Blade Coatings That Work: Choosing the Right Finish for Plastics and Food

Coatings are a must for many industrial knife blades. Hard-working knives are exposed to abrasive materials, corrosive chemicals, and other hazards every day. The right blade coating can maximize your blade’s life and improve its cutting efficiency. Learn the difference between common blade coatings and how to pick one for your needs.

Why Do Blade Coatings Matter for Performance and Longevity? 

Blade coatings enhance your knife’s performance and durability. Coatings make a knife more resistant to friction, wear, corrosion, and heat. 

Manufacturers working with abrasive plastics use coated blades to reduce the wear and tear these materials cause. Your blade can also cut through epoxy, glue, and other adhesives that stick to it, which impacts food processing efficiency. Blade coatings can prevent some of this debris from sticking to the blade. 

They also keep your blades sharp by: 

• Making the blade harder: A hard ceramic coat prevents excessive wear and microchipping that happens with extensive use. 
• Reducing excessive wear: An untreated blade is more likely to chip, dull, or wear out. The coating protects the metal.
• Reducing rust and corrosion: Common blade materials, such as carbon steel, are more prone to rust. Blade coating keeps water from touching the metal. 

Common Industrial Blade Coatings and Their Properties

The most common blade coating methods and materials include:

• Titanium nitride (TiN): This hard, ceramic material has a high melting point, and it’s durable. It also makes a blade more resistant to wear by reducing friction from heat. This coating adheres to metal through a molecular bond, making it less likely to chip, flake, or peel. 
• Diamond-like carbon (DLC): This thin carbon coating has a comparable hardness to diamonds, making it extremely resistant to wear and friction. It is highly scratch-resistant and corrosion-resistant. DLC-coated blades cut through chemically treated materials, high heat, and abrasive materials without damage.
• Ceramic: Along with TiN, titanium carbonitride (TiCN) and chromium nitride (CrN) are common ceramic coatings for industrial knife blades. TiCN is harder than TiN, which makes it better for high-wear blades. It also comes in more colors than TiN. CrN makes blades resistant to corrosion and oxidation. It can also withstand higher operating temperatures. 
• PTFE (Teflon): If you’ve ever used a non-stick pan at home, you’re familiar with PTFE. This material offers a non-stick, low-friction surface. It keeps food and other materials from building up on industrial knife blades and reduces wear resistance. 
• Chrome plating: This blade coating technique involves applying a layer of chrome molecules to a knife’s surface to increase its hardness. Chrome plating also offers corrosion resistance, but it is prone to flaking and peeling. 
• Nickel oxide: This blade coating technique involves spraying a blade with nickel oxide powder to protect it from corrosion. It also makes a blade more resistant to sticky residue and damage from friction. 

Coating Selection Based on Material and Industry Application

The blade coating process and material you choose for your custom industrial knife blade depend entirely on your needs. 

Consider The Materials

Start by assessing what it is you’re cutting. Blades for plastics processing will naturally differ from those used for cutting textiles. 

Since plastics are abrasive, you need blade coating technology that makes the blade harder and able to withstand high friction. Synthetic textiles generate a lot of heat when you’re cutting them, so you may use a Teflon coating to reduce friction and heat. 

Food safety regulations may help you rule out certain coatings. Consult Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements and choose a coating that’s approved for food processing. 

Consider Blade Tolerance

Next, determine your cutting blade tolerance. Some manufacturing processes require precise blades with specific dimensions for length, thickness, and blade angle.

Industries, including aerospace and medical equipment, require extreme precision to deliver high-quality final products. Because the blade geometry impacts the final product, choose a thin, hard coating such as TiN or DLC. 

Consider the Workload

If your manufacturing plant operates 24/7, you’ll want a more durable coating that can withstand heavy use. TiN and other ceramics work well for machines you use frequently. Since these materials are so hard, they let you sharpen your blades less often without sacrificing performance. 

Consider Your Environment

Blades in humid environments tend to wear out faster as they’re exposed to water. Ceramic coatings, Teflon, and DLC are all effective at preventing rust. 

Key Performance Metrics for Evaluating Coatings

These factors will help you compare blade coatings and decide on the best option to maximize blade life for your application: 

• Hardness and wear resistance: Harder coatings make the blades less prone to surface damage and prolong their life. Pick a higher hardness number for heavy use and compare blade coating technology and application methods to ensure the coating won’t chip, flake, or wear off. 
• Friction coefficient: This number tells you how well the coating protects your blade from friction. A low one (such as 0.01) means that the coating will prevent materials from sticking or tearing. 
• Temperature tolerance: Some blade coatings can withstand higher temperatures than others. If you’re working with high heat and a lot of friction, you need a blade coating that withstands higher temperatures without wearing or flaking off. 

Hyde’s Custom Blade Coatings and Solutions

Working with experienced professionals to customize your industrial knife blades saves you from choosing the wrong knife blade coating. Hyde Industrial has over 150 years of experience manufacturing custom blades in the USA with multiple types of coatings. 

We produce blades from .008 to .750 inches thick with a coating that maximizes performance without impacting cut quality. Our highly skilled engineers will work closely with you to assess your needs and produce the right custom blade. 

At Hyde, we work with clients in multiple industries and understand how coatings impact a blade’s performance across applications. Contact us for a quote today or send us your specifications to get started.