Investigation into adhesive wear of PVD coated and uncoated hot stamping production tools

•A novel surface replication technique is used to study wear on PVD coated tools.•Replication technique allows roughness and wear mechanism study of PVD coated tools.•Adhesive wear mechanism is predominantly identified in direct hot stamping process.•Tribological behaviour of PVD coated and uncoated tools can be compared objectively.•PVD coated tools have less adhered material in terms of affected zones and thickness.

The tribological behaviour of two sets of industrial hot stamping tools, one tool made of uncoated hot work tool steel and another PVD coated hot work tool steel set, were analysed by means of a surface replication technique. This technique allows using laboratory equipment and methodology for the inspection of tools without removing them from production. By means of this procedure, on the one hand adhesive wear mechanism can be identified and properly described and, on the other hand, the morphology and thickness of adhered material on tool surface is measured. The tribological behaviour of different industrial tools can be compared objectively.