Some brands of domestic coated blades and their recommended uses
After years of development, domestically produced coated inserts have continuously improved their technology, with performance approaching or reaching internationally advanced levels. They are widely used in metal cutting applications such as turning, milling, and drilling. Coated inserts utilize one or more layers of wear-resistant coatings (such as TiN , TiCN , TiAlN , and Al₂O₃ ) applied to a carbide or ceramic substrate. This significantly enhances the insert’s wear resistance, heat resistance, and lubricity, extending tool life and improving machining efficiency. Domestically produced coated insert designations typically consist of a base material designation, coating type designation, and performance grade designation. Different brands offer varying performance characteristics, suited to different machining materials and cutting conditions. Understanding some domestically produced coated insert brands and their recommended applications can help you choose the right tool, reduce production costs, and improve machining quality.
TiN-coated inserts are one of the most widely used types of coated inserts in China. The coating thickness is generally 2-5μm, and it has a golden-yellow color. It offers high hardness (2000-2500 HV) and wear resistance, a low coefficient of friction (0.4-0.5), low metal affinity, and resistance to tool sticking. Typical grades include YT15-TiN, YG6-TiN, and CCMT09T304-TN. YT15-TiN, with a YT15 carbide base, is suitable for machining plastic materials such as carbon steel and alloy steel; YG6-TiN, with a YG6 carbide base, is suitable for machining brittle materials such as cast iron and non-ferrous metals. TiN-coated inserts can increase cutting speeds by 30%-50% compared to uncoated inserts, extending tool life by 2-3 times. They are suitable for low- to medium-speed cutting and general precision machining, such as external turning on conventional lathes and surface milling on milling machines. Its disadvantage is low heat resistance (maximum operating temperature is about 500°C), and the coating is easily oxidized and fails during high-speed cutting. Therefore, it is not suitable for high-speed cutting and processing of difficult-to-process materials such as high-strength steel and high-temperature alloys.
TiCN-coated inserts incorporate carbon into a TiN coating, creating a titanium carbonitride coating. This coating has a hardness of 2500-3000 HV, boasting superior wear and heat resistance compared to TiN coatings, with a maximum operating temperature of 600°C, a lower coefficient of friction (0.3-0.4), and improved adhesion resistance. Typical domestic grades include CNMG120408-CT, WC-Co-TiCN, and YT5-TiCN. These are suitable for machining materials such as stainless steel, high-strength steel, and cast iron, and excel in interrupted cutting and medium-speed cutting. For example, CNMG120408-CT inserts are suitable for rough and semi-finish turning of stainless steel, effectively reducing tool sticking and work hardening. WC-Co-TiCN inserts are suitable for high-speed milling of cast iron, offering excellent wear resistance and long tool life. TiCN-coated inserts have a recommended cutting speed of 80-200 m/min and are suitable for CNC lathes, machining centers, and other equipment, as well as for mass production in automotive parts and construction machinery.
TiAlN-coated inserts are high-performance coatings composed of titanium, aluminum, and nitrogen. The coating achieves a hardness of 3000-3500 HV, excellent heat resistance, and a maximum operating temperature of 800°C. It also exhibits good oxidation resistance and low metal affinity, making it suitable for high-speed cutting and machining difficult-to-machine materials. Typical domestic grades include TNMG160408-AL, TCMT110204-TA, and YT14-TiAlN. The TNMG160408-AL insert is suitable for finish turning of high-strength steels (such as 40CrNiMoA) at cutting speeds of 150-300 m/min. The TCMT110204-TA insert is suitable for semi-finish turning of high-temperature alloys (such as GH4169) and can withstand higher cutting temperatures. TiAlN-coated inserts also exhibit excellent thermal shock resistance, making them suitable for interrupted cutting and high-speed milling, such as in the milling of aerospace parts. Its disadvantage is that the coating has low toughness and is easy to peel off under large impact loads, so it is not suitable for rough machining and high feed cutting.
Al₂O₃ -coated inserts are coated with aluminum oxide, boasting a hardness of 3000-4000 HV . They offer excellent heat resistance, with a maximum operating temperature of 1000 °C. They also exhibit excellent chemical stability and low affinity with iron-group elements, making them suitable for machining difficult-to-machine materials such as high-strength steel, hardened steel, and chilled cast iron. Typical domestic grades include CCMT09T304-AL , WNMG080408-AO , and YG8-Al₂O₃ . CCMT09T304-AL inserts are suitable for finish turning of hardened steel (hardness 50-60 HRC ), achieving high surface quality. WNMG080408-AO inserts are suitable for semi-finish and finish turning of chilled cast iron, offering excellent wear resistance and long tool life. Al₂O₃ coatings are often combined with TiN or TiCN coatings to form a multilayer coating (such as TiN-Al₂O₃-TiN ). This coating combines the toughness of the base layer with the wear resistance of the surface layer, further improving the overall performance of the insert. The recommended cutting speed for Al₂O₃ -coated inserts is 100-250 m/min , making them suitable for finishing and high-speed cutting. However, they are relatively brittle and are not suitable for applications subject to strong impact.
Multi-layer composite coating blades are high-performance blades made of a combination of multiple coating materials, such as TiN-TiCN-TiAlN , TiCN-Al₂O₃-TiN , etc. Through the complementary performance of each layer of coating, the blades achieve ” firm bonding of the bottom layer, wear resistance of the middle layer, and heat resistance of the surface layer”. The comprehensive performance is better than that of single-coated blades. Typical domestic brands include CNMG120404-MP , TNMG160404-ML , VCGT160402-MC , etc. Among them , the CNMG120404-MP blade adopts TiCN-Al₂O₃-TiN multi-layer coating, which is suitable for processing high-strength steel, stainless steel, cast iron and other materials with strong versatility; the TNMG160404-ML blade adopts TiN -TiCN-TiAlN coating, which is suitable for high-speed milling and intermittent cutting, and can withstand large cutting forces and temperature changes. The recommended cutting speed of the multi-layer composite coating blade is 100-3