Tool steel is an important industrial material, as it has lots of good features. Its chemical structure is mainly represented by iron, carbon, and composition depending on grade and materials that contain the likes of chromium, vanadium, and tungsten. In case of alloying components, these impart not only hardness , toughness, and wear resistance, but also metal strength. The D2, D3 and M2 grades from AISI are widely utilized in the tool making processes as they possess special properties. A fully elaborated chart that consists of the chemical group and the main physical properties of different grades of tool steel will be useful for engineers and manufacturers. Online resources do provide the convenient way to get access to such table, charts and PDFs for filtering of materials, planning of a design and optimization of process etc for various industrial applications.
Tool steel is a very important material in manufacturing which has strong characteristics and a variety of uses. The nature of its chemical constituents will vary on the basis of its grade (ranging from almost pure scrap to metal with high iron content), with each tailor-made for specific applications. Such community consists of common constituents like carbon, chromium, hrom, molibdenum, and volfram. For instance, strong high-carbon tool steel exhibit distinctly superior cutting edges and yet the alloyed steels like H13 are much more resistant to the heat caused by die-casting. From a multiple of D2 grades, Resistance to wear is powerful, adequate for actions that shape tools. Knowledge about the chemical composition of tool steel is necessary for choosing the right grade in accordance with the requirements of diverse industrial operations.
Elements | Manganese, Mn | Carbon, C | Silicon, Si | Chromium, Cr | Nickel, Ni | Molybdenum, Mo | Vanadium, V | Copper, Cu | Phosphorus, P | Sulfur,S | Fe |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min (%) | 1.4 | 0.85 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Max (%) | 1.8 | 0.95 | 0.5 | 0.35 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.25 | 0.03 | 0.03 | Balance |
Advantages:
Good Wear Resistance: Highly suitable for applications requiring strong wear resistance after hardening.
High Hardness: Can achieve very high hardness after heat treatment.
Ease of Heat Treatment: Straightforward heat treatment process for maximum hardness.
Affordable: Generally cheaper compared to higher alloy tool steels.
Disadvantages:
Limited Toughness: Lower toughness compared to some other tool steels.
Susceptible to Chipping: Prone to chipping under high impact loads.
Machinability: May be more difficult to machine compared to low alloy structural steel.
Corrosion Susceptibility: Requires regular maintenance to prevent corrosion.
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