Plastic Mould Steels

Uddeholm Corrax is a precipitation hardening steel with a unique set of properties that makes it perfect for many demanding applications. The superior resistance against corrosion combined with a hardness up to 50 HRC and a simple heat treatment makes Uddeholm Corrax the obvious choice for long run series of aggressive plastics such as PVC. The chemical composition makes Uddeholm Corrax easy to process by Additive Manufacturing. Hence, it is also available as powder for Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and Laser Metal Deposition (LMD). Benefits Very good corrosion resistance Flexible hardness of 34-50 HRC achieved by ageing No hard “white layer” after EDM

Uddeholm Idun is the world’s first patented corrosion resistant tool holder steel. It is delivered in pre-hardened condition and provides the possibility to start machining the finished part directly. Uddeholm Idun shares the superior qualities that always accompany the members of the Uddeholm Tool Holder Concept – meeting your requirements on durability while still being good to machine. With Uddeholm Idun we offer you even more: a possibility to change the game. A corrosion resistant steel grade that is delivered in pre-hardened condition. Uddeholm Idun allows you to skip the long and costly process of hardening, surface treatment and the transportation in between that is normally required with standard materials. A safe and reliable fast forward button to your finished product. It shortens tool making lead time and improves tool holder durability. It is e.g. perfect for custom made tool holders. Benefits Corrosion resistant Big savings in time and money Environmentally friendly

Uddeholm Impax Supreme is prehardened mould steel with very good polishing and photo etching properties. It is suitable for a wide range of injection moulds, blow moulds and extrusion dies for plastic. Uddeholm Impax Supreme is supplied at 290-330 HB. In east/south east asian countries served by Assab, Uddeholm Impax Supreme is sold as AS 718 Supreme. Benefits No hardening risks No hardening costs Time saving, e.g. no waiting for heat treatment Lower tool cost (e.g. no distortion to rectify) Modifications easily carried out Can be subsequently nitrided to increase surface wear resistance or locally flame hardened to reduce surface damage. Standard specification W.nr 1.2738 / AISI P20 / AFNOR 35 CND 7

Uddeholm Mirrax 40 is a prehardened remelted stainless tool steel, supplied at 40 HRC. Uddeholm Mirrax 40 is produced using the electroslag remelting (ESR) process – an additional step in the steelmaking process that ensures very clean steel. Consequently, Uddeholm Mirrax 40 is capable of being polished to a very high surface finish. In addition, the combination of high hardness with high toughness results in a mould with good resistance to indentations and minimize the risk of unexpected failures, leading to a safer mould and a prolonged tool life. Benefits Lower production costs Fast tool making Excellent surface finish possible Less maintenance work Safe production

Uddeholm Mirrax ESR is a through hardening corrosion resistant steel with very good polishability. Mainly intended for medium to large cross sections. It has a unique combination of toughness, corrosion resistance and through-hardening properties. Benefits Low mould maintenance costs: The surface of cavity impressions retain their original finish over extended running periods Moulds stored or operated in humid conditions require less protection Low production costs: Water cooling channels are less affected by corrosion Heat transfer characteristics, and therefore cooling efficiency, are constant throughout the mould life, ensuring consistent cycle times Safe mould use because of good toughness also in big dimensions

Uddeholm 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. Uddeholm Orvar Supreme is produced using the Electro-Slag-Refining (ESR) technique. The ESR process gives Uddeholm Orvar Supreme a high level of homogeneity and cleanliness which results in a high performance hot work tool steel of the highest quality. 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

Uddeholm RoyAlloy is a high-performance stainless mould base tool steel designed to deliver exceptional durability and efficiency in demanding tooling environments. It is developed to meet the requirements of mould bases and moulds where demands on surface finish, service life, and corrosion resistance are more moderate. The material offers an attractive balance between performance, machinability, and cost, making it a competitive option for standard applications in the plastics industry. Benefits Unlike conventional stainless steels, RoyAlloy is supplied in a pre-hardened condition of approximately 30 HRC, eliminating the need for additional heat treatment. This significantly reduces lead times and production costs while ensuring dimensional stability throughout machining and finishing processes. RoyAlloy’s superior corrosion resistance sets it apart in applications where moisture or humid environments can compromise tool life. By minimizing rust and surface degradation, it ensures longer service intervals and reduced maintenance costs. The material’s homogeneous structure and stable mechanical properties provide good dimensional stability and sufficient strength for applications involving short to medium production runs or less demanding plastics. The steel’s weldability and repairability further enhance its value, allowing easy maintenance and extending tool lifespan.

