The influence of thickness of CrN coating on the durability of hot forging dies

Abstract

AbstractThis article presents results which enabled the determination of the role of CrN coating and the influence of its thickness on the effectiveness of hybrid layer “nitrided layer / CrN coating” in the process of increasing the durability of forging dies. Dies coated with hybrid layers “nitrided layer / CrN coating” with various CrN coating thickness were — after different maintenance periods — subjected to metallographic testing, 3D shape testing and SEM analysis. Hardness distribution was also determined. The obtained results revealed that for all tested dies, independently from CrN coating thickness, the main mechanisms of their destruction was mechanical and thermal fatigue, and plastic deformation. It has been shown that the main role of CrN coating in the hybrid layer ”nitrided layer / PVD coating” is to counteract a high temperature influence the source of which is forging on die material. In order to do so the CrN coating should be characterized by a considerably lower thermal conductivity coefficient to steel and low hardness so that it can efficiently resist fatigue processes in the forging process. Based on testing conducted by means of the sin 2 φ method, it was revealed that internal stresses are vitally important for CrN coating for fatigue resistance of hybrid layer ”nitrided layer / CrN coating” during the forging process.