1.2379, 1.2080, 1.2363, 1.2343, 1.2344, 1.2581, 1.2311, 1.2738, 1.2316, 1.2510

Types of Tool Steel

Tool steel is any of various carbon steels and alloy steels that are particularly well-suited to be made into tools and tooling, including cutting tools, dies, hand tools, knives, and others. Their suitability comes from their distinctive hardness, resistance to abrasion and deformation, and their ability to hold a cutting edge at elevated temperatures. As a result, tool steels are suited for use in the shaping of other materials, as for example in cutting, machining, stamping, or forging.

There are 6 Types of Tool Steels: Water Hardening, Cold Work, Shock Resistant, High Speed, Hot Work, and Special Purpose. The choice of group to select depends on cost, working temperature, required surface hardness, strength, shock resistance, and toughness requirements. The more severe the service condition (higher temperature, abrasiveness, corrosiveness, loading), the higher the alloy content and consequent amount of carbides required for the tool steel.

Tool steel also available in improved quality as a result of the Electroslag Remelting Process (ESR), the tool steels 1.2343 ESR, 1.2344 ESR, 1.2379 ESR, 1.2767 ESR and 1.2083 ESR feature improved material properties, such as better material purity, high tensile and compressive strength, and a homogeneous microstructure.

Types of Tool Steels :

• Water Hardening Tool Steels - W Series
• Cold Work Tool Steels - O1, O2, O6, A2 to A10, D2, D3 etc.
• Shock Resistant Tool Steels - S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7 etc.
• High Speed Tool Steel (HSS or HS) - T1, M1, M2, M7, M35, M42, M50 etc.
• Hot Work Tool Steel - H10, H11, H12, H13, H21, etc (H1 to H59)
• Special Purpose - Plastic Mould, P Series, L Series, F Series etc.

• Water Hardening Tool Steel or W Series Grades

Water Harening Tool Steel contains low cost high carbon steels with high hardness. The price factor makes it the most widely used amongst tool steels. However, fragility is a side-effect of the W-grade’s hardness. Also, they are not suitable for working at elevated temperatures.The name derives from the fact that all steels in this group are water quenched. Water quenching may result in cracks and warping more often than oil quenching or air hardening. This is also why the sales, although still leading, have been decreasing compared to other grades.

Like W1,

The most common applications of W Series Grade Tool Steels include:

• Cutters and knifes
• Cutlery
• Embossing
• Drills
• Razor blades
• Lathe tools

• Cold Working group consists of three grade types: Oil Hardening, Air Hardening and D Series Grades.

Cold work tool steels for working temperatures up to approx. 200°C, such as

1.2080 (highest degree of hardness and wear resistance)

1.2379 (secondary hardening with good toughness and excellent wear resistance)

1.2358 (pre-hardened, high toughness, excellent surface hardenability)

1.2510 and 1.2842 (standard cold work tool steels with good price/performance ratio)

1.2767 (high toughness, good polishability) are particularly well suited for manufacturing cutting, punching, bending and forming tools.

Depending on your individual requirements, tool steels can provide high wear resistance, through hardenability, toughness, polishability or surface hardenability.

1) Air Hardening Tool Steel or A-Grades (Cold Working)

A Series Grade Tool Steels have a higher content of chromium which results in a better response to heat treatment. The machinability of A-grade tool steels is quite good. In addition, they have great wear resistance and toughness properties.

Like A2, A8, A6, 1.2363, 1.2516, 1.3501, 1.2550

The most common applications of A-grade tool steels include but are not limited to:

• Cams
• Bending dies
• Blanking dies
• Coining dies
• Embossing dies
• Lamination dies
• Chipper knives
• Lathe centres
• Plastic injection moulds
• Cold extrusion punches

2) D-Grades Tool Steel (Cold-Working)

In D Series we find the tool steels that combine W-grade and A-grade characteristics. On one hand, they contain a higher amount of carbon compared to the water hardening type. On the other hand, they have the properties described above which are typical of the air hardening type.Because of their high chromium content, D series tool steels are often also categorised as stainless. But the corrosion protection is actually pretty limited.

Like D2 , D3

The most common applications include:

• Burnishing tools
• Cutters
• Cold extrusion dies
• Lamination dies
• Woodworking knives
• Lathe centres
• Drawing punches
• Plastic injection moulds
• Seaming rolls
• Forming rolls

3) Oil Hardening Tool Steel or O-Grades (Cold-Working)
This tool steels group has great resistance to abrasion and high toughness properties. It is considered to be a general-purpose steel, making it very versatile.

Like 1.3520, 1.2419, O2, O1

Most of the applications are similar to those of A-grade and D-grade tool steels, but also include:

• Bushings
• Chasers for thread cutting
• Collets
• Master engraving rolls
• Gauges
• Punches

• Shock Resistant Tool Steel or S Series Grades

Shock Resisting contains low carbon tool steels and have very high toughness values. That allows them to be very resistant to shock at both low and high temperatures. However, they are not very resistant to abrasion because of the same low carbon content.

Like S2, S7, etc.

The most relevant applications of S-grade tool steels are:

• Jackhammer parts
• Blacksmith chisels
• Cold working chisels
• Hot working chisels
• Clutch parts
• Hot forming dies
• Cold gripper dies
• Chipper knives
• Pneumatic tools
• Hot stamps

• High Speed Tool Steel

These tool steels are especially common in cutting tools.Mechanical cutting methods result in a lot of heat generation. High-speed steels do not lose their hardness at high temperatures, though, making this a perfect use-case for them.

Like T1, M1, M2, M7, M35, M42, M50 etc.

