In order to improve the wear resistance of free cutting steel Y15,the surface of steel Y15 was treated with ion nitriding and the coatings（TiN,TiCN,AlTiCrN coating）by multiarc ion plating technique.The tribological properties of the samples prepared was studied on a SRVⅣoscillating friction and wear tester,and were compared with those of salt bath nitriding samples.The results show that the sample with ion nitriding+AlTiCrN coating has the best wear resistance,then following by that with nitriding+TiCN coating and nitriding+TiN coating.The main wear mechanisms are adhesive wear for the sample treated with salt bath nitriding,adhesion wear and abrasive wear for the sample treated with ion nitriding+TiN coating,and slight furrow and adhesion wear for the samples treated with ion nitriding+TiCN coating and nitriding+AlTiCrN coating,respectively.