAL COSTS.
In many cases, cutting with coated tools can reduce (or even eliminate) the need for cooling agents because the coatings are able to withstand a much hotter temperatures than the original metal.
09 IMPROVED EJECTION OF MOLDS.
When injection molds are PVD coated, the final molded product is ejected with ease, speeding up the process, reducing rejects and improving overall efficiency.
10 REDUCED FRICTION.
In applications like injection molds, punching, forming and cutting, PVD coated tools and molds experience less friction.
11 VERSATILITY.
There are numerous kinds of PVD coatings, with more emerging every year. Different coatings have different benefits, and you should consult with a coating specialist before determining the best solution for your application. Check out our full list of our coating capabilities.
12 ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
Unlike other coating methods, such as electroplating, PVD coating is free of hazardous materials and produces no chemical waste.
13 INCREASED CORROSION RESISTANCE.
PVD coatings are more resistant to corrosion than electroplating and will help injection molds and cutting hold up longer against the elements and corrosive agents.
14 FASTER SPEEDS AND FEEDS ON CNC CUTTING TOOLS.
Cutting tools on CNC machines that are coated with a PVD coating can achieve higher feed rates and spindle speeds while maintaining the same high quality cuts.
To learn more about how PVD coatings can help create higher profit margins and greater efficiency in your shop, contact ACS today.