Tool Steel Supplier

In this article, we would like to discuss the elements that make up tool & high speed steels. What do these elements do to provide the mechanical and physical properties we need for our applications? The most common elements are the following: CARBON (C): this is the most basic alloying element which enables steel to harden. Carbon combines with the other elements to form hard, wear-resistant carbides. MANGANESE (Mn): controls hardenability in alloy cold work steels. SILICON (Si): improves toughness in the shock resisting steels group. Added to hot work steels to raise critical points and reduce scaling tendencies. Added to O-6 & A-10 to form graphite. CHROMIUM (Cr): controls hardenability and is added for abrasion resistance and hot hardness. TUNGSTEN (W): provides red hardness and hard wear resistant carbides that are harder than chrome and iron carbides. Also used to improve hardenability in tool & high speed steels. Combines very well with molybdenu...

Basic properties that cutting must posses are: Tool material must be at least 30 to 50% harder than the work piece material. Tool material must have high hot hardness temperature. High toughness High wear resistance High thermal conductivity Lower  coefficient of friction Easiness in fabrication and cheap Different elements used in cutting tool materials and their properties are Element Properties Tungsten Increases hot hardness Hard carbides formed Abrasion resistance Molybdenum Increases hot hardness Hard carbides formed Improving resistance Chromium Depth hardenability during heat treat hard carbides are formed improving abrasion resistance some corrosion resistance Vanadium combines with carbon for wear resistance retards grain growth for better toughness Cobalt Increases hot hardness, toughness Carbon Hardening element forms carbides Different cutting tool materials used for cutting operations in practice are high carbon steel, high speed steel, non -f...