Tool Grade Steels for Cold Work

Learn about tool grade steels for cold work. If we consider the melting temperature of the metal we are going to use (regardless of its type), for example, for metal "x", the melting temperature is 1000°C. If we work with this material below 40% of its melting temperature, we would be cold working it.

Following the guidelines of international standards (BS EN ISO 4957:2000 Tool Steel), when the temperature of the surface of the tool during operation exceeds 200°C, it is considered that we are working hot. On the other hand, if the surface temperature is less than 200°C, it is considered that we are working cold.

Once the manufacturing areas to transform a raw material have been identified, what we do the transformation with will be called tooling in which we can talk about:

• Hot work (Warm forging, Die casting, Forging, Extrusion, Stamping, etc.).
• Plastic molding (Injection, Blow, Extursion).
• Cold work (Rolling, Drawing, Cutting-Punching, Heading.

What are the steels that are commonly used for cold work?

Tool grade steels with high tempering temperature, usually with a content of 0.50 to 1.50% Carbon and also with additions of carbide-forming elements such as Chromium (Cr), Molybdenum (Mo), Vanadium (V), Tungsten (W) and Cobalt (Co). These steels in most of their applications will be used as tools to cut and/or form other metals or materials; their classification system is based on three basic aspects:

• Due to its cooling medium during hardening (sudden cooling in the hardening heat treatment).
• For its application.
• Due to its chemical composition.

Importance of carbides in tool grade steels

They are metallic components or particles formed by carbon with elements such as iron, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, tungsten, and cobalt.

• They are of high hardness.
• They are resistant to abrasion.
• They have low tenacity.
• Some of them are formed from the moment of solidification of steel.
• They are present in all types of steel.
• They are responsible for the mechanical resistance, wear resistance, toughness and hot resistance of steels.
• Its presence in steel is very important, but the quantity, size and distribution determine the best performance of tools made with this type of steel.

At Serviacero Especiales we sell tool grade steels for cold working of the following qualities:

• O1
• A2
• D2
• M2
• S7
• CHW (AISI D6)
• PM823 ESR

Contact us through this means to quote Tool Grade Steels or by calling 4773933107, where we will gladly answer questions and/or requests regarding this type of steel.

You can also visit our Official website to learn more about products.

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