Introduction

AISI A2 Cold Work Tool Steel air hardening, with maximum dimensional stability during heat
treatment, offering high abrasion resistance and good toughness. Generally supplied annealed to
HB 231 max. A2 steel is an air hardening, cold work, tool steel. A 5% Chromium steel which
provides high hardness after heat treatment with good dimensional stability. It is heat treatable
and will offer a hardness in the range 57-62 HRC.

Applications
AISI A2 steel takes a place in tool steel range between AISI O1 and AISI D2, offering an
excellent combination of good wear resistance and toughness. It may be regarded, therefore, as a
universal cold work steel.
For cutting operations the good toughness of AISI A2 gives excellent resistance to chipping of
the cutting edge. In many cases tools made from this steel have given better tooling economy
than high-carbon, high-chromium steels of the D3/W.-Nr. 2080 type.
AISI A2 steel has much better machining and grinding properties.It can be used to make Bending
Dies, Blanking Dies, Block Gauges, Cams, Coining Dies, Cold Forming Dies, Cold Shears, Cold
Trimming Dies, Forming Dies, Knurls, Machine Parts, Mandrels, Plastic Mold Dies, Punch
Plates, Punchers, Reamers, Ring Gauges, Roll Threading Dies, Rolls, Shear Blades, Slitters,
Stamping Dies, Threading Taps, Trimming Dies, etc.
Heat treatmant
Forging: Heat slowly to 700C then more rapidly to 1050-1100C. Avoid working below
900C. Reheat as often as necessary to maintain proper forging temperature. After forging cool
very slowly. Heat slowly and uniformly. Cool in vermiculite or in other insulating media. Anneal
after forging.
Annealing: Soak thoroughly at 840-850C, then slow furnace cool at a rate of not more than
20C per hour. After annealing A2 a maximum hardness of 215 Brinell may be achieved.Protect
against surface decarburization using controlled atmosphere or by pack-annealing.
Hardening: Pre heat slowly to 600-700C and soak. Continue heating to the final hardening
temperature of 950/980C and allow the component to equalise. Quench in oil or cool in
air.Temper immediately after hardening. Allow to cool to 125-150 F before tempering. Soak
time is 15 minutes per inch of thickness. Minimum of 30 minutes.
Tempering: Heat uniformly and thoroughly to the desired temperature and hold for 25 minutes
per cm of thickness. A2 can be double tempering, after intermediate cooling to room
temperature. Temper at 200C for a balance of hardness and strength or 350C where strength is
more important than hardness.Complete equalization of temperature throughout the tools is
essential for good results. Double temper. Recommended temperature is 400-1000 F.

Typical Hardness/Applications-Air cooled at 930C970C & tempered

Temper (C) Hardness (HRC)

Typical Applications
150
6263
Brick mould liners, gauges, guide pins, thread rolling dies
150
6163
Blanking and bending dies, forming rolls
200
6062
Crimping, cold heading and coining dies, paper slitters
200
5862
Forming tools and roller guide rolls, hobbing punches
250
5860
Gripper and trimming dies, cold shear blades
250
5760
Cold forging dies, coining dies, knives
400
5658
Shear blades, wire drawing grips
550
5456
Parts requiring maximum toughness
Temp

Density (1000 kg/m3)

7.86

25

Poisson's Ratio

0.27-0.30

25

Elastic Modulus (GPa)

190-210

25

C
Si
Mn
P
S
Cr
Mo
V
0.95-1.05 0.10-0.50 0.40-1.00 0.030 max 0.030 max 4.75-5.50 0.90-1.40 0.15-0.50