Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) grows a 1\u201311 \u00b5m nano-scale armor on mold surfaces by bombarding them with metal vapor and plasma inside a vacuum chamber.
Because the process stays below 500 \u00b0C\u2014lower than the tempering temperature of most tool steels\u2014there is virtually zero dimensional change or softening<\/p>\n\n\n\n
| Process<\/th> | Typical Coating<\/th> | Hardness<\/th> | Heat Resistance<\/th> | Friction Coefficient<\/th> | Mold Applications<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cathodic Arc Ion Plating<\/td> | TiN<\/td> | HV 2300<\/td> | 600 \u00b0C<\/td> | 0.4<\/td> | Injection molding, blanking<\/td><\/tr> |
| Magnetron Sputtering<\/td> | TiAlN\/AlTiN<\/td> | HV 2800\u20133200<\/td> | 800\u20131000 \u00b0C<\/td> | 0.3\u20130.4<\/td> | Die casting, hot forging<\/td><\/tr> |
| Hybrid Thick Film<\/td> | ViOLA-S (AlCrN + nitriding)<\/td> | 24 GPa \u2248 HV 2400<\/td> | 800 \u00b0C<\/td> | 0.5<\/td> | ADC12 aluminum die casting, wash-out resistant<\/td><\/tr> |
| Low-temperature DLC<\/td> | ta-C<\/td> | HV 4000<\/td> | 400 \u00b0C<\/td> | 0.1\u20130.2<\/td> | High-gloss plastics, lubricant-free release<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n3. Real-life life-span boosts<\/h2>\n\n\n\nS136 core insert showed flash after 80 k shots; with TiAlN it ran > 220 k<\/strong> shots before the first polish, OEE \u2191 38 %.<\/li>\n\n\n\n A 9 \u00b5m AlCrN + plasma-nitrided hybrid reduced wash-out rate from 0.45 g\/100 h to 0.1 g, giving a 3\u00d7 life jump<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Special TiN-BeCu recipe kept thermal conductivity intact while scratch resistance \u00d75<\/strong>, cosmetic reject rate < 0.3 %.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n 4. China\u2019s PVD supply chain map (2026)<\/h2>\n\n\n\nGuangdong (Huicheng, Kehui), Jiangsu (Xishan, Shenyao) and Guizhou (Hangrui) mass-produce unbalanced magnetron + pulse-bias<\/strong> coaters that can hold a 2 t automotive panel mold per batch.<\/li>\n\n\n\n The Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta now host \u201c24-hour express coating<\/strong>\u201d plants: deliver before lunch, get the tool back next morning. Price sheet: TiN 0.8-1.2 RMB\/cm\u00b2; thick-film AlCrN 1.5-2.0 RMB\/cm\u00b2.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Zero waste water, zero heavy metals; RoHS, REACH and FDA<\/strong> cleared in one pass\u2014no extra paperwork for EU\/US exports.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n 5. How to pick the right coating for your mold?<\/h2>\n\n\n\nHot-work > 700 \u00b0C \u2192 AlTiN, ViOLA-S; cold-work < 400 \u00b0C \u2192 DLC, TiCN.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Cu-alloy mirror finish \u2192 TiN-BeCu; high-strength steel punches \u2192 TiCN + mirror polish.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Soldering + wash-out \u2192 thick hybrid + nitriding; sticking \u2192 low-surface-energy DLC.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Standard 1-2 days; deep-cavity or oversized tools need early fixturing discussion.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n 6. Three trends to watch (2026-2028)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n7. One-sentence takeaway<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhen cycle times shrink, melt temperatures rise and glass-fiber ratios get \u201ccrazy\u201d, PVD coating is China\u2019s cheapest power-up<\/strong>\u2014spend 1 % of mold cost, gain 300 % life and slash defect rates in one shot.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Send your steel grade, hardness, cavity depth and failure photos to a local coating center; samples in 24 h, coated mold back in 48 h<\/strong>. Let the data prove what \u201cdiamond armor\u201d can do!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you wish to learn more about this subject, please do not hesitate to \u0441\u0432\u044f\u0437\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u0441 \u043d\u0430\u043c\u0438<\/a>. We are a Chinese leading company in the manufacture of tooling, stamping, injection molding, CNC machined parts, added very diversified surface treatment solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n |