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 K107 is a 12% ledeburitic chromium steel and corresponds to material number 1.2436 (X210CrW12). Due to the higher tungsten content, BÖHLER K107 achieves a higher resistance to abrasive wear compared to the conventional tool steel 1.2080. Compared to modern cold work tool steels, BÖHLER K107 has the advantage of simple heat treatment with lower hardening temperatures and single tempering. However, this characteristic tempering behaviour limits the use of modern 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 K245 corresponds to the material 1.2101 (62SiMnCr4). This cold work tool steel is essentially a spring steel optimized for cold work, with very good toughness and spring properties. BÖHLER K245 offers the advantage of simple heat treatment with very low hardening temperatures and single tempering. However, this characteristic tempering behaviour limits the use of advanced coatings. BÖHLER K245 is especially suitable for thin-walled tools such as screwdrivers, hole punches, center punches, ejector pins, punches and cutting tools.
Read MoreBÖHLER K294 MICROCLEAN is a cold work tool steel manufactured using powder metallurgy and belongs to the group of 10% vanadium steels. The high content of vanadium carbides makes this steel highly resistant to wear. The toughness is at the same level as conventional 12% chromium steels. BÖHLER K294 MICROCLEAN is used in situations where wear resistance is the decisive factor and toughness is of secondary importance.
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 ECOSTAR belongs to the group of conventionally produced 8% chromium steels. Compared to conventional 12% chromium steels, this conventionally smelted tool steel has better toughness, hardening response and higher adhesive wear resistance. This combination of high adhesive wear resistance and toughness also offers advantages for industrial knives subject to high stress. This grade is also used for stamping 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 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 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 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 S690 MICROCLEAN – “The simple one” The tough high-speed steel for challenging machining and cold forming.
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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