TD Thermal Diffusion & PVD Coatings for Tooling

Tool Dynamics provides a wide range of advanced coatings designed to enhance protection and extend the lifespan of your tooling.

Below, you will find a list of coatings and basic applications that we offer in house. You can submit an RFQ by clicking that link and uploading the request directly to us or if you have questions, fill out the process sheet and contact one of our skilled sales representatives with your questions.

TDX Thermal Diffusion (TD) Coating

TDX coating is the long-recognized industry standard for high-pressure forming applications.

The combination of a hot-process metallurgical bond with a super-hard layer of carbide has made TDX the choice coating for difficult applications such as stainless steel, HSLA, thick material, and draw-die applications with high material flow. This surface has 4200 Vickers hardness with high adhesion strength and peel resistance.

Mirror-finish TDX thermal diffusion carbide coated tooling component

TDX Physical Properties:

Hardness: 4200 Vickers
Co-efficient of Friction: 0.4
Operating Temperature: 2000°
Thickness: 4-5µ (microns)

Good TDX Applications:

High Strength Materials (HSLA) Stamping
Stainless-Steel Stamping
Hydroforming
Roll Forming
Extrusion
Tube Forming
Piercing / Trim Details
Cold Forging
Form Punches

PVD Coating

PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) coatings are great for tightly toleranced details.

When a more durable but very hot process such as TDX cannot be used, PVD is the colder, more precise answer.

Tool Dynamics offers PVD coatings that include FormX, CRX, and DLCX.

FormX multilayer TiN, TiAlN, TiCN PVD coated tooling rings and die components

FormX (TiN / TiAlN / TiCN)

FormX is a multilayered coating including TiN, TiAlN, and TiCN

FormX Physical Properties:

Hardness: 3500 Vickers
Co-efficient of friction: 0.3
Operating Temperature: 1500°
Thickness: 8-10µ (microns)

FormX Applications:

HSLA Forming
Trim Tooling

CRX PVD coated trim and die cast tooling inserts

CRX

CRX Physical Properties:

Hardness: 3300 Vickers
Co-efficient of Friction: 0.4
Operating Temperature: 2000°
Thickness: 4-5µ (microns)

CRX Applications:

Cut-off Blades
Hot Stamping
Trim Tooling
Die Cast Tooling

DLCX (Diamond-Like Carbon)

DLCX Physical Properties:

Hardness: 1000+/-300
Co-efficient of Friction: 0.2
Operating Temperature: 177°F
Thickness: ≥3µ (microns)
Color: Black/Grey

DLCX Applications:

Forming and Blanking Dies For Non-ferrous materials
Plastic Injection Molding Dies
Sliding Parts
Machine Components
Other Cutting applications of aluminum with low Si-content