Toolox 44 – One of the strongest pre-hardened tool steels on the market – approx. 45 HRC
Toolox 44 is a premium martensitic pre-hardened steel from SSAB, supplied at approximately 45 HRC while maintaining exceptional toughness, dimensional stability and first-class machinability.
It is designed for extremely stressed components, high-precision moulds, durable machine parts, dies and fixtures where conventional steels are no longer sufficient.
Properties of Toolox 44
💥 Pre-hardened to approx. 45 HRC
Ready for immediate machining without annealing or hardening, saving a great deal of time and cost.
🔩 Extreme strength and toughness
Combines high hardness with very high toughness, making it resistant to shock, vibration and cyclic loading.
📏 Excellent dimensional stability
Ultra-low internal stresses ensure minimal distortion during machining, even in large parts.
🔧 Very good machinability
Even at 45 HRC, it machines better than many conventional tool steels, with consistent chip formation and long tool life.
🔥 Suitable for nitriding and PVD coatings
Surface hardness after nitriding can reach 1000–1200 HV, making it ideal for extremely loaded surfaces.
🛡️ High wear and fatigue resistance
Excellent for moulds, dies, knives, and sliding or rotating components.
Chemical composition of Toolox 44 (guideline values – proprietary)
| Element | Typical content |
|---|---|
| C | low to medium content |
| Cr | alloying element for strength and corrosion resistance |
| Mo | improves strength and stability |
| Mn | common structural element |
| Ni | improves toughness, optional |
Note: The exact composition is not disclosed by SSAB, as it is optimized for properties rather than a fixed standard.
Typical applications of Toolox 44
🧩 Plastic moulds – high load
- large moulds
- shaped inserts and core components
- moulds exposed to repeated cyclic heating
🛠️ Dies and forming tools
- dies for both cold and hot work
- shear plates
- shaped segments
⚙️ Machine and structural components
- shafts, axles and holders
- frame parts and precision mechanisms
- durable sliding and rotating parts
🔧 Precision fixtures and tools
- welding and assembly fixtures
- measuring frames
- rigid and precise mechanical platforms
Heat treatment of Toolox 44
Toolox 44 is already pre-hardened and is not further heat treated by quenching and tempering.
Only surface treatments are recommended:
| Process | Note |
|---|---|
| Nitriding | surface 1000–1200 HV, virtually no distortion |
| PVD / CVD coatings | TiN, TiCN, TiAlN – significantly improve service life |
| Quenching and tempering | not recommended, as it may reduce performance |
Mechanical properties of Toolox 44
- Hardness: approx. 45 HRC
- Tensile strength: approx. 1400–1600 MPa
- Yield strength: approx. 1200 MPa
- Hardness after nitriding: 1000–1200 HV
- High toughness under heavy load
- Extremely low internal stresses
