Tool steel is a crucial material in the manufacturing and engineering industries, renowned for its exceptional hardness, wear resistance, and ability to retain a sharp cutting edge. Its diverse applications range from precision cutting tools to dies, molds, and other heavy-duty industrial equipment. In this article, we will delve into the 7 most common types of tool steel and their specific applications.
7 Types of Tool Steel and Their Applications
1. Water-Hardening Tool Steel
Water-hardening tool steel, also known as non-alloy tool steel, is the most basic type of tool steel. It contains a relatively low carbon content, along with small amounts of alloying elements such as manganese, silicon, and chromium. After heat treatment, this steel is quenched in water to achieve its desired hardness. Due to its low cost and ease of machining, water-hardening tool steel is widely used for applications where a moderate level of hardness and wear resistance is sufficient, such as hand tools, punches, and simple dies.
2. Oil-Hardening Tool Steel
Oil-hardening tool steel, also referred to as low-alloy tool steel, offers better hardenability and toughness compared to water-hardening steel. It contains higher carbon content and a higher proportion of alloying elements like chromium, molybdenum, and vanadium. This steel is quenched in oil, allowing for a slower cooling rate that reduces the risk of cracking and distortion. Oil-hardening steel is commonly used in applications requiring high hardness and wear resistance, such as complex dies, punches, and cutting tools.
3. Air-Hardening Tool Steel
Air-hardening tool steel, known for its exceptional hardenability, achieves its hardness by cooling in air after heat treatment. This steel contains a high carbon content and significant amounts of alloying elements like tungsten, chromium, and vanadium. Its ability to harden without the need for quenching in a liquid medium makes it suitable for applications where distortion must be minimized, such as precision dies, punches, and cutting tools for machining high-alloy steels.
4. High-Speed Steel (HSS)
High-speed steel, often abbreviated as HSS, is a type of tool steel specifically designed for cutting applications. It contains a high carbon content along with tungsten, molybdenum, cobalt, and other alloying elements. HSS is renowned for its ability to maintain a sharp cutting edge at high temperatures, making it suitable for machining operations involving high cutting speeds and heavy material removal rates. Common applications include drill bits, taps, milling cutters, and reamers.
5. Shock-Resisting Tool Steel
Shock-resisting tool steel, as its name suggests, is designed to resist shock and impact loads. This steel contains high carbon and chromium content, along with molybdenum and vanadium. Its toughness and shock resistance make it suitable for applications involving heavy blows and impacts, such as hammers, punches, and dies for hot forging operations.
6. Hot Work Tool Steel
Hot work tool steel is specifically designed for applications involving high temperatures. It contains chromium, molybdenum, and vanadium, which help it maintain hardness and strength at elevated temperatures. Common applications for hot work tool steel include dies for hot forging and extrusion, as well as molds for casting aluminum and other non-ferrous metals.
7. Plastic Mold Steel
Plastic mold steel is a specialized type of tool steel used in the manufacture of plastic injection molds. It must possess excellent machinability, weldability, and corrosion resistance. Plastic mold steel often contains nickel, chromium, and molybdenum, which enhance its strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance. Its applications include molds for producing plastic parts, such as automotive components, consumer goods, and electronic components.
Conclusion
Tool steel is a versatile material with numerous applications across various industries. The choice of the appropriate types of tool steel depends on the specific requirements of the application, including hardness, wear resistance, toughness, heat resistance, and machinability.
Thank you for reading our article and we hope it can help you to have a better understanding of the common types of tool steel and their specific applications. If you are looking for tool steel suppliers and manufacturers online now, we would advise you to visit Sino Special Metal for more information.
As a leading supplier of tool steels from Shanghai China, Sino Special Metal offers customers high-quality tool steel products at a very competitive price.
