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Titanium Aluminum Nitride PVD

PVD hard coatings · Vacuum deposition

TiAlN is a violet-black PVD coating for high-speed and dry cutting.

CNC machiningSheet metalHigh cost $$$$Semi-conductive
Quote a part with TiAlN PVDCompare pvd hard coatings
Titanium Aluminum Nitride PVD on a machined part

What is TiAlN PVD?

Around 3300 HV hardness and an alumina-rich protective scale support service to about 800 °C.

How it works

Titanium and aluminum targets are reactively evaporated or sputtered in nitrogen onto a cleaned, hardened, conductive substrate. During hot cutting, aluminum at the surface forms a protective aluminum-oxide scale. Deposition commonly runs about 200–500 °C; substrate tempering temperature and aluminum aging response must be checked before coating.

Why specify it

  • About 3300 HV hardness
  • Useful to about 800 °C
  • Strong hot-wear performance
  • Only 1–5 µm thick

Where it falls short

  • Less suitable for cutting aluminum because of chemical affinity
  • Requires hardened support
  • Line-of-sight coverage
  • Standard cycles can damage aluminum temper

TiAlN PVD at a glance

TiAlN PVD is strongest on surface hardness (93 of 100), at a high cost.

Corrosion protectionFair50 / 100
Surface hardnessExcellent93 / 100
Cosmetic qualityGood62 / 100
LubricityFair45 / 100
Relative costHigh80 / 100
CorrosionHardnessCosmeticLubricityEconomy

Each score is 0–100 against every finish in this catalog. Corrosion comes from salt-spray life (ASTM B117, log scale) and hardness from the finish layer's Vickers or pencil hardness; cosmetic, lubricity and cost are FabDigit's engineering assessment. Economy on the radar is the inverse of cost.

TiAlN PVD key numbers

Typical values from the governing specifications and shop practice; bars are this finish against the highest value among pvd hard coatings finishes.

Thickness1–5 µm0.04–0.2 mil
Hardness3,000–3,500 HV
Max service temp.800 °C1,472 °F
Thickness
2–4 µm
Hardness
3,000–3,500 HV — Approximately 3300 HV typical.
Electrical
Semi-conductive
Colours
  • violet-black
  • dark grey
Appearance
Violet-black to dark grey, usually satin on prepared tools.

Where TiAlN PVD sits among all finishes

Surface hardness (Vickers, log scale) against corrosion protection (salt-spray hours, log scale) for every coating FabDigit offers, one cloud per finish group. TiAlN PVD is highlighted; hover a dot for its name or open the full map.

