Surface Engineering of Woodworking Tools, a Review

Abstract

The wide range of applications of wood are due to its strength properties. The mechanical properties of wood in various parts or directions are different. The complex structure of wood and its hygroscopicity prevent the use of coolants and lubricants, resulting in rapid tool wear disproportionate to the hardness of the processed material. This significantly affects machining efficiency and the quality of the processed surface. It seems that an effective method of reducing tool wear is its modification with a thin hard coating produced by the Physical Vapor Deposition or Chemical Vapor Deposition methods. The article presents tool materials used for woodworking, areas for improving the efficiency of their work, and the impact of thin hard coatings on the increase in tool durability, including binary coatings and also doping with various elements and multilayer coatings. Scientific centers dealing with the above-mentioned subject are also mentioned. A brief review of the effects of surface modifications of woodworking tools in the context of their durability is presented. It was found that the most promising coatings on tools for woodworking were multilayer coatings, especially based on chromium. Higher wear resistance was demonstrated by coatings with a lower coefficient of friction. This value was more important than hardness in predicting the service life of the coated tool.