TiN, TiAIN

TiN and TiAlN are PVD hard coatings that boost wear, heat, and corrosion resistance on tools and dies with minimal dimensional change.

Overview

TiN (titanium nitride) and TiAlN (titanium aluminum nitride) are thin, hard PVD coatings applied to cutting tools, dies, and wear surfaces. Typical thickness is 2–5 µm, so you gain high hardness, lower friction, and improved corrosion resistance with almost no change to part dimensions. TiN offers a characteristic gold color and good wear resistance; TiAlN adds better high‑temperature stability for dry or high-speed cutting.

Use TiN/TiAlN when you need longer tool life, reduced galling, or higher cutting speeds on hardened steels, stainless, and abrasive alloys. They excel on high-value tools and precision components where you cannot afford distortion from heat treatment or thick plating. Tradeoffs: coatings require clean, properly finished substrates, are mostly line-of-sight, and will not repair poor base material or rough machining. Edges can build up coating and change fit on tight-tolerance features, so critical diameters and clearances should be designed to account for a few microns of thickness.

Common Materials

  • H13 tool steel
  • M2 high-speed steel
  • Carbide inserts
  • D2 tool steel
  • 4140 prehard
  • 17-4 PH stainless

Tolerances

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Applications

  • Carbide and HSS cutting tools
  • Injection mold cavities and cores
  • Forming and stamping dies
  • Punches and bushings
  • Valve components and seats
  • Wear pads and slide surfaces

When to Choose TiN, TiAIN

Choose TiN/TiAlN when you need a thin, very hard, low-distortion wear coating on steel or carbide tools and precision components. They are ideal for production tooling, high-speed machining, and wear parts that must hold tight dimensions while seeing high contact stress or elevated temperature. Best value comes on high-use tools and critical wear surfaces where extended life offsets coating cost.

vs Diamond-like Carbon (DLC)

Pick TiN/TiAlN instead of DLC when you need high-temperature performance on cutting tools or hot-work dies, where DLC can break down. TiAlN in particular handles dry or high-speed cutting on hardened steels, while TiN/TiAlN are more tolerant of sharp edges and interrupted cuts common on drills, end mills, and form tools.

vs Nitriding

Choose TiN/TiAlN over nitriding when you want higher surface hardness with almost zero distortion and the option to regrind and recoat tools. TiN/TiAlN suit precision cutting tools and inserts where dimensional stability is critical, whereas nitriding is better for larger structural components and gears that can tolerate some distortion.

vs Hard chrome plating

Use TiN/TiAlN instead of hard chrome when thin, uniform thickness and high hardness are more important than build-up and rework capability. TiN/TiAlN give superior wear resistance and high-temperature stability on tools and dies without the environmental issues of chrome, provided you can live with only a few microns of thickness.

vs Black oxide

Select TiN/TiAlN over black oxide when you need real wear resistance and significant life extension, not just cosmetic appearance and mild corrosion protection. On cutting tools, punches, and sliding components, TiN/TiAlN dramatically reduce wear and galling, while black oxide is mainly for appearance and light rust protection.

Design Considerations

  • Define which surfaces truly need coating to reduce masking and fixturing cost and avoid unnecessary coated fits
  • Call out maximum allowable coating thickness or functional diameter change on tight-tolerance bores, shafts, and gauge surfaces
  • Specify a fine pre-coat surface finish (typically Ra ≤ 0.2–0.4 µm) because the coating replicates, not improves, the base finish
  • Avoid sharp burrs and feather edges; break edges slightly so the coating can adhere without chipping
  • Highlight any areas that must remain uncoated (sealing surfaces, threads, press fits) so the coater can design proper masking
  • Provide base material type and final heat-treatment condition on the print so the coater can select TiN vs TiAlN and appropriate process temperature