02550751000255075100Corrosion protection (0–100)Surface hardness (HV, log scale, 0–100)Plating — 19 finishesHard coatings — 17 finishesAnodize & conversion — 8 finishesPaint & powder — 7 finisheshard, low corrosion protectionhard and protectiveprotective, softsoft, little protectionType II anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 54BSA anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 52Type I anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 49Hard anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 61PTFE hard anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 61Nitriding — corrosion 55, hardness 73PEO — corrosion 70, hardness 74Sherardizing — corrosion 83, hardness 56Brass plate — corrosion 35, hardness 44Bronze plate — corrosion 40, hardness 49Cadmium plate — corrosion 70, hardness 26Copper plate — corrosion 32, hardness 39Decorative chrome — corrosion 64, hardness 71Electroless copper — corrosion 20, hardness 41Electroless nickel — corrosion 70, hardness 68Nickel plate — corrosion 51, hardness 55Gold plate — corrosion 68, hardness 39Hard chrome — corrosion 40, hardness 73Hot-dip zinc — corrosion 90, hardness 42Nickel-PTFE — corrosion 72, hardness 57Silver plate — corrosion 55, hardness 39Solder plate — corrosion 42, hardness 9Tin plate — corrosion 34, hardness 0Zinc plate — corrosion 60, hardness 30Zinc-nickel — corrosion 86, hardness 60Cerakote — corrosion 83, hardness 27E-coat — corrosion 83, hardness 15Epoxy coat — corrosion 83, hardness 15Powder coat — corrosion 83, hardness 14Wet paint — corrosion 59, hardness 10AlCrN PVD — corrosion 58, hardness 93AlTiN PVD — corrosion 52, hardness 94CrN PVD — corrosion 62, hardness 83DLC — corrosion 55, hardness 93MoS2 PVD — corrosion 20, hardness 26TiCN PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 92TiB2 PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 94TiN PVD — corrosion 45, hardness 87WC/C PVD — corrosion 48, hardness 77ZrN PVD — corrosion 52, hardness 90CVD alumina — corrosion 70, hardness 85CVD TiCN — corrosion 38, hardness 92CVD TiN — corrosion 45, hardness 87Multilayer CVD — corrosion 62, hardness 88HVOF coating — corrosion 78, hardness 77Plasma spray — corrosion 60, hardness 68Plastic chrome — corrosion 72, hardness 71Electroless plastic — corrosion 58, hardness 39Clear coat — corrosion 20, hardness 12Soft-touch — corrosion 20, hardness 5PLATINGHARD COATINGSANODIZE & CONVERSIONPAINT & POWDERAlTiN PVDTiB2 PVDType II anodizePowder coatZinc plateZinc-nickelHard chromeTiN PVDTin plateCadmium plateE-coatCerakoteWet paintHot-dip zincNitridingHVOF coatingTiAlN PVD — corrosion 50, hardness 93TiAlN PVD
02550751000255075100Corrosion protection (0–100)Surface hardness (HV, log scale, 0–100)Plating — 19 finishesHard coatings — 17 finishesAnodize & conversion — 8 finishesPaint & powder — 7 finishesType II anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 54BSA anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 52Type I anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 49Hard anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 61PTFE hard anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 61Nitriding — corrosion 55, hardness 73PEO — corrosion 70, hardness 74Sherardizing — corrosion 83, hardness 56Brass plate — corrosion 35, hardness 44Bronze plate — corrosion 40, hardness 49Cadmium plate — corrosion 70, hardness 26Copper plate — corrosion 32, hardness 39Decorative chrome — corrosion 64, hardness 71Electroless copper — corrosion 20, hardness 41Electroless nickel — corrosion 70, hardness 68Nickel plate — corrosion 51, hardness 55Gold plate — corrosion 68, hardness 39Hard chrome — corrosion 40, hardness 73Hot-dip zinc — corrosion 90, hardness 42Nickel-PTFE — corrosion 72, hardness 57Silver plate — corrosion 55, hardness 39Solder plate — corrosion 42, hardness 9Tin plate — corrosion 34, hardness 0Zinc plate — corrosion 60, hardness 30Zinc-nickel — corrosion 86, hardness 60Cerakote — corrosion 83, hardness 27E-coat — corrosion 83, hardness 15Epoxy coat — corrosion 83, hardness 15Powder coat — corrosion 83, hardness 14Wet paint — corrosion 59, hardness 10AlCrN PVD — corrosion 58, hardness 93AlTiN PVD — corrosion 52, hardness 94CrN PVD — corrosion 62, hardness 83DLC — corrosion 55, hardness 93MoS2 PVD — corrosion 20, hardness 26TiCN PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 92TiB2 PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 94TiN PVD — corrosion 45, hardness 87WC/C PVD — corrosion 48, hardness 77ZrN PVD — corrosion 52, hardness 90CVD alumina — corrosion 70, hardness 85CVD TiCN — corrosion 38, hardness 92CVD TiN — corrosion 45, hardness 87Multilayer CVD — corrosion 62, hardness 88HVOF coating — corrosion 78, hardness 77Plasma spray — corrosion 60, hardness 68Plastic chrome — corrosion 72, hardness 71Electroless plastic — corrosion 58, hardness 39Clear coat — corrosion 20, hardness 12Soft-touch — corrosion 20, hardness 5PLATINGHARD COATINGSANODIZE & CONVERSIONPAINT & POWDERAlTiN PVDTiB2 PVDPowder coatZinc plateTiAlN PVD — corrosion 50, hardness 93TiAlN PVD
Anodize & conversionPlatingPaint & powderHard coatings

Specifications for TiAlN PVD

The documents a drawing cites to define this finish, with the Type / Class rows that apply. Each links to a page explaining the standard.

Drawing call-out

PVD COAT DESIGNATED SURFACES TiAlN, 2–4 µm THICK, VIOLET-BLACK; MAX PROCESS TEMPERATURE 450 °C; MASK FITS

Which materials take TiAlN PVD?

Verdict per material family, with the grades that behave differently. Each family links to its datasheets in the material library.

