Cold forming and coining shape steel, aluminum, and copper alloys at room temperature using high‑strength dies and punches. The processes deliver strong, precise parts such as coins, fasteners, gears, connectors, and structural components with excellent surface quality.
Cold forming and coining are precision metal‑forming processes performed at room temperature or slightly elevated temperatures to enhance ductility. In cold forming, metal blanks or wire segments are plastically deformed in progressive dies using high mechanical forces, creating near‑net‑shape components with excellent surface finish and work‑hardened strength. Coining is a localized high‑pressure forming step used to imprint fine details, calibrate dimensions, and improve edge definition. Common materials processed include low‑ and medium‑carbon steels, stainless steels, aluminum, brass, and copper alloys, selected for formability and work‑hardening characteristics. Tooling consists of Cemented Carbide or advanced Cold Work Tool Steels and HSS dies, punches, knockouts, and guiding elements designed for extremely high pressures and tight tolerances. Lubrication is critical to reduce friction and extend tool life. Applications include fasteners, precision gears, splines, bushings, connectors, and small structural components in automotive, electronics, and industrial equipment. Cold forming offers excellent repeatability, low material waste, and high production speeds.
BÖHLER K100 is a 12% ledeburitic chromium steel and corresponds to material number 1.2080 (X210Cr12). This commonly used tool steel is highly resistant to abrasive wear. Compared to modern cold work tool steels, BÖHLER K100 has the advantage of simple heat treatment with lower hardening temperatures and single tempering. However, this characteristic tempering behaviour limits the use of advanced coatings.
Read MoreBÖHLER K110 is a 12% ledeburitic chromium steel and corresponds to material number 1.2379 (X153CrMoV12, D2). This tool steel combines the advantages of conventional 12% ledeburitic chromium steels with those of advanced tool steels. In the group of 12% ledeburitic chromium steels, BÖHLER K110 offers the best combination of wear resistance, compressive strength and toughness, for which reason it is used in virtually all cold work applications. Its advantageous tempering behavior with a pronounced secondary hardness maximum also enables the use of advanced coatings. This also makes BÖHLER K110 suitable for complex tools requiring a high degree of dimensional stability and shape stability.
Read MoreBÖHLER K305 belongs to the group of 5% chromium steels and corresponds to the material 1.2363 (X100CrMoV5, A2). Compared to conventional tool steels with 1% carbon and low chromium content, BÖHLER K305 has significantly better through hardenability and wear resistance. This class of 5% chromium steels is used in situations where grades like 1.2842 are no longer sufficient in terms of wear resistance and through hardenability but materials like 1.2379 are not yet required. BÖHLER K305 is used for punching and cutting tools, die plates and inserts, thread cutting tools and machine knives in the wood, paper and recycling industries.
Read MoreBÖHLER K340 ISODUR belongs to the group of 8% chromium steels. This tool steel is produced using the electro-slag remelting (ESR) process developed by BÖHLER. This re-melting technology ensures the lowest micro and macro segregation as well as excellent purity and uniformity of the material. Compared to conventional 12% chromium steels, BÖHLER K340 ISODUR offers significantly better toughness, hardening response and higher resistance to adhesive wear. This material is therefore used in virtually all cold work applications in situations where tool steels like 1.2379 are insufficient in terms of adhesive wear resistance and toughness. K340 ISODUR also features better machinability and reduces the risk of stress cracking during electrical discharge machining.
Read MoreBÖHLER K353 belongs to the group of conventionally produced 8% chromium steels. It is used in situations where chipper steels like 1.2360 are insufficient in terms of wear resistance and tool steels like 1.2379 (D2) do not have sufficient toughness. BÖHLER K353 is especially suitable for industrial knives for the woodworking industry. It is also used for stamping and cutting tools.
Read MoreBÖHLER K360 ISODUR belongs to the group of 8% chromium steels. This tool steel is produced using the electro-slag remelting (ESR) process developed by BÖHLER. This re-melting technology ensures the lowest micro and macro segregation as well as excellent purity and uniformity of the material. The alloy composition with higher molybdenum and vanadium content makes BÖHLER K360 ISODUR even more wear resistant than BÖHLER K340 ISODUR. Compared to tool steels like 1.2379 (D2), this combination of better toughness and wear resistance offers significant advantages for punching and cutting tools.
