1.2550 - 60WCrV8
Delivery Condition
⚙️ Delivery Condition
| Delivery condition | Description | Hardness [HB/HRC] |
|---|---|---|
| Soft annealed | standard delivery condition; the steel is suitable for machining and subsequent heat treatment | max. ~230 HB |
| Quenched and tempered (QT) | on request – ready for immediate use as a tool steel | 54–58 HRC |
| Pre-hardened (pre-processed) | rarely supplied; used for semi-finished products and molds with lower load requirements | approx. 1000–1100 N/mm² |
| Polished or ground surface | for tools requiring precision and a smooth surface | according to heat treatment |
Material number
🧾 Steel Designation
| System / Standard | Designation |
|---|---|
| EN (steel number) | 1.2550 |
| EN (according to chemical composition) | 60WCrV8 |
| DIN | 60WCrV8 |
| AISI / ASTM | AISI S1 |
| ČSN (approximate equivalent) | 19 573 |
| ISO | 60WCrV8 |
Properties and Applications
⚙️ Properties
| Property | Description / Value |
|---|---|
| Toughness | Good |
| Wear resistance | High |
| Dimensional stability | Good during hardening |
| Heat treatment | Hardening and tempering to high hardness |
| Impact resistance | Good |
Mechanical Properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Tensile strength Rm | 900–1200 MPa |
| Yield strength Re | 600–850 MPa |
| Elongation A5 | 10–15% |
| Hardness HB | 200–240 HB (before hardening), 650–700 HB (after hardening) |
🧰 Applications
| Area of application | Specific examples |
|---|---|
| Tools for cold work | dies, chisels, punches, sheet metal cutting knives |
| Tools exposed to impact and vibration | impact and striking tools, forming and punching tools |
| Forming and shaping tools | press inserts, punches, dies for cold forming |
| Tools for forging and impact work | hammers, punches, die heads |
| Knives and special tools | special shear knives, tools for pressing shops and toolrooms |
⚙️ Application characteristics
- Designed for tools subjected to high impact loads, where conventional tool steels would crack.
- Steel 1.2550 (S1) offers high toughness and resistance to thermal shock, allowing its use even under repeated impacts or temperature changes.
- It combines strength, toughness and wear resistance, making it ideal for demanding forming conditions.
Chemical composition
🧪 Chemical Composition
| Element | Content (%) |
|---|---|
| C | 0.55–0.65 |
| Si | 0.20–0.40 |
| Mn | 0.30–0.60 |
| Cr | 0.80–1.20 |
| Mo | 0.05–0.25 |
| V | 0.15–0.35 |
| P | ≤ 0.030 |
| S | ≤ 0.030 |
Heat treatment
🔥 Typical Heat Treatment
| Step | Temperature [°C] | Description and purpose | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Soft annealing | 750–780 °C | Slow cooling in the furnace (approx. 10 °C/h down to 600 °C), then in air. Removal of internal stresses and improved machinability. | Hardness max. ~230 HB |
| 2. Preheating before hardening | 450–500 °C, then 800–850 °C | Uniform heating of the material before austenitizing. | Reduced risk of cracking during hardening |
| 3. Austenitizing (heating for hardening) | 820–860 °C | Holding time depending on the cross-section of the material (approx. 20–30 min). | Transformation into austenite |
| 4. Hardening | from the austenitizing temperature | Oil, air or warm bath (180–220 °C) | Transformation into martensite; hardness after hardening ~58–60 HRC |
| 5. Tempering | 200–300 °C (2× 1–2 h) | Immediately after hardening. Reduction of internal stresses and increased toughness. | Final hardness: 54–58 HRC |
⚙️ Important recommendations
- Tempering should always be carried out immediately after hardening – preferably double tempering.
- For high impact loads, a lower hardness (~54 HRC) may be selected to achieve higher toughness.
- The steel has good dimensional stability and resistance to thermal shock, making it suitable for impact tools and dies.
📘 Final properties after typical treatment
- Hardness: 54–58 HRC
- High toughness and strength
- Excellent resistance to cracking and deformation
- Long service life under cyclic loading
Delivery Condition
Material number
Properties and Applications
Chemical composition
Heat treatment
