Hot work tool steel
Description
Hot work tool steels are intended for the production of tools that are exposed during operation to high temperatures (above 200 °C), mechanical stress, thermal shock, and often also to the pressure of molten metal.
Properties and Applications
🔧 Characteristics
- High resistance to thermal fatigue (cyclic heating and cooling)
- Good strength at elevated temperatures
- Good dimensional stability after heat treatment
- Increased resistance to wear and oxidation
- Good ductility and toughness
🔥 Typical applications
- Tools for aluminium and zinc die casting
- Moulds for plastic injection with higher processing temperatures
- Forging dies
- Knives and blades for hot cutting
- Rolls and mandrels for hot metal forming
Heat Treatment
| Process | Temperature | Cooling | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft annealing | 800–850 °C | Slow cooling in furnace | Target: ≤ 230 HB |
| Hardening | 1000–1050 °C | Oil, salt bath, air | Achieving maximum hardness |
| Tempering | 550–650 °C | In air | Temper 2–3 times, target 44–52 HRC |
Interesting fact
🧠 Interesting fact
Hot work tool steel must withstand extremes that would destroy ordinary steel in just a few seconds – it is constantly heated and cooled by hundreds of degrees, often more than 10,000 times a day.
Description
Properties and Applications
Heat Treatment
Interesting fact
