Progressive forging with the Hatebur process forms heated steel or aluminum billets through multiple tooling stations, producing precise near‑net‑shape parts. Its durable dies and high automation make it ideal for automotive gears, hubs, bearings, and fasteners.
Progressive forging using the Hatebur process is a high‑speed, automated forming method for producing near‑net‑shape parts from steel or non‑ferrous alloys. The process feeds cut billets through multiple forming stations arranged in a horizontal press, where each station performs a defined step such as upsetting, preforming, bending, and final shaping. Material is heated to hot or semi‑hot forging temperatures to ensure optimal formability and controlled grain flow. Tooling, usually made of high quality Hot Work Tool Steels, consists of precision‑machined dies, punches, transfer fingers, and guiding systems, designed to withstand high loads, cyclic impacts, and thermal stress. Integrated lubrication and temperature management improve tool life and surface quality. Typical processed materials include carbon steels, alloy steels, and aluminum alloys. The Hatebur process is widely used for high‑volume production of automotive components such as gears, bearings, hubs, fasteners, and drivetrain elements, achieving excellent dimensional accuracy, mechanical performance, and material efficiency.
BÖHLER W302 ISOBLOC is a 5% chromium steel and corresponds to material number 1.2344 (X40CrMoV5-1). Produced via the electroslag remelting process (ESR), this tool steel has very high hot toughness as well as very high hot hardness and a very good resistance against heat-checkings. The combination of these properties makes it a top performer in closed- and open-die forging as well as in high- and low-pressure die casting. In addition, this material has very good polishability and is therefore also often used as a molding material for plastic injection molds.
Read MoreBÖHLER W302 ISODISC is a 5% chromium steel and corresponds to material number 1.2344 (X40CrMoV5-1). This common tool steel has good hot toughness as well as a high hot hardness and a high resistance against heat-checkings. The combination of these properties makes it a standard choice in extrusion, forging and low-pressure die casting. This material is also available as W302 ISOBLOC which is a remelted grade with improved cleanliness, homogeneity and toughness.
Read MoreBÖHLER W360 ISOBLOC is a material produced by the electroslag remelting process (ESR), which has been specially adapted for use at high tool hardnesses in the range of 51-57 HRC. Although the steel can be classified as a 5% chromium steel, the increased carbon and molybdenum content coupled with state-of-the-art manufacturing technology ensures that BÖHLER W360 ISOBLOC still shows a very good toughness and an exceptionally good thermal resistance, even at high hardness levels. These properties make the steel the perfect choice for smaller components in the die casting sector (e.g., mold inserts, cores, core pins, ejector pins, etc.). The material also is frequently the preferred choice for closed-die and open-die forging tools due to its high wear resistance. Because of this excellent wear resistance and the high toughness, BÖHLER W360 ISOBLOC is also frequently used for cold work applications and as a molding material for plastic injection molds. The Steel also is available as powder material for metal-3D-printing under the brand name BÖHLER W360 AMPO.
Read MoreBÖHLER W403 VMR is a vacuum remelted material which was developed as a problem solver for tools for where a standard solution is no longer sufficient. The steel can be assigned to the 5% chromium steels and has a very high purity due to the special manufacturing technology. In addition, the increased molybdenum content leads to improved thermal resistance as well as wear resistance, which makes BÖHLER W403 VMR an all-rounder that is often used for highly stressed dies in the die casting sector. In addition, Böhler W403 VMR has outstanding polishability. For this reason, the steel is also popular as a molding material for plastic injection molds.
Read MoreUddeholm Dievar is a premium steel developed for the demanding application of high pressure casting. With new process improvements and development for use in large sizes, Uddeholm Dievar’s quality and toughness is better than ever. It is the industry benchmark for a high performance steel for the longest tool life and lowest crack risks due to its superior toughness and ductility. Apart from die casting it has proven itself as a great tool steel for other applications such as forging, extrusion and hot stamping. Uddeholm Dievar is also available for Additive Manufacturing, powder for processing Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and Laser Metal Deposition (LMD). Benefits Uddeholm Dievar has superior heat checking and hot properties over AISI H13 and AISI H11 Perfect for large structural dies Standard specification AISI H13 / AFNOR Z35 CDV 5.3
Read MoreUddeholm Orvar Supreme can be regarded as an “all-round” steel used in several application areas. Except for hot work application areas the steel is also used in moulds for plastics and as a material in high stressed axles. The high degree of purity and the very fine structure shows improvement in dies and components where high mechanical and thermal stresses are involved. Proven over and over again Uddeholm Orvar Supreme has stood the test of time and remains well known in the tooling industry for its high and reliable performance and ease of machining. Benefits Improved tooling performance Uddeholm Orvar Supreme meets the North American Die Casting Association (NADCA) #207 requirements for Superior high quality H-13 die steel. Standard specification W.nr 1.2344 / AISI H13 / AFNOR Z38 CDV 5.1
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