Forging Tool Steel
Material Description
Tool steel is a specialized class of steel widely used in the forging industry for its exceptional material properties that make it ideal for shaping, cutting, and forming metal components. This category of steel is known for its high strength, durability, and wear resistance. Typically alloyed with various elements such as chromium, vanadium, tungsten, and molybdenum, tool steel offers superior mechanical and thermal properties essential for withstanding the extreme conditions encountered during the forging process.
Tool steel’s material properties include excellent hardness and toughness, making it highly suitable for forging applications. Its high hardness enables it to maintain a sharp cutting edge or withstand the heavy impact and stress encountered during shaping operations. Moreover, tool steel is known for its exceptional wear resistance, ensuring that the cutting or shaping edges remain sharp and efficient over extended periods of use. Its ability to retain these qualities at elevated temperatures is another key attribute, as forging processes involve working with metal at high temperatures. Tool steel’s heat resistance and tempering capabilities allow it to retain its hardness even when exposed to the extreme heat generated during the forging process. This, in turn, helps extend the lifespan of the tool and improve efficiency in the forging industry. In summary, tool steel is a crucial material in forging due to its outstanding combination of hardness, toughness, wear resistance, and heat resistance, making it an indispensable choice for manufacturing tools used in the forging process.
Industry Applications
Essential in defense for armor-piercing ammo, in solar structures for tooling, in medical for surgical tools, in electric vehicles for cutting tools, in drones for precision machining, in aerospace for precision machining, and in general engineering for precision tooling.
Finishing Options
Hardening and Tempering, Nitriding, Powder Coating, Heat Treatment
| Density | Tensile Yield Strength (MPa) | Fatigue Strength (MPa) | Hardness (Brinell) | Thermal Conductivity (W/m-K) | Coeff. of Thermal Expansion (mm/mdeg) | Electrical Resistivity (micro Ohm-cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
Design Recommendation
Efficient tool steel forging begins with a design that features uniform cross-sections to minimize material waste. Incorporate fillets and rounded edges to reduce stress concentrations and the risk of cracking. Pay attention to draft angles for easy die release and avoid overly complex designs that may require extensive machining, contributing to cost reduction.
Cost Saving Tip
Cost-saving when forging tool steel can be achieved through careful die design and maintenance to minimize material wastage and extend die lifespan. Focus on efficient heating and forging processes to reduce energy consumption. Implement lean manufacturing practices to reduce waste, and optimize post-forging processes like machining to save on additional costs.