Material familyVerdictNotes
Steel
YesHardened tool steels are standard.
Tungsten Alloy
YesWidely used on carbide tooling.
Stainless Steel
With careUse a qualified adhesion system.
Titanium
With carePossible with a qualified adhesion layer and a cycle that avoids excessive interstitial pickup.
Aluminum
LimitedLow-temperature cycle only.
Brass
LimitedSoft zinc-bearing alloy; decorative PVD is possible, not a wear-tool substrate.
Copper Alloy
LimitedSoft copper alloys do not support a hard nitride; decorative films need a qualified adhesion layer.
Magnesium Alloy
NoMelting point and reactivity exclude conventional PVD tool-coating cycles.
Polymer
NoNot suitable for ordinary tool-coating PVD.
Zinc Alloy
NoMelting point is below typical PVD process temperature.

How TiAlN PVD is applied, and what it does to the part

  1. 1Clean
  2. 2Ion etch
  3. 3Adhesion layer
  4. 4Reactive TiAlN deposition
  5. 5Cool and inspect
DimensionsAllow approximately +1–4 µm per side; specify pre-coat size for close diameters.
Build-up per side1–4 µm — Allow +1–4 µm per coated side.
MaskingUsually needed. Mask precision fits, threads, and electrical contacts.
ElectricalSemi-conductive
Temperature limit800 °C (1,472 °F) continuous
AppearanceViolet-black to dark grey, usually satin on prepared tools.
Added lead time5–10 working days on top of the bare part

Design rules for TiAlN PVD

What to decide on the drawing before the part goes to the finisher.

  1. Use on pre-hardened tool steel or carbide.Substrate support controls load capacity.
  2. Avoid as the first choice for aluminum cutting.Aluminum-containing coatings can promote adhesion.
  3. Set a maximum coating temperature.PVD heat can re-temper the part.
  4. Compensate precision fits by coating thickness.A coated diameter gains twice the film thickness.

TiAlN PVD versus the alternatives

Finishes engineers weigh against TiAlN PVD, and when each wins.

FinishCorrosionHardnessCosmeticCostThicknessChoose it when
TiAlN PVD
this page
509362$$$$1–5 µm—
Aluminum Titanium Nitride PVD
TiAlN PVD vs Aluminum Titanium Nitride PVD →
529450$$$$1–5 µmhigher aluminum content and hotter service are needed
Titanium Diboride PVD
TiAlN PVD vs Titanium Diboride PVD →
409442$$$$1–5 µmmachining aluminum
CorrosionHardnessCosmeticLubricityEconomy
TiAlN PVDAluminum Titanium Nitride PVD

The radar overlays TiAlN PVD with Aluminum Titanium Nitride PVD, its most common alternative — chosen higher aluminum content and hotter service are needed. Scores in the table are 0–100 across every finish in the catalog.

Cost, lead time and compliance

Relative cost

Titanium Aluminum Nitride PVD is a high-cost finish ($$$$): more expensive than about 86 % of the finishes FabDigit quotes.

Finishing is priced per part with a lot minimum, from FabDigit's own China-side rates. The exact figure appears on the instant quote once the part is uploaded.

Lead time and compliance

Added lead time5–10 working days
RoHSCompliant
NotesThe deposited nitride is generally RoHS-compliant.

What TiAlN PVD is used for

  • High-speed end mills
  • Dry machining inserts
  • Hardened-steel cutting
  • Hot-wear tooling

TiAlN PVD — frequently asked

TiN vs TiAlN: what is the difference?

TiN is about 2300 HV and useful near 600 °C; TiAlN is about 3300 HV and useful near 800 °C. TiAlN is usually better for hot dry cutting.

How thick is TiAlN coating?

Most TiAlN PVD films are 1–5 µm, commonly 2–4 µm. Add the specified thickness to every coated side.

Can TiAlN cut aluminum?

It can, but it is usually not preferred because aluminum in the coating can encourage workpiece adhesion. TiB2 or DLC is often chosen for non-ferrous cutting.

Can aluminum parts receive TiAlN PVD?

Only under a qualified low-temperature cycle. Normal 200–500 °C PVD processing can alter an aluminum temper.

What temperature can TiAlN withstand?

A typical upper working temperature is about 800 °C. Actual tool-edge temperature and oxidation life depend on coating architecture and cutting conditions.