Unlocking Superior Performance: How Coatings Transform Your Cutting Tools

Investing in Sustainable Cutting Tool Manufacturing at Gandtrack

GANDTRACK GT14 DIAMOND CUT ROUTER DLC

In the competitive world of manufacturing and machining, the quality and durability of cutting tools are paramount. At Gandtrack, we understand that every detail matters when it comes to precision and performance. Our cutting tool coatings are designed to enhance your tool life, improve efficiency, and deliver the best results across a range of applications. Whether you’re machining aerospace components, automotive parts, or composites, choosing the right coating can make all the difference.

1. Titanium Nitride Coatings (TiN)

What It Does: TiN is a hard coating that enhances wear resistance and reduces friction. It provides a gold-coloured, smooth surface that improves tool life and cutting efficiency.

Applications: Commonly used on cutting tools like drills and end mills, TiN is effective for general machining of steel and aluminium. It’s not as suited for high-speed or abrasive materials.

2. Titanium Carbon Nitride (TiCN)

What It Does: TiCN combines titanium, carbon, and nitrogen to create a harder and more wear-resistant coating than TiN. It offers lower friction and higher toughness.

Applications: TiCN is effective for machining hard materials and composites. It’s used on tools for high-speed machining and applications requiring higher hardness and wear resistance.

3. Titanium Aluminium Nitride (TiAlN)

What It Does: TiAlN coating has excellent thermal stability and oxidation resistance, making it suitable for high-speed cutting. It provides a strong, hard surface and maintains performance at high temperatures.

Applications: Ideal for machining hard materials like stainless steel and high-temperature alloys. TiAlN is often used in aerospace and automotive industries for high-speed and heavy-duty applications.

4. Titanium Silicon Nitride (TiSiN)

What It Does: TiSiN combines titanium, silicon, and nitrogen to provide a coating with improved hardness and oxidation resistance. It also enhances thermal stability.

Applications: Used in cutting tools for machining difficult-to-cut materials and composites. TiSiN is beneficial for applications that involve high temperatures and abrasive materials.

5. Titanium Chromium Nitride (TiCrN)

What It Does: TiCrN offers a balance between hardness, wear resistance, and friction reduction. It provides better toughness and thermal stability compared to TiN.

Applications: Suited for general machining applications, including those involving tougher materials and composites. TiCrN coatings are often used in manufacturing tools and components that experience moderate to high wear.

6. Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon (ta-C) (DLC)

This is the most commonly requested coating, and what we would recommend for most challenging applications.

What It Does: ta-C, a type of diamond-like carbon coating, provides exceptional hardness, low friction, and superior wear resistance. It has a diamond-like structure that enhances performance in extreme conditions.

Applications: Ideal for cutting tools used in machining hard materials and composites. ta-C coatings are used when maximum durability and a high-quality finish are required, such as in aerospace and high-precision industries.

Comparison in Applications

  • TiN: Best for general applications where moderate hardness and wear resistance are needed. Not suitable for very high-speed or abrasive operations.
  • TiCN: Offers higher hardness and wear resistance compared to TiN, making it better for machining harder materials and composites.
  • TiAlN: Provides excellent performance at high temperatures and speeds, making it ideal for tough materials and high-precision applications.
  • TiSiN: Enhances both hardness and thermal stability, suitable for high-temperature applications and abrasive materials.
  • TiCrN: Balances hardness and toughness, useful for a wide range of materials, including tougher composites.
  • ta-C (DLC): Superior in hardness and wear resistance, ideal for high-performance cutting tools used in demanding applications with composites and hard materials.

Choosing the right coating for your cutting tools can significantly impact your machining efficiency and product quality. At Gandtrack, our commitment to innovation and excellence ensures that our coatings not only meet but exceed industry standards. By incorporating advanced coatings into your operations, you’re investing in tools that deliver exceptional performance and durability.

Discover how Gandtrack’s cutting-edge coatings can transform your manufacturing processes. Contact us today to learn more about our range of tool coatings and find the perfect solution for your needs.

Our solar installation includes 352 solar panels, with a total system capacity of 50 kWp. Based on year to date generation data, the installation is expected to generate approximately 41,000 kWh this year, supplying around 22% of our annual electricity requirements.

Solar panels covering the roof of Gandtrack’s manufacturing facility

Gandtrack avoided approximately 7.3 tonnes of CO₂e emissions last year. Based on the updated 2026 conversion factor, the same level of annual electricity generation is expected to avoid approximately 5.4 tonnes of CO₂e emissions this year. This is reduced not because of Gandtrack’s commitment, but the UK’s commitment to sustainability is reducing the carbon intensity of grid electricity.

The solar panels are maintained and cleaned regularly to ensure maximum power is generated year round.

Solar panels being cleaned on the roof of Gandtrack’s manufacturing facility
Clean solar panels on the roof of Gandtrack’s manufacturing facility

Ensuring the Best Tool Life from Gandtrack Products

Our cutting tools are designed and manufactured to provide reliable performance and the best possible tool life in their intended applications.

Selecting the correct tool geometry, cutting parameters and operating conditions can significantly reduce premature wear. By working closely with our customers to identify the right tooling for each application, we help them achieve consistent results, reduce tool changes and gain maximum value from every tool, directly reducing the amount of tooling required for each customer.

Regrinding Drills to Reduce Waste and Recycle Quality Material

Gandtrack offers a quick, cheap and easy regrinding service that can restore suitable worn drills and extend their useful working life.

Cutting edges naturally wear over time, but this does not always mean the complete tool needs to be discarded. Depending on its condition and specification, a drill may be reground to restore its cutting geometry and return it to productive use

     

    Worn carbide drill at Gandtrack
    Reground carbide drill at Gandtrack

    Regrinding can:

    • Extend the working life of suitable drills.
    • Reduce premature tool replacement.
    • Lower tooling costs.
    • Reduce material consumption and unnecessary waste.
    • Allow valuable carbide and other high-quality materials to be reused.

    Where a drill is no longer suitable for regrinding, recycling the material helps ensure that valuable resources are recovered rather than treated as general waste. This is good business practice and a more responsible use of quality materials.

     

    Using Resources Responsibly

    We recognise that sustainable cutting tool manufacturing is an ongoing process. Technology will continue to develop; energy markets will change and new opportunities to improve efficiency will emerge.

    Our responsibility is to keep reviewing the way we work and to make sensible improvements wherever they can deliver a genuine benefit. Our solar panels and regrinding service are two important examples of this approach in practice.

    Sustainability is not separate from how we operate. It is part of our commitment to responsible manufacturing and to building a stronger, more efficient business for the future.

    Cutting tool being inspected at Gandtrack’s Oldham facility

    Speak to Gandtrack About Cutting Tool Regrinding

    To learn more about our cutting tool solutions or discuss whether your tools are suitable for regrinding, please contact the Gandtrack team at sales@gandtrack.co.uk