Read MoreBÖHLER K390 MICROCLEAN is a high-alloyed, high-performance cold work tool steel manufactured using powder metallurgy. This material has the highest alloy content in the group of cold work tool steels with high vanadium content. The high alloy content gives this material outstanding wear resistance. At the same time, the powder metallurgical manufacturing process creates a uniform matrix with finely distributed primary carbides. Among other things, this leads to good material toughness. BÖHLER K390 MICROCLEAN is a problem solver for applications requiring extremely high wear resistance and compressive strength.
Read MoreBÖHLER K455 corresponds approximately to the material 1.2550 (~60WCrV7, ~S1) in terms of the alloy concept. This classic matrix steel is characterized by high toughness, good machinability and polishability. BÖHLER K455 offers the advantage of simple heat treatment with low hardening temperatures and single tempering. BÖHLER K455 is widely used in the field of punching and cutting tools as well as in the field of embossing tools.
Read MoreBÖHLER K460 corresponds to the material 1.2510 (100MnCrW4, O1) and has comparable properties to the popular tool steel 1.2842. Additional alloying with tungsten achieves higher resistance to abrasive wear compared to the tool steel 1.2842. BÖHLER K460 offers the advantage of simple heat treatment with low hardening temperatures and single tempering. However, this characteristic tempering behaviour limits the use of advanced coatings. The material has a good hardening response, but only moderate through hardenability. BÖHLER K460 is used for punching and cutting tools, plastic molds, thread cutting tools and machine knives in the wood, paper and recycling industries.
Read MoreBÖHLER K490 MICROCLEAN is a high-performance cold work tool steel with a balanced property profile, manufactured using powder metallurgy. This powder metallurgical tool steel offers an outstanding combination of high wear resistance, compressive strength, toughness and very good machinability. Thanks to the resulting flexibility, BÖHLER K490 MICROCLEAN is used in virtually all cold work applications, and in many cases this material is the first choice for newly developed tools. The commonly used hardening temperatures of BÖHLER K490 MICROCLEAN also enable shared heat treatment with popular cold work tool steels (1.2379, D2), making it very economical in terms of heat treatment.
Read MoreBÖHLER K600 corresponds to the material 1.2767 (45NiCrMo16). With its high nickel content, this material offers a very good combination of through hardenability and toughness. This results in a high resistance to impact and shock loads. BÖHLER K600 is used for a wide range of tools where high toughness is required. The material is used for forming and bending tools, cold shear blades for thick materials and for reinforcement rings. Due to its good polishability, BÖHLER K600 is also used for embossing tools, plastic molds and mold inserts for injection molding.
Read MoreBÖHLER K605 is approximately equivalent to the material 1.2721 (~50NiCr13). The alloy concept of this tool steel is similar to the one of 1.2767. With its high nickel content, this material offers a very good combination of through hardenability and toughness. The higher carbon content compared to material 1.2721 results in a better hardening response and consequently higher compressive strength. The material is used in applications such as forming, bending and embossing tools.
Read MoreBÖHLER K888 MATRIX – This MATRIX steel offers an excellent combination of high toughness and high compressive strength. MATRIX materials have high toughness, which is a critical factor in many applications. However, the hardness achievable with commonly used MATRIX steels often limits the potential applications. BÖHLER K888 MATRIX breaks through this barrier and offers the best of both worlds of matrix steels and high alloy tool steels. BÖHLER K888 MATRIX is a unique problem solver in situations where high compressive strength and toughness are required. Its advantageous tempering behavior with a pronounced secondary hardness maximum also enables the use of advanced coatings.
Read MoreBÖHLER K890 MICROCLEAN is a high-performance cold work tool steel manufactured using powder metallurgy. It features good toughness, very high compressive strength and excellent fatigue strength. This favorable combination of properties can avoid chipping damages to tools. BÖHLER K890 MICROCLEAN is not only used in cold work applications, but also in mold making.
Read MoreBÖHLER M261 is a precipitation-hardenable steel for plastic molds that exhibits very good machinability in the as-delivered condition – solution-annealed and aged. Compared to 1.2312, BÖHLER M261 has a higher resistance to pressure and wear. By eliminating the need for additional heat treatment, the throughput time can also be significantly reduced.
Read MoreBÖHLER S290 MICROCLEAN – “The hard stuff” The unusual alloy point of this bridge material between carbide and high-speed steel gives it a hardness of up to 70 HRC. In addition to its hot hardness and good wear resistance, its compressive strength is one of the most important properties of this powder-metallurgical high-speed steel class.
