They are less than 0.005 mm (0.0002") thick, yet still an essential part of modern tool technology: tool coatings extend the service life of carbide tools by over 1000 percent compared to their uncoated counterparts. The high-performance coatings IG6 and SG3 are testament to Horn`s engineering expertise in tool finishing. IG6 – a copper-coloured aluminium-titanium-silicon nitride (AlTiSiN) coating – is designed for use in machining groups P and M with the S224 and S229 grooving systems. In conjunction with the adapted carbide substrate, the coating allows for faster material removal rates and significantly extended service life in steel machining applications in the aforementioned machining groups. The standard inserts are available from stock. For special designs, Horn Greenline orders can be delivered within five working days of the customer signing off on the drawing.

SG3 is designed for use with titanium and super alloys, as well as in hard turning and hard grooving applications. The coating can be applied at temperatures of up to 1,100 degrees Celsius (2012 F). The Horn coating is designed to deliver an outstanding performance when working with materials that are difficult to machine. Now that the advantages of the tool coating have been proven on selected HORN tool systems, the product is also available from stock for the type 105 Supermini system. The in-house coating ensures both high quality and fast delivery times.

Horn has developed a high level of expertise in the coating of precision tools over the last 15 years – starting with five employees and one coating system and growing to over 50 employees working across fourteen coating systems and the accompanying peripheral equipment in the coating department. Engineers are also constantly researching and developing new and existing coatings – always with the aim of creating even higher-performance tool coatings. Horn is constantly investing in new, modern technologies. In 2015, the company CemeCon delivered the first of three HiPIMS systems to Horn, which happened to be the first in the world as well. High power impulse magnetron sputtering technology has several advantages and provides new opportunities when it comes to coating precision tools. It enables the formation of coatings that are very dense and compact, as well as extremely hard and tough. The coatings have a very homogeneous structure and exhibit an even coating thickness, even with complex tool geometries.