Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a hard-material-coated component, comprising the following steps: application of a layer of hard material to the component in a PVD coating unit; and structural further processing of the outer surface of the layer of hard material, and to a component produced using the process. Particularly in the case of thick coatings or coatings with a columnar structure, such processes have a problem producing a sufficiently smooth surface on the coating. The problem is solved by the fact that for the structural further processing, the surface of the layer is blasted in a blasting device in order to improve this surface, an inorganic blasting agent with a grain size in the range from 1 ?m to 100 ?m and a sharp-edged grain shape being used.

Abstract: The invention relates to a PVD coating method and to a PVD coating device with a chamber in which at least one target cathode, at least one anode and at least one substrate holder which is intended to hold at least one substrate are arranged, and with a control device which delivers a first voltage in order to supply the target cathode with a negative electrical potential relative to the anode in order to form a plasma in which the substrate is arranged, and which delivers a second voltage in order to supply the anode with a positive electrical potential relative to the chamber wall. In this sputter-coating device, the ion fraction of the target material which can be achieved is too low for qualitatively satisfactory coating properties. It is increased according to the invention in that the control device delivers a third voltage which supplies the substrate with an electrical potential that is more negative than the potential of the anode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a component, for example a tool, coated with a hard material, in particular diamond, a process for its production and a device for carrying out the process. The process for the production of the component coated with the hard material comprises the steps of: a) introducing a fine-grained cemented carbide or carbide-containing cement substrate into a vacuum system with a heating device and at least one gas feed connection; b) removing carbon from the carbides of a surface layer of the substrate at a substrate temperature in the region of about 900° C. to about 1400° C. and in an oxygen-containing atmosphere; c) introducing carbon into the surface layer of the substrate at a substrate temperature in the region of about 900° C. to about 1400° C. and in a carbon-containing atmosphere; and d) coating the substrate with the hard material.