glossary
TiN coating — Industry Glossary Entry
Definition of TiN PVD coating for industrial blades: a gold-coloured ceramic coating that reduces friction and extends knife life 20–30 % on general-purpose.
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TiN coating Titanium Nitride (TiN) is a PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) ceramic coating applied to a precision blade in a vacuum chamber at 400–500 °C. The gold-coloured TiN layer (2–4 µm) reduces coefficient of friction and increases surface hardness, extending knife life 20–30 % on most substrates.
When to use
- Paper and film slitting (general purpose)
- Metal shear blades (carbon steel ≤ 6 mm)
- Granulator bed knives on light-duty applications
- Anywhere a 20–30 % life gain justifies the 8–15 % cost premium
When NOT to use
- Above 600 °C edge temperature (degrades, use TiAlN or AlCrN instead)
- On substrates that need ultra-low friction (use DLC)
- On very thin knives where the 3 µm coating can dominate the edge profile
- On food-contact cutting where TiN’s gold colour is rejected (use CrN)
See also.
