Answers, comparisons, and a plain-English PVD glossary.
Everything we get asked most often about PVD coatings — pulled from 30+ years of shop conversations with buyers, engineers, and toolmakers.
Which PVD coating is right for your part?
A side-by-side of our five coatings. If you're between two, send us the part and material — we'll recommend one.
| Coating | Color | Best For | Key Benefit | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha | Light gold | Cutting tools, punches, wear-intensive tooling | 2–4× the life of TiN | Alpha → |
| TiN | Gold | General cutting, drilling, medical instruments | 2–10× tool life; the medical standard | TiN → |
| TiCN | Silver, metallic | Injection molds, punches, forming dies, drills | ~80% harder than TiN | TiCN → |
| AlTiN | Charcoal | High-temp milling, dry cutting, hardened steel | Outstanding oxidation resistance at heat | AlTiN → |
| CrN | Silver | Stamping dies, forming tools, hard-chrome replacement | Anti-galling; hard chrome plating alternative | CrN → |
Vickers hardness (Hv)
Approximate values — final spec is confirmed for every job during quote.
Tool steels & carbide — uncoated
Surface Solutions PVD coatings
PVD coatings, in plain English.
The questions we hear most often from buyers, engineers, and toolmakers.
What is a PVD coating?
PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) is a family of vacuum coating processes that deposit an extremely thin, extremely hard ceramic layer — typically 2–5 microns — onto the surface of a tool or part. The coating dramatically raises surface hardness, reduces friction, and improves wear and corrosion resistance without changing the part's geometry.
How much longer will my tools last with a PVD coating?
It depends on the coating and the application, but PVD-coated cutting tools commonly last 2–10× longer than uncoated tools. Our customers have reported figures such as 60,000 parts between sharpenings vs. 10,000 uncoated, and 25,000+ die hits before polishing on CrN-coated stamping dies.
Which PVD coating should I choose?
For general cutting and drilling, TiN. For high-temperature milling and hardened steel, AlTiN. For injection molds and demanding punches, TiCN. For stamping dies and hard-chrome replacement, CrN. For maximum life on cutting tools and punches, our proprietary Alpha coating. Not sure? Send us the part and material and we'll recommend one — free consulting on every inquiry.
Do PVD coatings change part dimensions?
Very little. A typical PVD coating is 2–5 microns (0.00008″ – 0.0002″) thick and applied uniformly. For most tools and dies this is negligible. For high-precision fits we can advise on target thickness before you send parts.
What materials can be PVD coated?
Hardened tool steels, carbide, stainless steels, high-speed steels, and many other alloys that can withstand roughly 400 °C (750 °F) during deposition. Low-temperature-tempered steels, aluminum, and most plastics generally cannot be PVD coated.
What is the turnaround time?
Standard lead time is quoted with every job. UPS Ground reaches our Fridley, MN facility in 3 days from over half of the U.S., and we offer expedited return via UPS 2nd Day and Next Day when you need parts back sooner.
Is there a minimum order?
There is a $25 minimum on cutting tools. Beyond that, we accept jobs from one-off prototypes up to full production runs.
Can old PVD coating be removed and re-applied?
Yes. We chemically strip existing PVD coatings from steel alloys at approximately 40% of the original coating cost, then re-coat as new.
PVD terms you'll actually run into.
Short definitions in plain English — no vendor jargon.
Cathodic-arc PVD
The deposition method Surface Solutions uses. A high-current arc vaporizes a metal target inside a vacuum chamber; the metal ions bond as a hard ceramic film on the parts.
Micron
One-millionth of a meter (0.00004″). PVD coatings are usually 2–5 microns thick — thinner than a human hair.
Hardness (Hv)
Vickers hardness — the standard scale for coating hardness. Most PVD ceramics land between 2,000 and 3,500 Hv, versus about 800 Hv for hardened tool steel.
Coefficient of friction
How slippery the coating is against the workpiece. Lower is better for chip evacuation, mold release, and reducing built-up edge.
Adhesion
How well the coating stays bonded to the substrate. Good adhesion is the difference between a coating that lasts and a coating that flakes off.
Substrate
The material of the part being coated (tool steel, carbide, stainless, etc.). Substrate choice, hardness, and surface finish all affect the final coating performance.
Built-up edge
Workpiece material welding itself to a cutting tool during machining. Low-friction PVD coatings drastically reduce this failure mode.
Stripping
Chemically removing an existing PVD coating so the tool can be re-sharpened and re-coated. Costs about 40% of the original coating.
Still not sure which coating fits your part?
Send us the part, material, and the problem you're solving. We respond within one business day.