Cutting insert with a wear-resistant coating scheme exhibiting wear indication and method of making the same

A coated cutting insert for use in a chip-forming material removal operation, the coated cutting insert comprising:

• a substrate having a flank surface and a rake surface wherein the flank surface intersects the rake surface to form a cutting edge at the intersection;
• a wear-resistant coating scheme adhering to at least a portion of the substrate, and the wear-resistant coating scheme comprising one or more coating layers of one or more of alumina, hafnia and zirconia;
• and
• a first wear indicating coating adhering to at least a portion of the wear-resistant coating scheme on the rake surface, and the first wear indicating coating having a first visually perceivable color, and a second wear indicating coating adhering to at least a portion of the wear-resistant coating scheme on the flank surface, and the second wear indicating coating having a second visually perceivable color, and at least one of the first wear indicating coating on the rake surface and the second wear indicating coating on the flank surface comprising a mechanically treated coating layer wherein the mechanical treatment lightens the color of the as-deposited coating layer from a color unsuitable as a wear indicator to a visually perceivable color suitable as a wear indicator.

A coated cutting insert for use in a chip-forming material removal operation, the coated cutting insert comprising:

• a substrate having a flank surface and a rake surface wherein the flank surface intersects the rake surface to form a cutting edge at the intersection;
• a wear-resistant coating scheme adhering to at least a portion of the substrate, and the wear-resistant coating scheme comprising one or more coating layers of one or more of alumina, hafnia and zirconia;
• and
• a wear indicating coating adhering to at least a portion of the wear-resistant coating scheme, and the wear indicating coating comprising a mechanically treated M(OxCyNz) coating layer wherein M is selected from the group comprising one or more of the following titanium, hafnium, zirconium, chromium, titanium-aluminum alloy, hafnium-aluminum alloy, zirconium-aluminum alloy, chromium-aluminum alloy, and their alloys, and x>0, y≧0, z≧0 and y+z>0, and wherein the mechanical treatment lightens the color of the as-deposited M(OxCyNz) coating layer from a color unsuitable as a wear indicator to a visually perceivable color suitable as a wear indicator.

A coated cutting insert for use in a chip-forming material removal operation, the coated cutting insert comprising:

• a substrate having a flank surface and a rake surface wherein the flank surface intersects the rake surface to form a cutting edge at the intersection;
• a wear-resistant coating scheme adhering to at least a portion of the substrate, and the wear-resistant coating scheme comprising at least one coating layer of alpha-alumina, and the alpha-alumina coating layer exhibiting compressive residual stress;
• a wear indicating coating adhering to at least a portion of the wear-resistant coating scheme, and the wear indicating coating comprising a M(OxCyNz) coating layer wherein M is selected from the group comprising one or more of the following titanium, hafnium, zirconium, chromium, titanium-aluminum alloy, hafnium-aluminum alloy, zirconium-aluminum alloy, chromium-aluminum alloy, and their alloys, and x>0, y≧0, z≧0 and y+z>0;
• the wear indicating coating resulting from an as-deposited M(OxCyNz) coating exhibiting a color unsuitable as a wear indicator being subjected to a mechanical treatment;
• and
• the wear indicating coating having a color visually perceivable from the alumina coating layer.