Read MoreBÖHLER S390 MICROCLEAN – “The decathlete” This grade is our PM steel with many positive usage properties. For twist drills, taps, mills, broaches, or cold-work applications, BÖHLER S390 MICROCLEAN is always a high performer.
Read MoreBÖHLER S393 MICROCLEAN – “Standardized” This grade complies with the ASTM A600 AISI T15 material standard with higher carbon content. With MICROCLEAN technology, this material shows excellent reliability in many cutting and cold-work applications.
Read MoreBÖHLER S500 – “The fireproof one” In the family of conventional high-speed steels, this alloy combines excellent cutting properties with very high hot hardness.
Read MoreBÖHLER S600 – “The high-speed steel” Ideal for mills, twist drills, and taps, broaches, cold-work tools. BÖHLER S600 is the most commonly used high-speed steel and is the starting material for our customers who deal with high-speed steel.
Read MoreBÖHLER S630 – “The economical one” Tungsten-molybdenum high-speed steel with aluminum alloy for great toughness and good machinability. Universally usable for taps and twist drills, reamers, metal saws, mills of all types, and woodworking tools.
Read MoreBÖHLER S790 MICROCLEAN – “The 1st MICROCLEAN” High-speed steel manufactured in a powder metallurgy process, with good hot hardness, compressive strength, and wear resistance. PM technology gives it good toughness and excellent workability, including the best machinability.
Read MoreBÖHLER W460 VMR is a double vacuum arc remelted (VAR) material that has been specially adapted for use in the motorsport sector. The steel purity achieved by this special manufacturing technology, combined with the high strength, ensures that a very high fatigue strength can be guaranteed. The high purity also results in very good polishability, which makes the steel a good choice as a tool material for minting coins.
Read MoreUddeholm Arne is a general purpose oil hardening tool steel for short to medium production runs. The steel is suitable for the manufacture of tooling with good tool life and production economy. Uddeholm Arne can be supplied in various finishes including hot-rolled, pre-machined, fine-machined and precision ground. It is also available in the form of hollow bar. Benefits good machinability good dimensional stability in hardening a good combination of high surface hardness and toughness after hardening and tempering In East and South East Asian countries served by Assab, Uddeholm Arne is sold as DF-2. Standard specification W.nr 1.2510 / AISI O1 / AFNOR 90 MCW 5
Read MoreUddeholm Caldie is a medium alloyed tool steel suitable for short and medium run tooling in applications where a combination of very high chipping resistance and compressive strength is required. The property profile makes Uddeholm Caldie a robust cold work tool steel for heavy duty blanking and forming of AHSS (Advanced high strength steel). Benefits Uddeholm Caldie is very useful for severe cold work applications where there are high demands on both chipping resistance and compressive strength Uddeholm Caldie can easily be surface treated for improved wear resistance Very good dimensional stability Reduced maintenance and downtime costs combined with increased productivity due to the reduced likelihood of premature failures. Reduced maintenance and downtime costs combined with increased productivity due to simplified maintenance procedures Good weldability and the availability of welding electrodes with the same chemical composition as Uddeholm Caldie Good flame-, induction- and laser hardenability
Read MoreUddeholm Calmax is a medium alloyed tool steel suitable for short and medium run tooling in applications where a very high chipping resistance is required. The property profile makes Uddeholm Calmax a robust cold work tool steel for heavy duty blanking and forming. Benefits Uddeholm Calmax is very useful for severe cold work applications where there are very high demands on chipping resistance Reduced maintenance and downtime costs combined with increased productivity due to the reduced likelihood of premature failures. Reduced maintenance and downtime costs combined with increased productivity due to simplified maintenance procedures Good weldability and the availability of welding electrodes with the same chemical composition as Uddeholm Calmax Good flame-, induction- and laser hardenability Standard specification W.nr 1.2379 / AISI D2 / AFNOR 60CMDV 18
Read MoreUddeholm Rigor is a medium alloyed tool steel with a good resistance to both the abrasive and adhesive types of wear as well as good resistance to cracking. This combination makes Uddeholm Rigor an all purpose tool steel for medium run cold work applications. Short tool making lead times Safe and consistent production Good tooling economy for short and medium run tooling Benefits Uddeholm Rigor is a tool steel offering good tooling economy for short and medium run tooling when the cost of making the tool is a significant portion of the total cost for producing the required number of parts Uddeholm Rigor is a medium alloyed cold work tool steel with a very good balance between tool performance properties and tool making properties Uddeholm Rigor has a good hardenability and can therefore be used for larger short and medium run tools In East/South East Asia countries served by Assab, Uddeholm Rigor is sold as XW-10. Standard specification W.nr 1.2363 / AISI A2 / AFNOR Z100 CDV5
Read MoreUddeholm Sleipner is a general purpose steel for cold work tooling. It has a mixed-abrasive wear profile and a good resistance to chipping. Furthermore a high hardness (>60 HRC) can be obtained after high temperature tempering. This means that surface treatments such as nitriding or PVD can be made on a high strength substrate. Also, it means that complicated shapes with hardness levels >60 HRC can be wire EDM’d from blocks with relatively thick cross-sections with a much reduced risk of cracking. Uddeholm Sleipner is recommended for medium run tooling applications where a resistance to mixed or abrasive wear and a good resistance to chipping are required. Benefits Very broad property profile Very good steel for all types of surface treatments Extremely versatile conventional tool steel for medium run cold work tooling Suitable upgrade where added chipping or wear resistance is needed over traditional AISI A2 or AISI D2 In East/South East Asian countries served by ASSAB, Uddeholm Sleipner is sold as ASSAB 88.
