Selection of Tool Steels

Desirable Properties of Tool Steels

• Hardness - Resistance to Deforming & Flattening

• Toughness - Resistance to Breakage & Chipping

• Wear - Resistance to Abrasion & Erosion

• Corrosion - Resistance to Rusting and Pitting

 Tool Steel Classifications

• Water Hardening Tool Steels (W)

• Shock Resisting Tool Steels (S)
• Cold Work Tool Steels (O,, A,, D)
• Hot Work Tool Steels (H)
• High Speed Tooll Stteells (T,, M)
• Low Alloy Tools Steels (L)
• Mold Tool Steels (P)
• Stainless Steel Tool Steels (3xx, 4xx)
 Alloying Elements in Tools Steels
• Carbon C +Strength, +Hardenability, -Toughness
• Chromium Cr +Strength, +Hardenability, +Corrosion Resistance
- Toughness

• Molybdenum Mo +Strength, +Hardenability, +Toughness, +Hot Hardness

• Vanadium V +Hardenability, +Toughness, +Hot Hardness, +Wear

• Tungsten W +Strength,, +Hardenability,, +Hot Hardness,, --Toughness
• Cobalt Co +Hot Hardness, +Wearr,, --Toughness
• Manganese Mn +Strength, +Hardenability, +Toughness
• Nickel Ni +Hardenability, +Toughness, +Corrosion Resistance
 Hardness, Hardenability, Toughness
• Hardness - ability of a steel to resist deformation
under load. The hardness is directly proportional to
the amount of martensite present in the steel
microstructure.

• Hardenability - ability of a steel harden (i.e. form

martensite to the desired depth) during heat treatment.

• Toughness - is the relative resistance of a material

to breakage, chipping, or cracking under impact or
stress. Toughness may be thought of as the opposite
of brittleness.
Hardness vs. %Carbon in Steel
 Toughness
Toughness - is the relative resistance of a material
to breakage, chipping, or cracking under impact or
stress. Toughness may be thought of as the opposite
of brittleness. Factors which affect Toughness are:
ƒ Tempering –tempered martensite is tougher than
untempered martensite.
ƒ Grain Size and Orientation – Coarse (large) grains give
poor toughness, fine small grains give good toughness.
ƒ Carbide Dispersion – coarse, segregated, poorly
dispersed carbides, lead to low toughness. Fine evenly
dispersed carbides give improved toughness.
Toughness is Directly Proportional to Grain Size

Grain size is Determined by the Austenization Temperature

AISI 1025 Steel AISI 1025 Steel

ASTM Grain Size Numbers

Grain
Grain Size
Size
Choosing Steels for Hardness

Choosing Steels for Toughness

 Wear Resistance
• Intuitively expect that a harder tool will resist
wear better than a softer tool.
• However, different grades, used at the same
hardness, provide varying wear resistance.
For instance, O1, A2, D2, and M2 would be
expected to show increasingly longer wear
performance, even if all were used at 60 HRC.

• In fact, lower hardness, high alloy grades may

outwear higher hardness, lower alloy grades.
 Carbides Effect Wear Resistance
Alloy elements (Cr, Mo, V, W) form hard carbide
particles in tool steel microstructures. Wear
Resistance is influenced by:

• Type carbides (harder is better)

• Amount of carbide present (more is better)
• Dispersion of carbides (finer is better)

In the microstructure of the steel

Hardness of Carbides
•• HARDENED •• 6600//6655
STEELL HRC

•• CHROMIIUM •• 6666//6688
CARBIIDES HRC

•• MOLLYBDENUM •• 7722//7777
CARBIIDES HRC

•• TUNGSTEN •• 7722//7777
CARBIIDES HRC

•• VANADIIUM •• 8822//8844
CARBIIDES HRC
Effect of Carbide Content on
Wear Resistance
HRC 58-62 except as noted
Conventional vs. Powder (CPM)
Steel Making Methods

CONVENTIONAL CPM
Carbide Dispersion Comparison
 Toughness
CPM vs. Conventional
 Corrosion Resistance

Cr (not Cr carbide) is the primary element which

influences corrosion resistance of a steel.

0-4% Cr - No significant effect on resistance to

rusting.
4-11% Cr - Moderate improvement in
resistance to rusting will still stain.
11-23% Cr - Stainless Steel - resistant to rusting
and staining
 Cold Work Tool Steels
Composition and Properties
 Hot Work Tool Steels
Composition and Properties
 High Speed Tool Steel
Compositions and Properties
Stainless Steel Tool Steels
Composition and Properties
Cold Forming Tool Steels
Heat Treatment Table
Hot Forming Tool Steels
Heat Treatment Table
High Speed Tool Steel
Heat Treatment Table
Stainless Steel Tool Steels
Heat Treatment Table
 References
• Crucible Materials Corp
– General Information : Selection of Tool & Die
Steels
• http://www.crucibleservice.com/eselector/general/generalpart1
.html
• CASTI
– Metals Black Book
• http://www.asminternational.org/bookstore/casti/CASTI_Metals
_and_Corrosion_series.htm