Uddeholm Stavax ESR is a premium stainless mould steel for small and medium inserts and cores. Uddeholm Stavax ESR combines corrosion and wear resistance with excellent polishability, good machinability and stability in hardening. Mould maintenance requirement is reduced by assuring that core and cavity surfaces retain their original finish over extended operating periods. When compared with non stainless mould steel, Uddeholm Stavax ESR offers lower production costs by maintaining rust free cooling channels, assuring consistent cooling and cycle time. This classic stainless tool steel is the right choice when rust in production is unacceptable and where requirements for good hygiene are high, as within the medical industry, optical industry and for other high quality transparent parts. Uddeholm Stavax ESR is a part of the Uddeholm Stainless Concept. Benefits Low mould maintenance because of corrosion resistance: Surfaces retain their original finish Less production during storing and operation in humid condition Lower production costs: Since water-cooling channels are unaffected by corrosion Heat transfer characteristics, therefore cooling efficiency is constant throughout the mould life, ensuring consistent cycle times Long life mould Standard specification W.nr 1.2083 / AISI 420 / AFNOR Z40 CV 14 (RSL)

Uddeholm Tyrax ESR combines best in class toughness, corrosion and wear resistance. This grade was developed for molding of high performance plastics often filled with glass fiber reinforcements and additives like flame retardants. This matrix- based microstructure is designed to achieve a high-gloss surface by only a few polishing steps, dramatically reducing the tool lead time and enabling production of top quality plastic parts. Uddeholm Tyrax ESR can achieve a high hardness (up to 58 HRC) and is a suitable upgrade from AISI 420 ESR, AISI S7 and AISI 440C. Benefits good dimensional stability at heat treatment and in service even microstructure and small grain size good hardenability Uddeholm Tyrax is also available for Additive Manufacturing, powder for processing Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and Laser Metal Deposition (LMD).

Uddeholm Unimax is a high hardness hot work tool steel which provides great wear resistance even over extended time at elevated temperatures. It performs very well in precision forging and hot stamping. Benefits Improved durability and wear resistance in moulding processes that wear hard on the mould like long run production, moulding of reinforced plastics and compression moulding Longer tool life and a smoother production run with fewer disturbances for maintenance due to the high ductility Problem solver in severe cold work applications where high chipping resistance is required The high hardness and toughness together with the good dimension stability makes Unimax suitable as a substrate steel for surface coating when needed The very good hardenability and the unique properties profile of Unimax make it especially suitable for larger moulds. Unimax is therefore supplied in larger dimensions

Uddeholm Vanadis 4 Extra SuperClean is the most versatile PM tool steel on the market today, combining high wear resistance with very good ductility and resistance to chipping of edges. Excellent machinability in both soft and hard condition ensures advantages in both tool making and tool maintenance. Uddeholm Vanadis 4 Extra SuperClean is also available as powder for processing by Electron Beam Melting (EBM) technology. This powder has the same chemical composition as the PM material. Benefits Reliable production with low risk of edge chipping Best combination of high hardness, wear resistance and chipping resistance High compressive strength Best stock standard program of all PM grades Standard specification AISI D2 / AFNOR de type Z136 CDV 5.4

Uddeholm Vanax SuperClean is the long-awaited response to the market’s need for steel that is both strong and stainless. Combining the corrosion resistance of austenitic stainless steel such as AISI 316L, with a hardness of 60 HRC and the wear resistance of a cold work tool steel, opens up new opportunities. Where no previous materials suffice, this powder metallurgical steel grade offers resistance in the most corrosive environments possible. From start to finish, its unique material properties provide reliable performance in the most extreme conditions and for the most demanding working materials. Benefits Uddeholm Vanax SuperClean has an excellent corrosion resistance both in low and high temperature tempered condition in combination with good wear resistance to counteract mixed wear/galling/fretting. Applications are e.g. found in plastic moulding, food processing and engineering designs.

