A lot of processes in the technology industry use industrial blades. These include cutting, shearing and punching tools, usually manufactured from high-quality steels and heat treated, in order to increase strength and wear resistance.

The service life of industrial blades varies, as it is highly dependent on the application and the material used to cut. Cutting blades for plastics and paper undergo different stresses than knives that cut steel sheet. For example, hard particles or fibres are often processed into plastic and composites. These additives are detrimental for blades, because they increase wear. As a result, early regrinding or replacement of the blades is necessary. High strength steels pose a similar problem with metal products.

This 'Collective R&D and Collective Knowledge Dissemination Project' (COOCK) aims to provide a solution to various cutting problems by responding to three key parameters for blades: the material, the surface treatment and the core. There are already several innovative solutions in existence that extend the life of industrial cutting tools, such as:

• the use of alloyed powder metallurgical steels with a purer and more homogeneous structure,
• special heat treatments, based on deep cooling after hardening, with an increase in wear and corrosion resistance as a consequence of a lower residual austenite content, finely divided carbides and a low internal residual stress,
• laser hardening with a very precise edge hardening, without deformation and high hardness,
• laser texturing with better roughness control, low frictional resistance and better removal of chips and heat dissipation,
• coatings that have a higher abrasive and adhesive wear resistance with a low frictional resistance.