Abstract. Turning tools come in different shapes and sizes, geometry, base material and coating, according to their destination. They are widely used both for obtaining parts and for machinability tests. In this paper a short review about high-speed steel (HSS) turning tools and their coatings is presented. Hard coatings formed on the tool material should be functional depending on the tool final application. Requirements for hard coatings and technological problems for layer formation on the real cutting tool are discussed.
Techniques and production of hard coatingsIn a statistical study made for the year 2013 [1] the 16.33 billion US-Dollars estimated industry of cutting tools includes 39% milling tools followed by 30% of turning tools, with an annual growth assumed to be 4-5%. The same study shows that in 53% of the cases, the cutting tool substrate is represented by cemented carbide and in 20% of the cases by highspeed steel (HSS).Coatings on cutting tools are widely spread due to the improvement they provide during the cutting process. In the early 2000's made statistic 50% of HSS tools, 85% of carbide tools and 40% of super-hard tools used in industry were coated [2]. Due to the more complex phenomenology which accompanies the intermittent cutting process, in this study only coatings of HSS turning tools will be treated.The use of coatings is expected to yield a better protection of the tool against abrasion and adhesion, diffusion, oxidation and to produce a heat barrier for the intensive heat flowing from the cutting area into the tool material [3], thus increasing productivity and tool's life. However, regarding the heat insulation the opinions are divided, as in the paper [4] it was proven that the coatings of continuous cutting tools are not able to insulate the substrate.Mainly, depending on the method and the coating structure, the same coatings can be applied to both HSS and carbide tools, each substrate having its advantages and disadvantages according to the cutting application. The properties of the tools surface should be improved according their novelty, application and to achieve higher productivity for the manufacturing process. Depending on the turning tools destination various hard coatings can be formed on its surface. The shape of the turning tool is usually not complicated, thus techniques like physical or chemical vapor deposition for layer formation are applied. Hard *