· KAIPU Engineering · glossary · 1 min read
undefined — Industry Glossary Entry
Definition of AlCrN (Aluminium Chromium Nitride) PVD coating for industrial blades: the hardest standard PVD coating, ideal for high-temperature and dry cutting applications.
undefined Aluminium Chromium Nitride (AlCrN) is a PVD ceramic coating with the highest hardness (3,200 HV) and the best high-temperature stability of the standard PVD coatings. Applied at 400–500 °C, 2–4 µm thick. The aluminium content forms a stable aluminium oxide layer at high temperature, preventing further oxidation.
When to use
- High-speed tissue and film slitting (> 1,000 m/min)
- Hot shear blades (aluminium, copper)
- Dry cutting applications (no coolant)
- High-speed steel cutting
- Stainless plate shearing (with the right chamfer)
When NOT to use
- On thin knives (risk of micro-cracking from the high hardness)
- On impact-loaded parts (carbide or uncoated is better)
- Where the substrate dominates (a coating is a 20–30 % life gain, not a transformation)
See also: PVD Coating Comparison Table, TiAlN coating.