Structure and properties of high-speed steels with wear resistant cases or coatings

The paper reviews, from author’s experience, the heat treatment technology, thermo-chemical treatment and PVD coating process of high-speed steels and the accompanying phase transformations. Structure of the cases and coatings formed on tools, resulting from various thermo-chemical and PVD processes, and working capabilities of tools after thermo-chemical treatment and coated in the PVD process are compared.