Plastic Mold Steels - Heat Treatable Steels and Precipitation Hardening Steels

BÖHLER M238 is a prehardened, non-corrosion-resistant plastic mould steel with good machinability. The addition of Ni guarantees uniform strength across the entire cross-section, even with large dimensions (up to 600 mm).

BÖHLER 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.

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 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 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 molding processes that wear hard on the mold like long run production, molding of reinforced plastics and compression molding 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 molds. 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