Study of the resistance to washout of PVD coated hot working tool steels

Wear and failure of die casting dies involve a complex interaction between various mechanisms. A CrAlSiN coating system was deposited on the base material, modulating the chemical composition of the chromium or the aluminium-silicon content. A set of the coated specimens was directly analysed through optical and electronic microscopy, so as to assess the overall quality. Other was subjected to a cyclic immersion program in molten aluminium bath. Coating efficiency was determined through electron microscopy analysis. Thermal fatigue was investigated, quantified. The transverse section of the specimens was polished to evaluate the microhardness changes occurred due to the thermal cycling.