Coatings for Tools, Tooling, Automotive, Medical Devices & More

Improve the Function & Durability of Critical Components

VaporTech coating machines excel at applying titanium nitride (TiN), chromium nitride (CrN), and other performance coatings for tools and tooling, pistons, engines, and biocompatible parts. Our functional PVD coatings are custom designed to make your product last longer, operate more efficiently due to lower friction, withstand high temperatures, and resist corrosion. They are especially effective for the automotive industry including performance coatings for engine parts, as well as medical devices, firearms, tooling, and more. VaporTech systems create performance coatings only microns thick, suitable for even the highest tolerance parts. Our tooling, piston, engine, and biocompatible VT Functional™ coatings are not just metal, but rather new materials made by reacting chromium, titanium, zirconium, or other metals with oxygen, nitrogen, or carbon. Common coatings include, but are not limited to:

Chromium Nitride (CrN)

Coating Characteristics: Excellent hardness and toughness, reduced friction, resistant to sliding and impact wear, excellent resistance to corrosion and oxidation, non-stick in contact with many other materials.

Common Applications: Dies and molds, tooling for machining of Cu/Al, engine components, pump parts, and as a replacement for functional plated hard chrome. (See table below for coating specs.)

Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC)

Coating Characteristics: An amorphous carbon coating with very low friction, high hardness, resistant to sliding wear, biocompatible, and an attractive appearance.

Common Applications: Automotive components, medical devices, dies, molds, firearms, cutting tools, sporting goods, and other durable consumer goods. (See table below for coating specs.)

Titanium Nitride (TiN)

Coating Characteristics: Excellent hardness and toughness, biocompatible and non-toxic, reduced friction.

Common Applications: Medical devices and surgical tools, food processing, cutting/punching tools, rotating shank tools, machining of iron alloys, and molds/dies. (See table below for coating specs.)

Zirconium Nitride (ZrN)

Coating Characteristics: Excellent general-purpose coating with high hardness/ toughness, good wear resistance, very good corrosion resistance, biocompatible.

Common Applications: Cutting and punching tools, tooling for machining Al/Ti, medical devices and dental instruments. (See table below for coating specs.)

Zirconium OxyCarbide (ZrOC)

Coating Characteristics: Moderate hardness/ toughness and wear resistance, very good corrosion resistance.

Common Applications: Durable consumer products that require good wear resistance and an attractive graphite or black appearance. (See table below for coating specs.)

CrNDLCTiNZrNZrOC
Color Metallic silverRich, neutral graphite to blackMetallic goldNickel to pale gold/brassDark gray to black
Coating Hardness14-25 GPa
1400-2500 HV
15–23 GPa
1500–2300 HV
20-30 GPa
2000–3000 HV
25-27 GPa
2500-2700 HV
17-21 GPa
1700-2100 HV
Thickness RangeTypical 1–10 micronsTypical 1–5 micronsTypical 1–10 micronsTypical 1–10 micronsTypical 1–10 microns
Coefficient of Friction (COF)0.5-0.7 (dry; against alumina)0.08–0.11 (dry; against alumina)0.5-0.6 (dry; against alumina)0.3 – 0.4 (dry; against alumina)0.3 – 0.4 (dry; against alumina)
Max Temperature700 C350 C600 C600 C600 C

CrN
Color Metallic silver
Coating Hardness14-25 GPa
1400-2500 HV
Thickness RangeTypical 1–10 microns
Coefficient of Friction (COF)0.5-0.7 (dry; against alumina)
Max Temperature700 C
DLC
Color Rich, neutral graphite to black
Coating Hardness15–23 GPa
1500–2300 HV
Thickness RangeTypical 1–5 microns
Coefficient of Friction (COF)0.08–0.11 (dry; against alumina)
Max Temperature350 C
TiN
Color Metallic gold
Coating Hardness20-30 GPa
2000–3000 HV
Thickness RangeTypical 1–10 microns
Coefficient of Friction (COF)0.5-0.6 (dry; against alumina)
Max Temperature600 C
ZrN
Color Nickel to pale gold/brass
Coating Hardness25-27 GPa
2500-2700 HV
Thickness RangeTypical 1–10 microns
Coefficient of Friction (COF)0.3 – 0.4 (dry; against alumina)
Max Temperature600 C
ZrOC
Color Dark gray to black
Coating Hardness17-21 GPa
1700-2100 HV
Thickness RangeTypical 1–10 microns
Coefficient of Friction (COF)0.3 – 0.4 (dry; against alumina)
Max Temperature600 C

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