Scientific Cutting Tools is expanding and upgrading its in house tool coating capabilities with CemeCon HiPIMS technology. With this move, the California based family company positions itself firmly in the high end segment of cutting tools for complex applications and lays the foundation for further growth. The new CC800®HiPIMS opens up virtually unlimited possibilities for customized coatings and gives customers real added value in precision and repeatability.
In the Los Angeles metropolitan area, Scientific Cutting Tools, SCT for short, manufactures precision tools for leading U.S. industrial companies. Alongside general purpose tools, the company focuses on drilling and milling tools for highly demanding industries. SCT specializes in the manufacture of porting tools and thread milling cutters for fluid technology in aviation and other industrial applications. These are production environments where tight tolerances, maximum repeatability, and guaranteed reliability decide success or failure.
Since May 2026, the CemeCon CC800®HiPIMS coating system, including a wet blasting unit, has been taking the mid sized company’s tool coating to an even higher level. For SCT, in house HiPIMS coating and CemeCon’s comprehensive premium service are key building blocks for expanding its technical capabilities and market position. Beyond immediate access to the latest generation of exclusive coating materials, the partnership brings a decisive advantage in support, ensuring that SCT’s entire tool manufacturing process is geared toward top quality results.
Holistic manufacturing concept for cutting tools
The new CemeCon machine completes a comprehensive innovation package that also includes a Zoller measuring system for geometry inspection and quality control, as well as an ANCA stream finish machine for cutting edge preparation. “We are convinced that only those who control every step in the tool manufacturing process can ultimately control their own performance,” explains Jonathan Christopher, Director of Manufacturing for SCT.
The elements work together seamlessly. The measuring system delivers precise geometric data and ensures batch to batch consistency, while defined cutting edge preparation, including edge radius, surface condition and homogeneity, lets the coating reach its full potential. “Each of our tools is the result of an end to end process chain that includes final inspection. All steps are optimally coordinated with one another,” emphasizes Jonathan Christopher.
HiPIMS: flexible and ready for growth
The choice of CemeCon and HiPIMS was based on their flexibility and focus on coating quality. HiPIMS produces smooth and homogeneous coatings without the droplets associated with traditional arc processes, helping reduce friction and improve chip flow while supporting adhesion and wear resistance.
“We wanted a solution that could grow with our needs,” adds Brian Falk, Director of Business Strategy for SCT. New coating materials can be introduced without new equipment or complex adjustments, allowing SCT and CemeCon to develop coatings for new applications and product lines.
SCT is initially focusing on round tools for aerospace and general machining, with plans to validate performance before expanding to other applications. “We want customers to see these coatings as part of SCT’s larger commitment to precision and performance, not as a separate feature added after the fact,” states Brian Falk.
Choosing the ideal partner
After a decade operating another supplier’s coating system, SCT was no longer satisfied with the support behind it. The search was for better technology and above all, better service.
“The technology was impressive, but just as important to us was that CemeCon was a perfect fit as a partner. Long term, trusting relationships matter greatly to us,” states Jonathan Christopher. “At the same time, we operate in a market with significantly larger competitors. CemeCon understands these dynamics and, like us, is a company with clear values, technical expertise, and a long term perspective on manufacturing.” For him, these things make the difference. “We never felt like we were just buying a machine. We were choosing the ideal partner.”
Mutual trust shaped the collaboration from the very start. Before making the investment decision, SCT employees visited the CemeCon Inc. facility in Horseheads, New York, USA, where their tools were coated for testing and analysis to validate the quality and performance of the HiPIMS coatings.“We can be whatever the customer wants and needs us to be,” says Brian Falk, summing up the philosophy behind the partnership: expert advice, engineering, and sampling, and doors that are always open.
Know-how transfer across the Atlantic OCEAN
CemeCon Inc and the German headquarters in Würselen closely supported installation and commissioning through a structured know how transfer, enabling SCT to run the HiPIMS technology independently, with full command of the process, from day one. The Horseheads team contributes over 20 years of job coating experience, reinforced by 40 years of experience from CemeCon’s headquarter in Germany, and passes it on through hands on training.
CemeCon’s versatile technology also equips SCT for current market challenges. Rising carbide costs and mounting cost pressure mean that tool manufacturers who want to stay competitive must offer greater performance and value in the form of longer tool life. Here, SCT is taking a pioneering step toward differentiation and growth.
Standing out from the competition as a key success factor
Sarah Christopher Falk, Director of Marketing for SCT, sees the HiPIMS system as a key differentiator for SCT. “We are on the leading edge as in house HiPIMS coating gains momentum in the U.S. and the first to bring it to the West Coast. CemeCon’s technology and service effectively and sustainably strengthen our market position, as a mid sized supplier with a high degree of specialization.”
SCT was founded in 1963 by Stanley Christopher, driven by the conviction that the American manufacturing industry deserved better tools. Three generations later, SCT continues this legacy. The company develops, grinds, and coats every tool in house to meet the highest standards of performance and reliability. SCT serves customers in the aerospace, defense, medical technology, automotive, and advanced manufacturing sectors, including renowned companies and institutions such as NASA, Blue Origin, Caterpillar, Lockheed Martin, and Johns Hopkins.
