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Thermal Diffusion
TDX FAQs
Choose a FAQ and click to see the answer.
- What exactly is TDX?
- TDX is a coating process that diffuses a layer of carbides onto and into the surface of the tooling. The TDX layer is metallurgically bonded to the tooling providing superior adhesion strength which can drastically extend the life of your tooling. The adhesion strength coupled with a coating hardness of 4200+ Vickers (90+ Rockwell C-Scale) is ideally suited for manufacturing industries. TDX has seen outstanding results on severe applications where other coatings such as PVD (TiN, CrN), CVD (TiC), and VC have failed.
- What are some good applications for the TDX process?
- The TDX coating is ideally suited for tooling which exhibits wear. Good applications for TDX in the metal-forming industry include items such as form blocks, expanding punches, rollers, piercing tools, extrusion punches, mandrels, hydro-form tooling, and any other manufacturing tooling which exhibits wear, galling, or sticking. Other industrial applications include die casting tooling, aluminum extrusion tooling, wear-related machine components, cold forging, hot forging, and injection molding components.
- What kind of movement can be expected in the hot process?
- The precise movement of tool steel in a heat treat process is difficult to determine. Leaving grind stock on non-working areas can facilitate final sizing after the process. Call us for machining recommendations on various tool steels.
- Do I have to fill out a process sheet to get work done?
- No. If you prefer you can call or fax in the details. The completed process sheet does speed up the operation. Required items include the steel type, special processing instructions, a purchase order, and a ship to address.
- Will the TDX process make the steel too hard?
- While the hardness of the TDX coating exceeds Rockwell limits (over 90 RC), the hardness of the substrate is not affected by the coating. The coating is around .0003 inches thick (depending on the tool steel type), which does not change the ductility of the tool itself. Substrate selection and tempering will determine the overall hardness of the tool.
- Can I send in steel that hasn't been heat-treated?
- Yes. The TDX process will also heat-treat the tool steel. Standard RC of TDX processed A, D, CPM, and M series steels will be in the 55-58RC range, while H-series steels will be in the 44-48RC range. However, "soft" or annealed steels are not as conducive to optimum surface fi nishing as steels that have been hardened, and the potential for dimensional movement is greater on a detail that has not been pre-hardened before the TDX process. Additional vacuum heat treatment can elevate the RC of the substrate after TDX processing if full hardness is required.
- Will the TDX process change the size of my parts?
- The TDX process is similar to a heat treat cycle, so some dimensional change will occur. For jobs with extremely tight tolerances, or if you would like a machining recommendation, please call prior to final sizing of tooling. Parts with small diameters in comparison to overall length may experience some distortion during the TDX coating process.
- How large a part can be treated in the TDX process?
- Currently, parts up to 22" diameter and 24" long can be treated.
- Should I polish my details before sending them in?
- In most cases, a highly polished surface will enhance tool performance by decreasing the potential for wear/galling and improve the quality and appearance of the formed part. We can provide this polishing service, or if customers prefer, they can send in details already polished. If we polish the details, please send in a marked sketch/part showing the working area to be polished.
- What kind of steel can be treated with the TDX process?
- Any air hardened tool steel that contains at least .3% carbon content. Most H, D, M, A, and CPM series tool steels fall into this category. The process also works well on carbide (10% binder or higher) and some grades of stainless steel. It does not work with Anvilloy, TZM, Bronze or any steel that has been nitrided (unless the nitrided layer has been removed).
- Does the grade of steel used make a difference?
- Yes. Premium grade steels are highly recommended for the TDX process. Inferior grades have many impurities that can impede proper fi nishing and processing.
- Can the TDX process be applied more than once?
- Yes. The TDX Process may be re-applied several times, perhaps 4-6 times, or more, depending on the tool steel and the application. It should be noted that a slight decrease in performance can be expected in a detail that has been coated many times.
- Is tool maintenance different with a TDX coated part?
- You will likely notice a decreased need for grinding / polishing. In the event that galling does build up on the TDX layer, do not use conventional hard fi ber/carborundum/diamond media to remove! We recommend scotch-brite type discs, aluminum oxide papers, or chemical removal of any build-up. This will protect the TDX layer from damage and in many cases, allow the detail to be re-used.
- How long will it take to get my parts back?
- Because of the high temperatures of the TDX coating process, normal turn-around time is about 3 working days. Preliminary polishing and vacuum post hardening may lengthen the TDX coating process time. Call us with your specific need for a quick turn around time in the event of an emergency situation.