Edge pre- and post-treatment

Edge pre-treatment

Edge pre-treatment is a very important process in a turnkey system to utilize the full potential of a coating.

The main aim of the edge pre-treatment is to increase the stability of an edge and thus the performance of a tool.

Advantages of cutting-edge rounding:

Low roughness of the edge surface
Reduces what is referred to as an “antenna effect” in PVD coatings on sharp edges and thus reduces the stress in the coating
The more an edge is rounded, the thicker the coatings can be
Prevents chipping of the edge and decreases friction between a tool and a workpiece
Higher cutting-edge stability
Despite a “blunt” cutting-edge, increase in tool’s lifespan

Post-treatment

If surfaces are not post-treated, chips can block drill holes and cause the tool to break

Objectives of post-treatment:

Removal of droplets after coating
Reduction of surface roughness

Improved chip-flow
Reduction of the “antenna effect”
Reduction of coating breakouts

If the post-treatment is too excessive, the edge becomes exposed

Exposed edges lead to:

Immediate full and direct contact of the cutting-edge with the workpiece material
Low heat and chemical isolation

Thin coating thickness near the cutting-edge
A larger cutting-edge radius, which results in a larger surface area without a coating
The impression of a defective coating

Different materials and tools require different methods of pre- and post treatment

The most common edge pre-treatment methods are dry blasting, wet blasting, drag grinding, brushing and magnet finish.

The most common post-treatment methods include wet blasting, drag grinding and polishing.

PLATIT has a broad competence and offers as well as integrates all products necessary for the turnkey system. Find more information about the pre- and post-treatment procedures in our compendium p.58 - p.68 by clicking here or contacting us directly.