AISI S7 is a shock-resistant tool steel known for its exceptional toughness, high impact resistance, and superior machinability. With its excellent combination of strength and wear resistance, S7 is ideal for mould-making and tooling applications requiring durability under extreme conditions. The steel is very clean and has a homogeneous microstructure. These features are achieved through strict processing control and a maximum sulfur content of 0.005%. Best Coatings Our DLC and PVD ultrafine coatings ensure enhanced part release and minimize demolding issues, perfectly supporting tooling that requires toughness and durability under high impact and wear conditions. Explore our coating guide to select the ideal solution for your tooling needs.

Duramold-2™ was designed by Vista Metals Corp. to offer mold builders a superior aluminum plate product for applications where increased hardness and strength are required to meet their production expectations.  State of the art technology combines this unique aluminum-copper alloy with unparalleled size capabilities to offer aluminum plate for plastic mold applications ranging from small to extremely large.  Duramold-2™ has outstanding machinability and responds very well in today’s high speed cutting environments. Duramold-2™ is the best choice when higher mold operating temperatures are part of the equation.

MoldMAX HH (high-hard) is a high-strength beryllium copper mold alloy, made by Materion Brush Performance Alloys, for plastics molding applications. This alloy has a hardness and strength comparable with standard tool steels but its thermal conductivity is at four to six times higher. MoldMAX HH is used for injection mold cores and cavities and blow mold pinch-offs.  Its high hardness provides durability in applications where other high conductivity copper alloys fail.  The alloy also resists galling against other mold alloys, including itself.

Materion’s MoldMAX LH (Low Hard) alloy is a premium copper mold alloy that provides hardness and strength comparable with standard AISI P-20 tool steel and a thermal conductivity five-times higher. MoldMAX LH alloy is used for injection mold cores and cavities where moderate hardness and high toughness and conductivity are required.

Materion’s MoldMAX V (MMV) alloy is a high conductivity, moderately high strength, copper nickel silicon chromium alloy.

Materion’s MoldMAX XL Alloy is a high strength copper mold alloy with good thermal conductivity. The alloy contains no beryllium and is available in sections as large as 12″ thick. The alloy’s hardness is comparable with AISI P-20 tool steel, but its thermal conductivity is two to three times higher. MoldMAX XL Alloy typically machines faster than tool steels, and with appropriate machine tools, metal removal rates several times higher can be obtained.

H13 ESR is a high-purity, electro-slag remelted (ESR) variant of standard H13 tool steel, offering superior cleanliness, improved toughness, and better isotropic properties. The ESR process refines the steel’s structure, making it the preferred choice for high-performance hot work tooling, die casting, and plastic moulds requiring exceptional thermal and mechanical properties. Best Coatings We offer outstanding wear resistance and low friction through our DLC and PVD ultrafine coatings, ideal for hot work tooling where lubricants cannot be used, ensuring longer tool life and consistent performance in demanding molding processes. Explore our coating guide to select the ideal solution for your tooling needs.

H13 ESR is a high-purity, electro-slag remelted (ESR) variant of standard H13 tool steel, offering superior cleanliness, improved toughness, and better isotropic properties. The ESR process refines the steel’s structure, making it the preferred choice for high-performance hot work tooling, die casting, and plastic molds requiring exceptional thermal and mechanical properties Best Coatings We offer outstanding wear resistance and low friction through our DLC and PVD ultrafine coatings, ideal for hot work tooling where lubricants cannot be used, ensuring longer tool life and consistent performance in demanding molding processes. Explore our coating guide to select the ideal solution for your tooling needs.