| abstract |
A coating apparatus and method for coating industrial cutting and turning tools of any desired shape and configuration and the like significantly to improve the tools' working properties. The coating is formed of cubic boron nitride, with a preferred thickness not exceeding ten microns. n The coating apparatus includes an rf excited plasma source chamber having a gas feed ring for ionizing a gas admitted into the chamber via the ring. The preferred feedgas is a borazine and benzene vapor mixture. A coating chamber is mounted adjacent to and contiguous with the plasma source chamber via a neck portion. The coating chamber includes a vacuum interlock to permit the entry and removal of a tool transport. At least one vacuum pump is operatively connected to the chamber. Preferably, a plurality of permanent magnets and electron supply filaments are arranged circumferentially about the plasma source chamber. Preferably, the tool transport is rotatable during coating. Preferably, the apparatus is microprocessor controlled. |