Tool Steel

Simplified

Purpose

Purpose of this presentation:

Give you greater confidence that Mates punch and die materials
are the best in the industry
Give you greater confidence that you can sell these advantages

Tool Steel Advantages

Which qualities are the Customers looking for ?

Quality Product
Performing, dependable, reliable, consistent

Wear Resistance (Adhesive vs. Abrasive)

Resistance to wear from gummy materials stainless
Resistance to wear from abrasive materials hot rolled
Provided by hardness level and chemistry (carbide composition)

Toughness and Good Fatigue Life

Resistance to breakage (fracture) and chipping; impact strength
Opposite of brittleness
Is not same as Hardness

Tool Steel Advantages

Which qualities are the Customers looking for ?

Hardness
Resistance to deformation (compression, indentation)
From 58 to 64 HRc, typical 60-62 HRc

Red Hardness (= Heat Resistance = Anneal Resistance)

Ability to sharpen the product without damaging the material as well as
being able to coat it (heated operations)

Price
Must fit the value proposition for the appropriate market

Tool Steel Simplified

Basic Structure
Matrix (Base):

The mortar that holds the road together

Matrix compositions can be altered to

enhance toughness, hardness, heat
resistance, corrosion resistance

Carbides:
Offer resistance to abrasion similar to cobble
stones
Carbide volume and composition can be altered
to offer enhanced wear resistance usually at the
expense of toughness and
fabricability/machinability

Tool Steel Simplified

Carbides consists of Carbon (0.5 to +2%)

in combination with alloying elements

Cr
Mo
Si
W
V

(Chromium)
(Molybdenum)
(Silicium)
(Tungsten)
(Vanadium)

The carbides are harder than the matrix

and provide the wear resistance

Tool Steel Simplified

The carbides are formed during the

fabrication process and can be from 5 to
20% of the tool steel (alloy content or
carbide content)

Amount and type of carbides are different

in different tool steel grades

A2 D2 M2

More (hard) carbides give more Wear

Resistance, but less Toughness (more
brittle) trade off

Tool Steel Simplified

Correct chemistry is important

A minimum amount of Carbon is needed to

form carbides during the manufacturing process, and

harden sufficiently during the heat treatment process

The total carbide content (in quality and quantity) is important for the
Wear Resistance,

Vanadium (V) carbides are the hardest and contribute most

M2 steel contains 2% Vanadium
M4 steel contains 4% Vanadium

Vanadium: forms very wear resistant carbides, but it also can imbrittle the
material. Eexpensive.

Tool Steel Simplified

Correct chemistry is important

Chromium (Cr): causes more uniform hardness while forming carbides

and increasing the strength of the material matrix. Is least effective for the
Wear Resistance. Also leads to size instability in sufficient quantity (D2).

Silicon (Si): helps to increase toughness and strength when used with
other alloys.

Tungsten (W): dramatic impact on hardness and resistance to heat

effects in higher quantity (HSS materials). Expensive.

Molybdenum (Mo): helps to increase hardenability and red-hardness

when present with other alloys like chrome and manganese. Also forms
good wearing carbides.

Tool Steel Simplified

The higher the Wear Resistance

the lower the Toughness.

- At a similar hardness, greater amount of

carbides will show better wear resistance
- The higher the hardness for the same
carbide, the lower the toughness

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Tool Steel Simplified

Conventional Tool Steels

HSS

Notes:
-The total Carbide volume determines the wear resistance (abrasive and adhesive).
-High Speed Steel starts at 3-4% Tungsten, Molybdenum is important too
-Wilsons proprietary A18 is A18 plus a little Tungsten, not enough for HSS

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Results and Comparisons

P20

17-4
17-4

H11,
H13

Conventional Tool Steels

S2,
S7
S5Histar40
W1

Toughness

L2

L2

420,
L6

H14,
H21

L3

H19

3V

9V

H24

3V

9V
M4

A2,
Vertex
H26
O1

A18

T1, Cruwear
T2
M2
T4

D2,
M3

M4,
T15

T5

D4

A7,
T15

10V

Note:
Abrasive Wear Resistance
-M4 is not M4PM!
-Amada still uses a lot of D2 (e.g. in slitting blades)
-DuraSteel has more Toughness and Abrasive Wear Resistance than M2, less Adhesive Wear Resistance
-in general, dies need more toughness (cantiliver effect), punches more wear resistance

12

Tool Steel Simplified

Note:
-Wear Resistance = Abrasive + Adhesive

13

How is a Tool Steel made ?

