TiN, TiCN, TiAlN, AlTiN, AlCrN, TiSiN and diamond coatings compared by hardness, oxidation temperature and the materials each one suits — so you pick a coating from the operation, not the label.
Complete reference tables and engineering data for coating selector. All values verified against ISO, ANSI, and manufacturer standards.
Coatings transform the performance of carbide cutting tools. The right coating can double tool life, enable higher speeds, and improve surface finish. This guide covers the most common PVD and CVD coatings with their ideal applications.
The naming convention varies by manufacturer. AlTiN typically has higher aluminium content (over 50% Al) for maximum hot hardness. TiAlN has lower aluminium (30-40%) with better toughness. In practice, both are premium high-temperature coatings for steel and stainless. Balinit (Oerlikon) uses AlCrN for their latest generation -- the chromium addition further improves oxidation resistance.
Uncoated carbide with a sharp, polished edge is best for non-ferrous materials (aluminium, brass, copper) where built-up edge is the main wear mechanism rather than abrasion or heat. Coatings slightly dull the cutting edge. For high-silicon aluminium (over 12% Si), switch to diamond-coated or PCD -- the silicon is abrasive enough to wear uncoated carbide quickly.
Generally no. Re-coating requires stripping the old coating (chemical or mechanical), which damages the carbide surface and changes edge geometry. Re-coated tools rarely match original performance. Some regrinding services offer re-coating for expensive tools (gear hobs, broaches), but for standard inserts, it is almost always better to buy new.
Select your workpiece material and cutting conditions. Use TiN for general-purpose steel work, AlTiN/TiAlN for high-speed and dry machining of steels, diamond coatings for non-ferrous and abrasive materials, and CrN for copper and titanium. When in doubt, AlTiN is the safest modern choice for most ferrous machining.
Continue with closely related resources from the machining reference library.
Use the calculator freely. If the result points to a tooling or process problem, we can source the exact carbide tooling you need from vetted factories in China. Compare factory-direct pricing.
Before you commit to a spec, it helps to know what the market pays for it. These are real, publicly listed factory prices — not a quotation, and not a guess.
We source the tool families below direct from vetted Chinese factories, matched to the material and tolerance you just worked out. Every batch ships with its material certificate and dimensional record.
Kennametal grades — KC / KCU / K / KCP series, ANSI C-class mapping, uncoated K313 & K68
Sandvik Coromant grades — GC series, the 43-family hardness ladder, Inveio CVD alumina
Iscar grades — IC prefix, IC9xxx PVD vs IC8xxx CVD, SUMO TEC
Mitsubishi grades — MC / VP / UE / US prefixes and the NX cermet series
Tungaloy grades — T9200 series with published substrate hardness and strength
Seco grades — TP / CP / TS prefixes, Duratomic alumina technology
Walter grades — WPP series, Tiger·tec Gold vs Silver, AlCrN layers
CNMG inserts — Full code decode, real factory price ranges, cutting speeds
Turning insert shapes — WNMG, TNMG, DNMG, SNMG, VNMG, CCMT decoded and compared
Milling inserts — APMT1604, APKT, SEKT decoded; the clearance trap
Explore more precision machining tools and calculators
CHOSEN A COATING? Coating is the most over-promised item in Chinese tooling catalogues. Before buying on a coating name, read how we verify what is actually in the chamber.
We source carbide cutting tools from China for job shops. We do not own a factory, which is why we can quote your drawing against two or three plants that actually run your material.
Cutting formulas with the units worked through · Speed and feed starting points for all six ISO material groups · How to read a carbide grade past its ISO code. 12 pages.
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