Plasma Assisted Surface Technologies to Improve Tool Properties

Plasma assisted PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) techniques and plasma-nitriding techniques have been well established in the market for approximately 15 years to improve tool properties by producing very hard surfaces. While the plasma-nitriding technique works through the implementation of nitrogen into the workpiece, the PVD technique adds an additional layer by coating. This very thin film requires some mechanical support by the workpiece to avoid breaking through at locally high forces or loads. Consequently a combination technique may be superior by plasma-nitriding first and coating later with an uninterrupted process.