Hot Work Tool Steels

BÖHLER W300 ISOBLOC is a 5% chromium steel and corresponds to material number 1.2343 (X37CrMoV5-1). Produced via the electroslag remelting process (ESR), this tool steel has very high hot toughness as well as good hot hardness and very good resistance against heat-checkings. The combination of these properties makes it a top performer in high- and low-pressure die casting as well as in closed-die and open-die forging. In addition, this material has very good polishability and is therefore also often used as a molding material for plastic injection molds.

BÖHLER W300 ISODISC is a 5% chromium steel and corresponds to material number 1.2343 (X37CrMoV5-1). 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 W300 ISOBLOC which is a remelted grade with improved cleanliness, homogeneity and toughness.

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.

BÖHLER 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.

BÖHLER W303 ISODISC is a 5% chromium steel and corresponds to material number 1.2367 (X38CrMoV5-3). This tool steel has good hot toughness as well as a very high hot hardness and resistance against heat-checkings. Compared to an X37CrMoV5-1 (material number 1.2343), the steel has an increased molybdenum content, which significantly increases its thermal resistance and thus makes it the ideal material in die closed-die forging, open-die forging and extrusion.

BÖHLER 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.

BÖHLER W400 VMR is a vacuum remelted material specially developed for tools with complex structures. The steel can be assigned to the 5% chromium steels and has a very high purity due to the special manufacturing technology. Because of its high degree of purity, the excellent homogeneity and the special alloying concept, BÖHLER W400 VMR is one of the hot work tool steels with the highest reachable toughness values. Therefore, this material is a problem solver in many areas when standard grades are no longer sufficient. In addition, Böhler W400 VMR has outstanding polishability. For this reason, the steel is also popular as a molding material for plastic injection molds.

BÖHLER 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.

BÖHLER W720 VMR is not a classic hot work tool steel, but an ultra-high strength maraging steel. Compared to quenched and tempered steels, the material generates its high strength not through a hardened and tempered martensitic structure with a high carbon content and secondary hardening carbides, but through the precipitation of intermetallic phases from a tough nickel martensitic matrix. BÖHLER W720 VMR corresponds to material number 1.6358 (X2NiCoMoTi18-9-5) and has proven to be ideally suited for many tool steel applications in cold and hot work (e.g., for extrusion stems) up to 450 °C.

Uddeholm Bure is a high-strength special steel, intended for applications with severe demands on the mechanical properties of the material, while also requiring good machinability. Compared with similar steel grades the machinability is improved, which facilitates such operations as drilling and tapping of small holes. It is particularly suitable for induction-hardening, and can also be given a PVD coating without reducing the hardness of the tool. Benefits Less wear from the chips High safety against tool breakage Less distortion by hardening Excellent machinability Uddeholm Bure is supplied either soft annealed or prehardened on demand.

Uddeholm Bure HT is a pre-hardened, hot rolled high-strength special steel, intended for applications with severe demands on the mechanical properties of the material, while also requiring good machinability. Compared with similar steel grades the machinability is improved, which facilitates such operations as drilling and tapping of small holes. It is pre-hardened to a suitable hardness of 39-43 HRC, and can also be given a PVD coating without reducing the hardness of the tool. Benefits Delivered in pre-hardened state Less wear from the chips High safety against tool breakage Excellent machinability

Uddeholm Caldie is a medium alloyed tool steel suitable for very selective specialist areas within hot work applications with its high scope for hardness giving it the capability to resists hot wear and erosion in some applications areas. The property profile makes Uddeholm Caldie a relatively robust tool steel at high hardness for special applications in Forging and Hot stamping. Benefits 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

Uddeholm 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

Uddeholm Formvar is a high performance hot work tool steel which offers a very good resistance to hot wear and plastic deformation. It is a solid upgrade choice especially from H13 and H11 forging tools on the market. With good tempering back resistance and hot yield strength, Uddeholm Formvar will ensure increased tool life over H13/H11 dies. This gives a longer tool life and reduced maintenance and tooling costs. Benefits Longer tool life Reduced maintenance Reduced tooling costs Standard specification AISI H13 / AFNOR Z35 CDV 5.3

Uddeholm Impax Supreme is prehardened mold steel with very good polishing and photo etching properties. It is suitable for a wide range of injection molds, blow molds 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 Orvar 2 Microdized is a premium hot work tool steel engineered for demanding applications where high-temperature strength, wear resistance, and dimensional stability are critical. With its exceptional through-hardening properties and uniform microstructure, this steel delivers consistent performance across a wide range of tooling environments. Benefits Designed to meet the rigorous standards of aluminum extrusion tooling and die casting, Uddeholm Orvar 2 Microdized offers outstanding resistance to thermal fatigue, plastic deformation, and premature cracking. Thanks to its high level of machinability and polishability, manufacturers benefit from reduced production time and enhanced surface finishes. The material’s availability in large round dimensions further supports versatility in design and tooling applications. In east/south east asian countries served by Assab, Uddeholm Orvar 2 Microdized is sold as AS 8407 2M. Standard specification W.nr 1.2344 / AISI H13 / AFNOR Z40 CDV 5.1

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. 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

Uddeholm QRO 90 Supreme is a specially premium hot work steel developed by Uddeholm to provide better performance in high temperature tooling. The name “supreme” implies that by special manufacturing techniques, including electro-slag remelting the steel attains high purity and good mechanical properties. This together with the optimum balance of alloying elements in Uddeholm QRO 90 Supreme gives a property profile which is unique among hot work die steel. Benefits Uddeholm QRO 90 Supreme excels as a tool steels where tools tempers down quickly to lower hardness. Uddeholm QRO 90 Supreme has given improved service life in die casting and extrusion. Standard specification AISI H13 / AFNOR 40 CDV 10 (ESR)

One of the main challenges in selecting materials for hot forming dies is ensuring hot wear resistance. With high contact pressures and temperatures, the die surface can wear significantly, leading to a decrease in dimensional accuracy of the final product. Uddeholm offers a wide range of high-quality hot forming material for superior performance in a variety of applications. Uddeholm Skolvar is specifically designed for hot forming tools and has the best combination of hot wear resistance, hot strength and high temper-back resistance. This is achieved through an optimized manufacturing process and a fine-tuned chemical composition. Together it gives a superior property profile, tailor-made for your next demanding hot forging application. Benefits Designed to withstand extreme heat, pressure, and wear without losing hardness or durability, Uddeholm Skolvar improves the heat resistance of hot forming dies and reduce the risk for wear. For superior hot forming tools these properties lead to increased efficiency and decreased maintenance costs. Ideal for the most demanding hot forming applications, e.g. automotive, aerospace, energy and medical Developed to meet your strictest quality standards through ESR Standard specification AISI H13

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 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 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

Uddeholm Vanadis 30 SuperClean is a cobalt alloyed powder metallurgy high speed steel with excellent compressive strength and good abrasive wear resistance. Uddeholm Vanadis 30 SuperClean is suitable for demanding cold work applications and for cutting tools as an alternative to AISI M42 or other co-alloyed HSS. The PM process gives good machinability and grindability as well as good dimensional stability during heat treatment. In east/south east asian countries served by Assab, Uddeholm Vanadis 30 SuperClean is sold as Assab PM 30 SuperClean. Benefits Good wear resistance High hot hardeness and temper back resistance High compressive strength Standard specification W.nr 1.3294 / AISI H13 / AFNOR Z130 KWDCV 9.6.5.4.3

What is H13 ESR Tool Steel? 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.