Tool Steel
Material Introduction
Tool steel is a family of high-hardness, wear-resistant, and heat-treatable steels engineered for cutting tools, industrial dies, molding inserts, and high-load mechanical components. When adapted for additive manufacturing, tool steel offers exceptional durability and dimensional stability, enabling the production of complex geometries that traditional machining or EDM alone cannot achieve. Through metal powder bed fusion, supported by Neway AeroTech’s advanced tool steel 3D printing, it becomes possible to fabricate conformal-cooled mold inserts, wear-resistant gears, precision fixtures, and high-volume cutting elements with shorter lead times. The unique combination of strength, thermal resistance, and machinability after printing makes tool steel one of the most versatile materials for industrial applications requiring extreme performance and long-term reliability.
International Names or Representative Grades
Country/Region | Common Name | Representative Grades |
|---|---|---|
USA | Tool Steel | H13, D2, A2, M2 |
Europe | Tool Steel | X40CrMoV5-1 |
Japan | Alloy Tool Steel | SKD61, SKH51 |
China | Tool Steel | H13, Cr12MoV |
Industry Category | Die and Mold Steel | H series, D series |
Alternative Material Options
Depending on hardness, toughness, and thermal requirements, several advanced materials can serve as alternatives. Stainless steels such as 17-4 PH or 15-5PH offer corrosion resistance with strong mechanical properties for tooling used in humid or chemical environments. High-strength maraging steels, such as 18Ni300, deliver exceptional yield strength and excellent machinability for injection mold cores. For extreme temperature resistance, nickel-based alloys such as Inconel 751 or cobalt-based materials like Stellite 6B outperform tool steel in hot-wear environments. When weight savings is essential, titanium alloys such as Ti-6Al-7Nb offer strong performance at significantly lower density.
Design Purpose
Tool steel was designed to withstand extreme mechanical loads, abrasion, impact, and thermal cycling. Its alloy composition provides controlled hardenability, dimensional stability after quenching, and strong resistance to fatigue cracking. In additive manufacturing, the design intention expands to enable conformal cooling, reduced cycle times, hybrid tooling, complex channel geometries, and the rapid prototyping of molds and dies with enhanced thermal management and improved productivity.
Chemical Composition (Typical for H13 Tool Steel)
Element | Composition (%) |
|---|---|
Carbon (C) | 0.32–0.45 |
Chromium (Cr) | 4.75–5.5 |
Molybdenum (Mo) | 1.1–1.75 |
Vanadium (V) | 0.8–1.2 |
Silicon (Si) | 0.8–1.2 |
Manganese (Mn) | 0.2–0.5 |
Iron (Fe) | Balance |
Physical Properties
Property | Value |
|---|---|
Density | ~7.8 g/cm³ |
Thermal Conductivity | 25–30 W/m·K |
Electrical Resistivity | ~0.7 μΩ·m |
Specific Heat | ~460 J/kg·K |
Melting Point | ~1420–1500°C |
Mechanical Properties
Property | Typical Value |
|---|---|
Tensile Strength | 1500–1900 MPa |
Yield Strength | 1200–1600 MPa |
Hardness (after heat treat) | 48–54 HRC |
Impact Toughness | High for hot-work steel |
Wear Resistance | Excellent |
Key Material Characteristics
High hardness and wear resistance suitable for tooling and die applications
Excellent strength retention at elevated temperatures
Superior toughness and resistance to thermal fatigue cracking
Good dimensional stability after heat treatment
Strong resistance to abrasion, deformation, and cyclic mechanical stress
Excellent compatibility with additive manufacturing for detailed and precise designs
Capable of achieving very high hardness values through post-printing heat treatment
Ideal for conformal cooling channels that significantly reduce cycle time in molding
High surface polishability for transparent molding or precision aesthetic parts
Stable mechanical performance in both cold-work and hot-work environments
Manufacturability in Different Processes
Additive manufacturing: Powder bed fusion supports intricate cooling channels and complex geometries using Neway’s specialized tool steel 3D printing.
CNC machining: Tool steel is efficiently processed with controlled cutting parameters through advanced superalloy CNC machining.
EDM processing: Suitable for detailed finishing using superalloy EDM.
Deep hole drilling: Effective when using high-precision deep hole drilling for cooling channels or ejector pin paths.
Heat treatment: Can be hardened and tempered through optimized superalloy heat treatment cycles for peak properties.
Welding: Repair and modification are possible using controlled superalloy welding.
Casting: Certain grades are suitable for special steel investment casting, including mold and die blanks.
Suitable Post-Processing Methods
Heat treatment and tempering to achieve the desired hardness and toughness
Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) via HIP processing to eliminate porosity and enhance fatigue performance
Precision machining for final dimensional accuracy on mold and die components
Surface polishing for optical or transparent molding applications
Nitriding or carburizing to increase surface hardness and wear resistance
Passivation or chemical cleaning for corrosion-sensitive environments
Non-destructive evaluation using material testing and analysis for quality assurance
EDM finishing for tight internal features or deep slots
Common Industries and Applications
Injection molding and die casting mold inserts
Cutting tools, punches, and industrial shear blades
High-wear gears, cams, and precision motion components
Aerospace fixtures, jigs, and load-bearing elements
Automotive tooling for high-volume manufacturing
Robotics and automation parts requiring long-term wear resistance
When to Choose This Material
When high hardness and wear resistance are required for molding, cutting, or stamping
When complex conformal cooling channels must be integrated into mold inserts
When components require a long service life under cyclic thermal load
When high-dimensional stability is needed after heat treatment
When producing hybrid tooling, combining printed cores with machined surfaces
When optimizing cycle time and reducing thermal gradients is essential
When abrasion and impact resistance are primary design considerations
When manufacturing strong, wear-resistant components with intricate geometry
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