Manufacturing Process (conventional way)

1. Desired chemical composition is melted in large
batches

How is a Tool Steel made ?

Manufacturing Process (conventional way)

1. Desired chemical composition is melted in large
batches
2. Poured into ingot molds to solidify

Carbides are now formed

Slow solidification process will cause Carbides

to form interconnected segregation networks

More carbides give more Wear Resistance and

less Toughness, but high volumes of carbides
(high alloy steels) result in more segregation
(= non-uniform microstructure)

15

How is a Tool Steel made ?

Manufacturing Process (conventional way)

1. Desired chemical composition is melted in large
batches
2. Poured into ingot molds to solidify

Carbides are now formed

Slow solidification process will cause Carbides

to form interconnected segregation networks

More carbides give more Wear Resistance and

less Toughness, but high volumes of carbides
(high alloy steels) result in more segregation
(= non-uniform microstructure)

3. Rolled or forged into bars

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How is a Tool Steel made ?

Manufacturing Process (conventional) (Contd.)

2 fundamental segregation problems:
o

More carbides give more WR, but high volumes

of carbides (high alloy steels) in a non-uniform
structure due to segregation makes the tool
difficult to manufacture (grinding problems;
chipping)

The segregations get elongated during rolling or

forging, get directionally oriented and reduce
toughness; grinding problems; chipping risk

For better tool steels, more carbide content is needed

(especially higher Vanadium contents), but this
imbrittles the tool steel (less toughness)
=> Different process needed !

Non-uniform
Carbide size and distribution
(> 50 microns)

17

How is a Tool Steel made ?

Crucible Powder Metallurgy (CPM)

Especially designed for high Vanadium content alloys

1. Desired chemical composition is melted

2. Rapid solidification into fine droplets (powder)

2-4 microns; segregation is virtually eliminated

3. Powder is consolidated

100

Powder particles are bounded together under high

pressure

4. Forged or rolled into bars

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How Is Particle Metallurgy Different From

Traditional Ingot Metallurgy?

AOD Melting

Ingot Casting

Alloy Segregation
at Billet

Conventional M4
Microstructure

Ingot Metallurgy

CPM Processing

Rapidly Solidified
Spherical Powder Hot Isostatic
Induction Melting
Pressing (HIP)
/Gas Atomizing

CPM M4
Microstructure
(as-HIP or forged)

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Tool Steel Simplified

CPM vs. Conventional

Powder Metalurgy allows higher volumes of Carbides,
without segregation problems, even increasing Toughness

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Results and Comparisons

P20

17-4
17-4

$$$

H11,
H13

Powder Metals
shift the line!

S2,
S7
S5Histar40
W1
L2

420,
L6

H14,
H21

H19

3V

9V

H24 Vertex- Powder MPM82

3V

9V

Toughness

PD-5

L2

L3

A2,
Vertex
H26
O1

A18

M4PM
M4

T1, Cruwear
T2
M2
T4

D2,
M3

M4,
T15

T5

D4

A7,
T15

10V

Abrasive Wear Resistance

Note:
-DuraSteel has more Toughness and Abrasive Wear Resistance than M2, less Adhesive Wear Resistance
-Amada still uses a lot of D2
22
-MPM82 is powder Cruwear (Durasteel)
-Dies need more toughness (cantiliver), punches more wear resistance

Tool Steel Simplified

Notes:
-The total Carbide volume determines the Wear Resistance (abrasive and adhesive).
-High Speed Steel starts at 3-4% Tungsten, Molybdenum is important too
- M2 and M4 mean high Molybdenum content and 2% or 4% Vanadium
-Wilsons proprietary A18 is A18 plus a little Tungsten, this not really HSS

23

Tool Steel Simplified

Note:
-Wear Resistance = Abrasive + Adhesive
-PD-5 is a grade of Wilsons Ultima
-Vertex (Powder) is used by Pass

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Tool Steel Advantages

Benefits of Power Metallurgy:

Comparison of Wear Development on
Conventional (left) and P/M (right) Tool Steel

25

Tool Steel Advantages

Summary of Qualities Customers Look For:

Quality Product
Wear Resistance (Adhesive vs. Abrasive)
Toughness and Good Fatigue Life
Hardness
Red Hardness
Price

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Tool Steel Advantages

What does Mate Do?