Common applications for high-speed steels:

• Power-saw blades
• Drill bits
• Milling cutters
• Gear cutters
• Router bits

• Hot-Working Tool Steel or H-Grades

When cutting material at very high temperatures, you may want to use a tool steel from this group. They high toughness and hardness values and keep their characteristics while working at high temperatures for long periods.This is achieved by having a low carbon content, but a high content of other alloying elements.

Hot work tool steels for working temperatures above 200°C, such as 1.2343 and 1.2344 are primarily used for aluminium die-casting moulds. Also available in ESR quality (electroslag remelting process) for special requirements.

1.2714 for forging dies, extrusion tools and numerous fields of application, high pressure, and heat resistance in soft-annealed or high-tempered design.

Like 1.2367, H10, H11, H12, H13, H21

The most common applications of H-grade tool steels include:

• Casings
• Hot forging
• Dummy blocks for hot extrusion
• Plastic injection moulds
• Hot working punches

The choice of the tool steel you really need depends on the properties your specific application requires. The most common mechanical properties to consider are surface hardness, toughness, working temperature and shock resistance.

AISI / SAE Tool Steel Grades :

Tool Steel, Highspeed Steels and Mould Steels :

We New Arise Metal are Stockist & Suppliers of Tool Steel of Below mentioned Grade.

O1 Tool Steel :

O1 is an oil hardening carbon manganese tool steel, possessing excellent dimensional stability during heat treatment.

Typical applications: Press Tools, Broaches, Clipping, Marking Punches, Gauges, Jigs, Deep Drawing Dies, Slitting Cutters, Taps & Screwing Tools

A2 Tool Steel :

A2 is an air hardening, cold work, tool steel. A 5% Chromium steel which provides high hardness after heat treatment with good dimensional stability. A2 delivers good toughness with medium wear resistance and is relatively easy to machine. Used in many applications which require good wear resistance as well as good toughness.

Typical Applications: blanking tools, punch dies, trim dies, forming dies, gauges, shear , blades, stamping dies.

D2 Tool Steel :

D2 Steel is a high carbon, high chromium cold work tool steel. Recommended for use when greater toughness is required. It offers good wear resistance and high compressive strength.

Typical applications: Press Tools (inc. heavy duty), general purpose punches and dies, crushers, gauges, swaging dies, tools requiring resistance to abrasion, blanking tools, Thread rolling, Coining, General purpose.

D3 Tool Steel :

D3 Steel is a high Carbon, high chromium cold work tool steel. D3 is similar to D2 but can attain a slightly higher hardness, it displays excellent abrasion/wear resistance and has good dimensional stability and high compressive strength.

Typical Applications: Use for blanking and forming dies that require maximum resistance to abrasion. D3 is also used in forming rolls, press tools and punches.

H11 Tool Steel :

H11 (1.2343) is a 5% chromium hot work tool steel. Compare to H13, H11 has less vanadium giving it higher toughness, with some reduction in wear resistance and temper resistance. H11 has excellent dimensional stability during heat treatment.

H13 Tool Steel :

H13 (1.2344) is an air hardening chromium die steel - can be used for a range of appplications. The higher vanadium content ensures increased resistance to heat checking and all round improvement to properties at elevated temperatures. Tools may be water cooled without risk of cracking. After normal heat treatment has been carried out it is suitable for nitriding 0.30mm (0.012") deep.

Typical applications: Hot forging and pressing dies, Extrusion dies, mandrels and punches, Hot chisels, Pressure pads, Extrusion stems and rams, Blanking and bending tools, Hot heading tools, Backer blocks.

M2 High Speed Steel :

M2 is a medium alloyed high speed steel which has good machinability. The composition of M2 gives a good combination of toughness and hardness. Widely used for cutting tools such as twist drills, taps, milling cutters, saws, knives etc. Also suitable for cold work applications in tools for punching, forming and pressing

M42 High Speed Steel :

M42 is highly cobalt alloyed. It's composition makes for a good combination of toughness and hardness. M42 is a steel to be used in conditions where the demand for red-hardness is greatly important. Due to it's well balanced properties M42 has come into wide use for all cutting tools

P20 Tool Steel :

P20 (1.2311) Pre hardened to approximately 300 B.H (65 t.s.i) P20 requires no further heat treatment therefore avoiding risk of distortion or cracking. Although pre-hardened P20 is still capable of being machined and of giving a good polished finish.

Typical applications: Plastic moulds, backers, bolsters, die holders. Also suitable for other applications such as rails, shafts and wear strips

P20S (1.2312) Delivered pre-hardened this material is ready for use at approximately 280/325 H.B. Similar to P20 (1.2311) but with a higher sulpher content which provides much improved machinability. This grade is not suitable for polishing or other applications requiring a fine finish.

Typical applications: Suitable for large mould frames and bolsters

P20N (1.2738) Delivered pre hardened ready for use at 280/325 H.B. With added Nickel to ensure consistent hardness through large sections. Easy to polish and readyily machinable.

Typical applications: Used for quality for pressing and injection moulding tools. If the section exceeds 400mm P20 (1.2311) won't provide a consistent through hardness. Suitable for hard chrome plating and for nitriding

1.2316 Mould Steel :

1.2316 is a chrome-molybdenum steel with improved corrosion resistance properties, DIN 1.2316 / X38CrMo16 possesses good polishability, toughness, heat resistance and wear-resistant properties. It is often used for tools for processing chemically aggressive plastic materials (e.g. PVC).

Typical applications: Injection mould for plastics, die-casting moulds, moulding of corrosive material (PVC), extrusion tools.