Tool Steels and High-Speed Steels: Cutting, Forming and Wear

Tool steels are specialised alloys for cutting, forming, moulding and wear. They are classified by AISI/ISO into water-hardening (W), cold-work (O, A, D), hot-work (H), high-speed (M, T), shock-resisting (S) and plastic-mould (P) grades. Roberts, Krauss and Kennedy (1998) is the modern standard reference; Hoyle (1988) covers high-speed steels specifically.

Cold-work D2 (about 1.5 percent C, 12 percent Cr) gives high wear resistance for blanking; A2 adds toughness. Hot-work H13 (5 percent Cr, Mo, V) resists thermal fatigue in die casting and extrusion. High-speed M2 (W-Mo-V) and T1 (W-Cr-V) keep hardness (red hardness) above 600 C so they cut while glowing. The hardness comes from a tempered martensite plus a high volume of fine carbides (MC, M6C, M23C6); vanadium forms the hardest MC (VC) carbides.

For buyers: match wear mode to carbide type and toughness to shock. JLHSteel stocks D2, A2, O1, H13, M2 and P20 plate, round and block with mill certificates and can grind/saw to size.

References
1. Roberts, G.A., Krauss, G., Kennedy, R. (1998). Tool Steels. ASM International.
2. Hoyle, G. (1988). High Speed Steels. Butterworths.
3. ASM Handbook, Volume 1 (1990). ASM International.