Material Compatibility
| Material Description | Designation | Typical Use | Typical Hardness | "Coat-ability" | |||
| PVD | CVD | TD | DCD | ||||
| Air Hardened | A6 | Form Tools, Stamping | 58 - 60 Rc | ||||
| Air Hardened | A2, A2S | Form Tools, Stamping | 58 - 60 Rc | ||||
| Oil/Water Hardened | O1, O6, W1 | Draw & Press Tools | 58 - 62 Rc | ||||
| H-Series | H13, H21, H26 | Hot Work | 52 - 58 Rc | ||||
| M-Series | M2, M4, M42 | Cutting Tools | 60 - 65 Rc | ||||
| Specialty Steel | CPM 3V, 9V, 10V | Stamping & Forming | 59 - 64 Rc | ||||
| Specialty Steel | Vanadis 4, 10 | Stamping & Forming | 59 - 64 Rc | ||||
| Specialty Steel | DC-53 | Stamping & Forming | 58 - 62 Rc | ||||
| T-Series | T1, T15 | Cutting Tools | 60 - 66 Rc | ||||
| P-Series | P20 | Molds - General | 25 - 30 Rc | ||||
| S-Series | S2, S5, S7 | Heading Tools | 56 - 58 Rc | ||||
| D-Series | D2, D3, D6 | Press & Form Tools | 58 - 62 Rc | ||||
| Carbide | Tungsten Carbide | Inserts/Dies/Punches | 72 - 82 Rc | ||||
| 400 Series SS | 410, 416, 420, 440 | Molds - General | 40 - 60 Rc | ||||
| 300 Series SS | 302, 303, 304, 316 | Corrosion Protection | Various | ||||
| Carbon Steel | 4140 | Molds - General | 35 - 45 Rc | ||||
| Medium Carbon Steel | NAK 55 | Molds | 35 - 40 Rc | ||||
| Aluminum | 6061 | General Components | Various Tempers | ||||
| Beryllium Copper | moldMAX | Molds - General | 35 - 45 Rc | ||||
| Titanium | Ti-6AL-4V | Medical/General | xxx | ||||
| Brass * | xxx | Decorative | xxx | ||||
| Al/Zn/Mg Castings * | xxx | General Components | xxx | ||||
| ABS Plastic* | xxx | Decorative | xxx | ||||
Please Note the Following:
- This is only a sample listing of materials and should not be considered definitive. Information has been generalized - please contact a Richter Precision Inc. representative regarding your specific application.
- All parts, regardless of coating process, should be sent to us already heat treated to your required hardness. In the case of the CVD and TD processes, parts will be annealed during coating and then re-heat treated afterward. However, being hardened prior to coating will reduce stresses and distortion during coating.
- When considering the PVD process, whenever appropriate for the material, we recommend that final draws be > 800° F: this will ensure that no annealing and/or distortion occur.
| Process Characteristics | PVD Physical Vapor Deposition |
CVD Chemical Vapor Deposition |
TR or TRD Thermoreactive Diffusion |
DCD Dynamic Compound Deposition |
| Method | Processed in a vacuum chamber (10-2 to 10-4 Torr) |
Processed in atmospheric or vacuum reactor |
Processed in an elemental salt bath | Processed in a proprietary vessel |
| Temperature | Low process temperature (320° to 800° F) |
High standard process temperature (1925°F) |
High temperature process (1650° to 1900°F) |
Low temperature process (100° F) |
| Deposition Limitations |
Line of sight process |
Coats wherever gases contact the tool surface |
Coats wherever reactive bath contacts the substrate |
Coats wherever coating media contacts the surface |
| Bond Type | Physical | Chemical & metallurgical | Diffusion | Mechano-chemical |
| Average Thickness | 1-5 µm, or .00004-.0002" |
4-12 µm, or .00016-.00047" |
4-12 µm, or .00016-.00047" |
0.5-2 μm, or .00002"-.00008" |
| Material Limitations | Suitable for a wide range of substrates | More limited range of substrates than for PVD |
More limited range of than for PVD : less than CVD |
Suitable for a wide range of substrates |
| Tolerances | Ideal for closely toleranced components (+/-.0001) |
Requires loose tolerances (ex.: +/-.0005 per 1.0" dia.) |
Similar to CVD - some materials more stable |
Ideal for closely toleranced components (+/-.0001) |
| Post-Processing | No heat-treating required after coating |
Heat-treating required on steel parts |
HT required on HSS; tools steels need to be tempered |
No heat-treating required after coating |
| Edge Build-Up | No excessive coating build-up |
Requires hone on edges due to thicker coating | Requires hone on edges due to thicker coating | No excessive coating build-up |
| Surface Finish | Coating generally replicates existing surface finish | Post-coating polish can achieve good finishes |
Post-coating polish can achieve good finishes |
Coating may have slight matte effect |
- Download PDF Versions -
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• Material & Coating Process Compatibility Guide
• Comparison of Coating
Process Characteristics
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• Material & Coating Process Compatibility Guide
• Comparison of Coating
Process Characteristics
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