Advanced Coatings for Cutting Tools

In today’s competitive manufacturing landscape, every second of machining time and every micron of tool wear directly impacts your bottom line. Advanced thin-film coatings offer a powerful solution: ultra-hard, wear-resistant layers just a few microns thick that slash friction, improve thermal stability and protect against oxidation.

Whether you’re molding polymers, high-speed drilling, or precision micro-machining, tailor-made PVD and PACVD coatings unlock new levels of productivity and reliability. By working closely with coatings specialists, you can access a broad palette of technologies—each engineered for specific materials and processes—and even develop bespoke surface treatments on request.

Sustainable by design, these coatings not only reduce tool change-over time and maintenance costs but also help conserve resources by prolonging tool life and enabling higher cutting speeds.

In this guide, we’ll explore the key families of modern tool coatings, outline their core benefits, and show how the right surface solution can be your ticket to lower production costs and unmatched manufacturing performance.

Thin-Film Coatings - BALINIT®

BALINIT® coatings are PVD/PACVD layers (0.5–4 µm thick) tougher than steel, tailored for enhanced wear resistance, reduced friction and improved oxidation stability.

AlCrN-Based

• ALCRONA EVO: Universal AlCrN evolution, boosts tool life >30 % vs. predecessors in metalworking.

• ALNOVA: Optimized for reliable milling of demanding materials.

• ALTENSA: High-speed gear-cutting solution for precision components.

TiAlN/AlTiN-Based

• DURANA: Versatile AlTiN for tough machining and forming.

• LATUMA: First-class milling, drilling, turning performance.

• PERTURA: Nano-layered drilling coating for carbide tools.

• TISAFLEX: High-level machining of difficult alloys.

DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon)

• DYLYN / HARD CARBON / MAYURA: Carbon-based for plastics & non-ferrous alloys.

TiN-Based & Others

• A / B: Original TiN and TiCN for general wear protection.

• ARCTIC: Low-temperature PVD to keep tools cool and extend lubricant life.

“The Smooth Revolution” - BALIQ®

BALIQ® coatings use S3p® pulsed-power plasma to merge arc evaporation and magnetron sputtering, achieving unmatched density, smoothness and precision.

Nitro-/AlCrN-Based

• BALIQ® ALCRONOS: AlCrN for micro-tools, reamers & punches—smooth edges, consistent wear resistance.

• BALIQ® ANTOS: AlCrN + WC/C for stainless-steel tapping with reduced built-up edge.

• BALIQ® AUROS: AlCrTiN for threading tools, minimizes torque, enhances chip flow.

AlTiN/AlTiSiN-Based

• ALTINOS: High-temp AlTiN for inserts, drills & micro-machining up to HRC 56.

• TISINOS PRO: AlTiSiN for hard-machining to HRC 70, no post-treatment, extreme wear & oxidation resistance.

Diamond Coatings - BALDIA®

BALDIA® coatings deliver 80–100 GPa hardness, high thermal conductivity and chemical inertness—ideal for abrasive and composite materials.

Compacted & Sintered Powders

• COMPACT / COMPACT DC: Optimized for graphite, ceramics and dental-mold powders; “DC” grade ensures tightest diameter & thickness tolerances.

Composites & Light Alloys

• NANO: Fine-grain diamond for CFRP, GFRP and aluminum alloy stacks, high finishing accuracy.

• BALDIA® COMPOSITE DC: Multi-layer sp³ coating for composites under extreme abrasion with maximum tolerance control.

Recommended Tool Coatings per Material

AV=Alcrona EVO / PT=Pertura / LM=Latuma / ALC=Alcronos / DR=Durana / AN=Alnova / MY=Mayura / TF=Tisaflex / TSP=Tisinos Pro / DIA CT=Compact / DIA CT DC=Compact DC / DIA N=Nano / DIA CS DC=Composite DC

Ready to harness the full potential of your cutting tools?

By integrating advanced thin-film coatings—ranging from ultra-hard PVD layers to bespoke diamond composites—you stand to unlock dramatic gains in tool life, process stability, and sustainable productivity. Whether you’re pushing the limits of high-speed milling, precision micro-drilling, or abrasive composite machining, the right surface solution is more than an upgrade: it’s a strategic advantage that cuts costs, conserves resources, and keeps you miles ahead of the competition.

Partnering with coating specialists opens the door to a tailored palette of technologies—each engineered to meet your unique material challenges and operational goals. From the universal robustness of AlCrN-based systems to the pinpoint smoothness of S3p®-powered BALIQ® finishes and the cutting-edge performance of BALDIA® diamond films, today’s surface treatments let you fine-tune every parameter: hardness, friction, temperature resilience, and chemical resistance.

Now is the time to invest in coatings that pay dividends in uptime, quality, and total cost of ownership. Talk to your supplier or engineering team about trialing specialized coatings on your next batch of tools. With even a few microns of advanced thin film, you can transform your machining operations—and redefine what “precision” and “productivity” really mean for your business.