Read MoreUddeholm Sverker 21 is a high alloyed tool steel suitable for medium run tooling in applications where primarily a good resistance to abrasive wear is required. The 12-% chromium steel is the most common tool steel type used for cold work tooling. In East/South East Asian countries served by Assab, Uddeholm Sverker 21 is sold as Assab XW-41 or Assab XW-42. Uddeholm Sverker 21 is a premium grade close to W. No. 1.2379. Thanks to the production method, it has a more consistent microstructure, giving it improved mechanical properties and tooling performance compared to the standard grade. High wear resistance resulting in long tool life in applications where wear is the main problem Good compressive strength for general cold work applications Benefits Uddeholm Sverker 21 is a tool steel offering good tooling economy for medium run tooling when the cost of the tool is a significant portion of the total cost for producing the required number of parts. Uddeholm Sverker 21 is very useful in applications with high demands on abrasive wear but where demands on chipping resistance are less pronounced. Pressing of abrasive work materials, blanking of thin work materials in general, back-up and punch holder plates are examples As Uddeholm Sverker 21 is the most common tool steel type for cold work tooling, the size programme is more extensive than for most of the other cold work steel grades Standard specification W.nr 1.2379 / AISI D2 / AFNOR Z160 CDV 12
Read MoreUddeholm 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
Read MoreUddeholm Vanadis 23 SuperClean is a high alloyed powder metallurgical high speed steel with a good abrasive wear resistance in combination with a high compressive strength. It is suitable for demanding cold work applications like blanking of harder materials such as carbon steel or cold rolled strip steel and for cutting tools. Benefits Uddeholm Vanadis 23 SuperClean is a powder metallurgical tool steel offering an excellent combination of wear resistance and toughness. The machinability and grindability are superior to conventional high speed steel and so is the dimensional stability after heat treatment. The superclean powder metallurgy process ensures that the cleanliness is on a high level with a low amount of non-metallic inclusions. In east/south east asian countries served by Assab, Uddeholm Vanadis 23 SuperClean is sold as Assab pm 23. Standard specification W.nr 1.3395 / AISI D2 / AFNOR Z130 WDCV 6.5.4.3
Read MoreUddeholm 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 technology (EBM). 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
Read MoreUddeholm Vanadis 8 SuperClean sets a new standard for Powder Metallurgical Tool Steel. The technological advancements makes this cold work tool steel superior to its predecessors. The unprecedented combination of extremely high wear and chipping resistance paired with improved machining properties raises production rates and reduces costs. Benefits Lower price per produced part Longer tool life Predictable Production Standard specification AISI D2 / AFNOR de type Z230VCD8.5.4
Read MoreOur conventionally manufactured rolls for cold forming applications are produced from premium materials sourced by voestalpine. The finished rolls include voestalpine heat treatment for optiomal product performance. These customized and ready-to-use rolls are mainly used in High Strength Steel (HSS) plates and cold forming sheets. They offer outstanding wear resistance, high compressive strength, excellent ductility and high chipping resistance. By offering a significantly increased service life, decreased downtime, and less maintenance effort, these rolls for cold forming can increase your OEE, leading to a higher productivity.
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