Abstract: An arc evaporation source constituting this vacuum arc deposition apparatus has a plurality of cathodes, a trigger electrode, a trigger drive unit, a shutter, and a shutter drive unit. The trigger drive unit changes over the position of the trigger electrode to thereby position the trigger electrode in front of a desired cathode, and connects/disconnects the trigger electrode to/from the desired cathode in the changed-over position. The shutter covers the fronts of all the cathodes except the desired cathode. The shutter drive unit moves the shutter to thereby change over the cathode not covered with the shutter. Further, the vacuum arc deposition apparatus has a changeover control unit for controlling the shutter drive unit and the trigger drive unit to thereby change over the cathode not covered with the shutter and to thereby position the trigger electrode in front of the cathode not covered with the shutter.

Abstract: Amorphous carbon coated tools include substrates formed from a cubic boron nitride sintered body, a diamond sintered body, a silicon nitride sintered body, or an aluminum oxide-titanium carbide sintered body, and amorphous carbon films thereon to make the cutting edges of the tools. The amorphous carbon films contain hydrogen at 5 atomic percent or below and have a maximum thickness of 0.05 ?m to 0.5 ?m on the cutting edges. The amorphous carbon films are most suitable for applications to cutting tools exemplified by cutters, knives, and slitters, and to indexable inserts used for example in turning tools including drills, endmills, and reamers, and milling cutters.

Abstract: An amorphous carbon coated tool includes a base material of WC base cemented carbide, and an amorphous carbon film formed on this base material. The cobalt content in the base material is at least 12% by mass. The maximum thickness of the amorphous carbon film is at least 0.05 ?m and not more than 0.5 ?m at the cutting edge. The amorphous carbon film is deposited with graphite as the source material by physical vapor deposition in an atmosphere substantially absent of hydrogen. The amorphous carbon film coated tool superior in wear resistance and adhesion resistance is preferably applicable to rotating tools such as drills, end mills and reamers, indexable inserts used for milling cutters and turning tools, and cutting-off tools such as cutters, knives, or slitters.

Abstract: An arc evaporation source constituting this vacuum arc deposition apparatus has a plurality of cathodes, a trigger electrode, a trigger drive unit, a shutter, and a shutter drive unit. The trigger drive unit changes over the position of the trigger electrode to thereby position the trigger electrode in front of a desired cathode, and connects/disconnects the trigger electrode to/from the desired cathode in the changed-over position. The shutter covers the fronts of all the cathodes except the desired cathode..: The shutter drive unit moves the shutter to thereby change over the cathode not covered with the shutter. Further, the vacuum arc deposition apparatus has a changeover control unit for controlling the shutter drive unit and the trigger drive unit to thereby change over the cathode not covered with the shutter and to thereby position the trigger electrode in front of the cathode not covered with the shutter.

Abstract: Amorphous carbon coated tools having excellent wear-resistant and anti-adhesion features and methods of producing the same are provided.

Abstract: An amorphous carbon coated tool includes a base material of WC base cemented carbide, and an amorphous carbon film formed on this base material. The cobalt content in the base material is at least 12% by mass. The maximum thickness of the amorphous carbon film is at least 0.05 &mgr;m and not more than 0.5 &mgr;m at the cutting edge. The amorphous carbon film is deposited with graphite as the source material by physical vapor deposition in an atmosphere substantially absent of hydrogen. The amorphous carbon film coated tool superior in wear resistance and adhesion resistance is preferably applicable to rotating tools such as drills, end mills and reamers, indexable inserts used for milling cutters and turning tools, and cutting-off tools such as cutters, knives, or slitters.

Abstract: Super hard composite material for tools, comprising a substrate of CBN sintered body containing more than 20% by volume of cubic boron nitride (CBN), improved in strength of base material, wear-resistance, hardness at high temperatures and acid-resistance usable in cutting work of steels which are difficult to be machined. The substrate (2) has a laminated film (1) consisting of super thin films (a) and (b) each deposited alternatively on the substrate (2), the super thin film (a) being made of nitride and/or carbide of at least one element selected from a group comprising IVa group elements, Va group elements, VIa group elements, Al and B and possessing a crystal structure of cubic system and metallic bond property, the super thin film (b) being made of at least one compound possessing a crystal structure other than cubic system and covalent bond property under equilibrium condition at ambient temperature and pressure, each unit layer of the super thin films (a) and (b) having a thickness of 0.

Abstract: Hard composite material for tools, comprising a substrate of CBN sintered body containing more than 20% by volume of cubic boron nitride or diamond sintered body containing more than 40% by volume of diamond. The substrate has at least one layer of hard heat-resisting film consisting mainly of Ti, Al and at least one element selected from a group comprising C, N and O on a portion or portions of said substrate where cutting participate. Improved in strength of base material, wear-resistance and oxidation-resistance, less reactive with iron and showing longer tool life comparing to known cutting tools and usable in wider applications such as hardened steel, cast ion and simultaneous cutting of cast ion and aluminum alloy.

Abstract: Ultrafine particle-layered film for coating cutting tools. The film has more than two layers of at least two compounds consisting mainly of carbide, nitride, carbonitride or oxide of at least one element selected from a group consisting of IVa group elements, Va group elements, VIa group elements, Al, Si and B, and that each layer is made of ultrafine particles. Ultrafine particle-layered film improves hardness, strength, wear-resistance and heat-resistance of the tools.

Abstract: A coating film which can sufficiently improve the wear resistance of a cutting tool or a wear-resistant tool and which reveals excellent qualities as a wear-resistant or protective film for an electric or electronic part or a sliding or machine part. Such a coating film is in the form of an ultra-thin film laminate comprising at least one nitride or carbonitride of at least one element selected from the group consisting of the elements in the groups IVa, Va and VIa in the periodic table and Al and B and having a cubic crystal structure and having mainly metallic bonding properties, and at least one compound having a crystal structure other than the cubic crystal structure at normal temperature and normal pressure and under equilibrium state and having mainly covalent bonding properties, the at least one nitride or carbonitride and the compound being alternately laminated in the form of layers, each layer of the compound having a thickness of 0.

Abstract: A coating film which can sufficiently improve the wear resistance of a cutting tool or a wear-resistant tool and which reveals excellent qualities as a wear-resistant or protective film for an electric or electronic part or a sliding or machine part. Such a coating film is in the form of an ultra-thin film laminate comprising at least one nitride or carbonitride of at least one element selected from the group consisting of the elements in the groups IVa, Va and VIa in the periodic table and Al and B and having a cubic crystal structure and having mainly metallic bonding properties, and at least one compound having a crystal structure other than the cubic crystal structure at normal temperature and normal pressure and under equilibrium state and having mainly covalent bonding properties, the at least one nitride or carbonitride and the compound being alternately laminated in the form of layers, each layer of the compound having a thickness of 0.