- \n
- Reduce production downtime<\/li>\n
- Lower replacement tool costs<\/a><\/li>\n
- Achieve higher-quality results<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
3 Common Precision Tool Materials<\/h2>\n
Precision tools can be made of hundreds of different materials. Most of them are not \u201cbetter\u201d or \u201cworse\u201d than any of the others \u2014 the right choice depends on what your particular application requires. As examples, here are three of the most common materials we work with at Moeller Precision Tool.<\/p>\n
1. Carbon Tool Steel<\/h3>\n
Carbon tool steel is one of the most popular precision tool materials, mostly because it\u2019s affordable and works great for low-speed stamping applications. It\u2019s composed of 0.6-1.5% carbon and less than 0.5% manganese and silicon. It can reach hardness ratings up to 65 on the Hardness Rockwell C (HRC) scale<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Although carbon tool steel works great for low-speed stamping applications, it should be kept to that. It\u2019s not a good material choice for higher-speed operations.<\/p>\n
2. High-Speed Tool Steel (HSS)<\/h3>\n
High-speed tool steel is similar to carbon tool steel, except it\u2019s modified to be more durable and perform better in stamping applications that standard carbon tool steel just can\u2019t handle. Alloying elements like tungsten, chromium, and more are added to carbon tool steel for increased hardness (up to HRC 67), abrasion resistance, and durability.<\/p>\n
Due to added elements, hardness, and durability, high-speed tool steel is often a bit more expensive than standard carbon tool steel. However, that extra cost is well worth it if your application requires it.<\/p>\n
3. PM-Grade Steel<\/h3>\n
PM-grade (short for \u201cpowder metal grade\u201d) steels<\/a> are the most versatile of all material options listed here. Wrought tool steels are manufactured using ingot metallurgy. PM-Grade steel is made using particle metallurgy processing. This includes hot isostatic pressing (HIP), which compresses the materials at high temperatures and high pressures to forge. The end result is an improved microstructure that offers incredible wear resistance and toughness (or both), as well as improved tool life.<\/p>\n
Although PM-grade steels are more expensive on the front end, they\u2019re worth the investment if you need their strength and versatility.<\/p>\n
M2 vs. PM-M4<\/h4>\n
![\"Standard](\"https:\/\/moellerpunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Standard-Non-PM-Cross-Section-1-290x300.jpg\")
![\"PM-M4](\"https:\/\/moellerpunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/PM-M4-Cross-Section-1-290x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAs an example of how strong PM-grade materials are over standard ones, let\u2019s take a quick look at the differences between M2 (the tried-and-true material for standard punching applications) and PM4 (its stronger alternative).<\/p>\n
- \n
- M2 is a high-speed tool steel made of a tungsten-molybdenum blend. It has good abrasion resistance and can withstand high temperatures without softening.<\/li>\n
- PM-M4 is a high-vanadium special-purpose high-speed tool steel. It\u2019s the right choice if you need higher levels of durability, toughness, wear resistance, and impact resistance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You can learn more about M2 material in our Inch<\/a> and Metric<\/a> catalogs, and you can learn more about PM-M4 material in our Advanced Stamping<\/a> catalog.<\/p>\n
4 Common Precision Tool Coatings<\/h2>\n
Often, the right tool material is just one aspect of improving tool life. If you want the greatest longevity and performance from your tools, you may want to apply a performance enhancement coating<\/a>. While there are many good surface treatments to choose from, physical vapor deposition (PVD) coatings are typically the best suited for precision slip and press-fit punch components.<\/p>\n
Below are four examples of common PVD tool coatings.<\/p>\n
1. Titanium CarboNitride<\/h3>\n
![\"TICN\"](\"https:\/\/moellerpunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/TICN-1-249x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTitanium CarboNitride (TiCN) is becoming incredibly popular due to its broad range of stamping applications. It\u2019s great for piercing and forming carbon steel, stainless steel, nickel, and copper.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Thickness: 2-4 \u03bc<\/li>\n
- Hardness: 3,000 HV<\/li>\n
- Coefficient of friction: ~0.6<\/li>\n
- Maximum service temperature: 400\u00b0C or 752\u00b0F<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
These characteristics give TiCN great wear resistance, excellent toughness in high-pressure conditions, and great lubricity.<\/p>\n
2. Titanium Aluminum Nitride<\/h3>\n
![\"TiALN\"](\"https:\/\/moellerpunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/TiALN-1-249x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTitanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) offers improved wear resistance and heat resistance. Its specifications are as follows:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Thickness: 3-6 \u03bc<\/li>\n
- Hardness: 3,400 HV<\/li>\n
- Coefficient of friction: 0.3-0.35<\/li>\n
- Maximum service temperature: 900\u00b0C or 1652\u00b0F<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Because of these features, TiAlN has amazing wear resistance on cutting edges and is ideal for high-heat applications and high-stressed components. It can also be used with minimal lubrication.<\/p>\n
3. Chromium Nitride<\/h3>\n
![\"CN\"](\"https:\/\/moellerpunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/CN-2.webp\")
<\/p>\nChromium nitride (CRN) is the best tool coating choice when hard chrome is preferred, but you need something a little harder and with better coating adhesion. It has these features:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Thickness: 2-5 \u03bc<\/li>\n
- Hardness: 2,000 HV<\/li>\n
- Coefficient of friction: ~0.5<\/li>\n
- Maximum service temperature: 700\u00b0C or 1,292\u00b0F<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
As a superior substitute to hard chrome, CRN is a great choice for forming low-strength steels and copper. It\u2019s also resistant to corrosion and harsh chemicals.<\/p>\n
4. Diamond-Like Carbon<\/h3>\n
![\"Coated](\"https:\/\/moellerpunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Coated-Punches-DLC-Hard-Carbon-1-220x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\nDiamond-like carbon (DLC) is your go-to tool coating for applications that incur the most extreme wear and galling. It\u2019s commonly used for aluminum applications and has the following specifications:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Thickness: 1-3 \u03bc<\/li>\n
- Hardness: 2,500 HV<\/li>\n
- Coefficient of friction: 0.1-0.2<\/li>\n
- Maximum service temperature: 300\u00b0C or 572\u00b0F<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
As mentioned above, DLC is excellent for piercing and forming aluminum, as its resistance to abrasive wear and galling is unmatched. It also has an incredible coefficient of friction.<\/p>\n
High-Performance Precision Tool Materials and Coatings at Moeller Precision Tool<\/h2>\n
At Moeller Precision Tool, we offer a wide variety of tool materials and coatings. Even if you need one we don\u2019t have listed we can lead you to our coating partner, Oerlikon Balzers<\/a>, that can help you.<\/p>\n
To list a few, we offer all of the materials and coatings listed above, plus other coatings like:<\/p>\n
- Achieve higher-quality results<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"MPT](\"https:\/\/moellerpunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/MPT-Performance-Enhancement-Coatings-Selection-Chart-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n