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Titanium Carbonitride PVD

PVD hard coatings · Vacuum deposition

TiCN is a blue-grey PVD tool coating with about 3000 HV hardness and lower friction than TiN.

CNC machiningSheet metalHigh cost $$$$Conductive
Quote a part with TiCN PVDCompare pvd hard coatings
Titanium Carbonitride PVD on a machined part

What is TiCN PVD?

It is selected for abrasive cutting, punches, forming dies, and sliding wear.

How it works

Reactive arc or sputter deposition combines titanium with carbon- and nitrogen-bearing gases on an electrically conductive, hardened substrate. The carbon raises hardness and lowers friction relative to TiN, but reduces oxidation resistance. Typical deposition is within the 200–500 °C PVD range, and the selected cycle must remain below the substrate tempering or aging limit.

Why specify it

  • About 3000 HV hardness
  • Coefficient of friction commonly 0.2–0.4
  • 1–5 µm dimensional film
  • Excellent abrasive-wear resistance

Where it falls short

  • About 400 °C practical oxidation limit
  • Not ideal for hot dry machining
  • Needs a hard conductive substrate
  • Aluminum requires low-temperature qualification

TiCN PVD at a glance

TiCN PVD is strongest on surface hardness (92 of 100), at a high cost.

Corrosion protectionFair40 / 100
Surface hardnessExcellent92 / 100
Cosmetic qualityGood55 / 100
LubricityGood62 / 100
Relative costHigh76 / 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.

TiCN 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
Hardness2,800–3,200 HV
Max service temp.400 °C752 °F
Thickness
2–4 µm
Hardness
2,800–3,200 HV — Approximately 3000 HV is typical.
Electrical
Conductive
Colours
  • blue-grey
  • grey
Appearance
Blue-grey to charcoal with a smooth metallic-ceramic sheen.

Where TiCN 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. TiCN 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 26TiAlN PVD — corrosion 50, hardness 93TiB2 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 & POWDERTiN PVDTiAlN PVDType II anodizePowder coatZinc plateZinc-nickelHard chromeDLCTin plateCadmium plateE-coatCerakoteWet paintHot-dip zincNitridingHVOF coatingTiCN PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 92TiCN 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 26TiAlN PVD — corrosion 50, hardness 93TiB2 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 & POWDERTiN PVDPowder coatZinc plateTiCN PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 92TiCN PVD
Anodize & conversionPlatingPaint & powderHard coatings

Specifications for TiCN 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 TiCN, 2–4 µm THICK, BLUE-GREY; MAX PROCESS TEMPERATURE 450 °C; MASK THREADS AND FITS

Which materials take TiCN PVD?

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

Material familyVerdictNotes
Stainless Steel
YesSuitable after activation on hardened stainless tooling.
Steel
YesBest on hardened tool steel.
Tungsten Alloy
YesCommon on cemented carbide.
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
NoRequires metallization and a temperature-compatible system.
Zinc Alloy
NoMelting point is below typical PVD process temperature.

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

  1. 1Clean
  2. 2Vacuum ion etch
  3. 3Deposit adhesion layer
  4. 4Reactive TiCN deposition
  5. 5Inspect thickness and adhesion
DimensionsAllow +1–4 µm per coated side; a coated bore loses twice the film thickness in diameter.
Build-up per side1–4 µm — Normal functional allowance is approximately +1–4 µm per coated side.
MaskingUsually needed. Mask threads, fits, contacts, and surfaces that must remain uncoated.
ElectricalConductive
Temperature limit400 °C (752 °F) continuous
AppearanceBlue-grey to charcoal with a smooth metallic-ceramic sheen.
Added lead time5–10 working days on top of the bare part

Design rules for TiCN PVD

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

  1. Use a hardened supporting substrate.The thin coating cannot carry load over soft metal.
  2. Keep service below about 400 °C.TiCN oxidizes sooner than TiAlN.
  3. State coating thickness and masked surfaces.Micrometre buildup matters on precision tooling.
  4. Qualify aluminum separately.Standard PVD heat can alter its temper.

TiCN PVD versus the alternatives

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

FinishCorrosionHardnessCosmeticCostThicknessChoose it when
TiCN PVD
this page
409255$$$$1–5 µm—
Titanium Nitride PVD
TiCN PVD vs Titanium Nitride PVD →
458788$$$$1–5 µmgold colour or better oxidation resistance is wanted
Titanium Aluminum Nitride PVD
TiCN PVD vs Titanium Aluminum Nitride PVD →
509362$$$$1–5 µmcutting temperature exceeds about 400 °C
CorrosionHardnessCosmeticLubricityEconomy
TiCN PVDTitanium Nitride PVD

The radar overlays TiCN PVD with Titanium Nitride PVD, its most common alternative — chosen gold colour or better oxidation resistance is wanted. Scores in the table are 0–100 across every finish in the catalog.

Cost, lead time and compliance

Relative cost

Titanium Carbonitride PVD is a high-cost finish ($$$$): more expensive than about 82 % 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 coating is generally RoHS-compliant.

What TiCN PVD is used for

  • Punches and dies
  • Abrasive cutting tools
  • Stamping tools
  • Sliding components

TiCN PVD — frequently asked

TiCN vs TiN: which is harder?

TiCN is typically about 3000 HV versus about 2300 HV for TiN. TiCN is usually better for abrasive wear, while TiN tolerates higher oxidation temperature.

What is the friction coefficient of TiCN?

Published dry sliding values commonly fall around 0.2–0.4. Counterface, humidity, load, and surface finish can move the result.

How thick is TiCN coating?

TiCN PVD is usually 1–5 µm, with 2–4 µm common. A 3 µm film adds 6 µm to an outside diameter.

Can TiCN coat aluminum?

Only with a low-temperature qualified cycle that preserves the alloy temper. Standard tool-coating temperatures may soften aluminum.

Is TiCN good for high-temperature cutting?

Its practical oxidation limit is about 400 °C. TiAlN or AlTiN is normally selected for hotter dry cutting.