Tribological behaviours of patterned PVD TiN spot coatings on M2 steel coated with different bias voltages

Experiments were performed to investigate systematically the tribological behaviours of in-lined and staggered spot-island PVD TiN patterns on M2 steel discs sliding with ASSAB 17 tool steel pins. Testing results on disc specimens with full PVD TiN coating and with the two types of PVD TiN spot-island patterns coated under three bias voltages (i.e.− 30, − 90 and − 180 V) were presented. Results revealed that both in-lined and staggered patterned coatings possessed relatively better wear behaviours (with in-lined patterned coating being the most superior) than the fully coated discs. Mechanisms for such superiority were discussed in this paper.