Mate optimizes toughness and wear for the appropriate
application and market price
Not all punching environments are the same
Dies generally favor toughness (inherent to the shearing of the
material more closely matching the punch size)
Punches and dies in a less challenging environment favor wear
(Trumpf and Thick Turret)
Punches and dies in a more challenging application favor toughness
(Typically Thin Turret and 112/114)
Price sensitive markets prefer more economical materials (Thin
Turret and 112/114)

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Tool Steel Advantages

What does Mate Do?

Mate controls the quality better than other tooling suppliers
Mate has rigorous standards for each tool steel supplier
We dont shop for the cheapest material
Lower grade tool steels become a commodity at low price

We know the best mills

Mate accepts steel only from certified sources

Tested on manufacturability, segregation, inclusions

Mate uses world class heat treaters and heat treatment processes

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Tool Steel Simplified

How Does Mate Achieve These Qualities:

Control the Supply Chain

Audit materials against industry standards for a specific material
Test the machining of the material for any change in machinability
Independently section and test materials with an independent
laboratory

Control the Chemistry of the Material

Amount and Quality of Carbide Formation (Wear/toughness)

Hardness (Wear/toughness/strength)
Resistance to Heat (Red hardness)
Size Stability
Price (some elements cost much more than others)
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Tool Steel Simplified

How To Achieve These Qualities

Control How the Material is Created

Controlling ingot sizes and yield %
Smaller sizes usually have less contamination and piping
Lower yield % means leaving the slag behind

Controlling alloy distribution

Working (hitting/rolling/reducing) the material into smaller
billets
Re-melting the material
Particle Metallurgy

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Tool Steel Simplified

Control How the Material is Heat Treated

Tool steel bars
Machining processes

Soft Blanks
Hardening
Heat Treatment

Hard blanks
Machining processes

Stock
Point Finishing
if required: Maxima Coating
or Nitriding

Finished tool

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Tool Steel Simplified

Control How the Material is Heat Treated

(Creation of the Microstructure)
Controls Properties of Hardness, Size Stability, and Carbide Formation for Wear
Resistance
Is Described by this Process:
Preheating + Heating to the Austenitizing T and holding it for a set duration
- Creates uniform micro structure AUSTENITE

Quickly reducing the temperature (Quench Rate)

- Makes it strong, but brittle and unstable UNTEMPERED MARTENSITE

Raising the temperature (Tempering Temperature) and repeating as necessary

(Number of Tempers)
- A little less strong, but much tougher now TEMPERED MARTENSITE

32

Tool Steel Simplified

Heat Treatment Process low alloy steels

(Degrees
Fahrenheit)

(Hardened blank will

need grinding to size)
(Air or Oil)

33

Tool Steel Simplified

Heat Treatment Process high alloy steels

(Degrees
Fahrenheit)

34

Tool Steel Simplified

Heat Treatment Process high alloy steels

(Degrees
Fahrenheit)

(Maxima not possible on

low alloy steels)

35

Tool Steel Simplified

Summary:
Quality, Chemistry, Processing, and Heat Treatment
are All Important!
Trade off between Wear and Toughness
Powder metals can help this trade off but adds costs

36

Tool Steels Landscape

M4PM lasts longer !!!

37

Trumpf style M4PM Punches vs Competitors

Notes:
-Trumpf uses HSS (similar to M2) in Europe

M4PM lasts longer !!!

-Wilson std. is A18; 2-4-1 is PD-5

-Pass uses Vertex (DC53) Powder

38

Thick Turret M4PM Punches vs Competitors

Notes:
-Wilson std. is A18; EXP is PD-5

MPM4 lasts longest !!!!

-Pass uses Vertex (DC53) (non powder)

-Amada still uses some D2

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Tool Steel Advantages

Summary:
Mate offers the best quality
Mate offers the best characteristics for the application and
market conditions
Mate monitors changing market conditions (Competitive
Analysis Program)
Mate researches better materials and alternate tooling
approaches (bimetal, insert products, etc.)

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Tool Steel Advantages

The Power of Powder

Benefits of Powder Metallurgy Tools for End Users
Very high consistency
Optimum tooling reliability
Cost recoverable through improved performance
Increased wear resistance
Increased toughness

Improved machine up-time

Less frequent sharpening
Less fall-outs due to breakage
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Tool Steel Advantages

Group exercise:
- Where do we use M4PM tool steel ?
Trumpf:
Size 0A/0B : M4
Size 1 std & QL : M2 M4 upgrade
Size 2 std & QL
NEXT complete line
Multitool 5 and 10 punches
LongLife punch and die blades

Thick Turret:
Slitting blades
Ultra A and B (optional)

Salvagnini:
See presentation

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Tool Steel
Simplified

Thank you !