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
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Tool Steel Simplified
Note:
-Wear Resistance = Abrasive + Adhesive
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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
16
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
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-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
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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
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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
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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)
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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
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Tool Steels Landscape
M4PM lasts longer !!!
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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 !
