Tool Steel Supplier

While metal is generally hard and tough, it is still able to be cut by several different processes. Understanding what the processes are and which option is best suited for specific metal types and projects is important when determining how to cut metal. Here are some common ways to cut metal. Thermal Cutting Processes There are several different thermal cutting processes that can be used to cut metal. These processes use an energy source to heat specific portions of the metal and cause it to become liquid. At that point, the molten metal is blown away from the rest of the solid metal, creating a cut. Thermal cutting is preferred over other processes in certain applications because of the speed in which the metal can be cut. Flame cutting is one example of a thermal cutting process. For example, oxy-fuel flame cutting uses the combination of oxygen and a fuel such as acetylene or propylene to create a flame that melts the metal. The flow of the oxy-fuel gas mixture is also use...

AISI 4140 steel grade is a versatile steel grade. 4140 material is widely used in a lots of industrial fields. It is a chromium-molybdenum alloy steel. The chromium content provides good hardness penetration, and the molybdenum content ensures uniform hardness and high strength. ASTM 4140 chrome-molybdenum steel can be oil hardened to a relatively high level of hardness. The desirable properties of the AISI steel 4140 include superior toughness, good ductility and good wear resistance in the quenched and tempered condition. Here we list 15 common applications for 4140 steels material: 1.Shaft 2. Crankshaft 3.Bolt 4.Machinery Parts 5. Gear 6. Milling Spindle 7. Nut 8. Slide 9. Steel Collet 10.Steel Conveyor and Roll 11. Steel Coupling 12. Drill Collar 13. Steel Ejector 14. Steel Piston Rod 15. Steel Stub Except for the above 15 applications for steel g...

Many industries place strict requirements on the acceptable level of surface defects and imperfections that may appear on a plastic molded part. Such conditions often apply to critical components for the medical and pharmaceutical industries as well as for the manufacturers of lenses and other optical devices. However, for aesthetic reasons, many other consumer goods have similar restrictions. After all, any defect that appears on the surface of the mold steel is likely to be replicated onto the molded part. Problems associated with the texturing or polishability of a mold cavity can often be traced back to the mold steelmaking process. The material properties that have shown the greatest influence on obtaining a good surface finish are the microcleanliness level, the severity of chemical segregation and the appearance of primary carbides. The mold steel's chemical composition along with the manufacturing techniques used during its production, will determine its ability to p...

What is Injection Molding: Injection Molding is a manufacturing process for producing parts in large volume. It is most typically used in mass-production processes where the same part is being created thousands or even millions of times in succession. Why Use Injection Molding: The principal advantage of injection molding is the ability to scale production en masse. Once the initial costs have been paid the price per unit during injection molded manufacturing is extremely low. The price also tends to drop drastically as more parts are produced. Other advantages include the following: Injection Molding produces low scrap rates relative to traditional manufacturing processes like CNC machining which cut away substantial percentages of an original plastic block or sheet. This however can be a negative relative to additive manufacturing processes like 3D printing that have even lower scrap rates. Note: waste plastic from injection molding manufacturing typically comes consistent...

There are no shortcuts in producing good tooling. Lack of attention in any of the following areas can result in poor tool quality, poor part quality, low yield or worse – tool failure: Tooling design Material selection Tooling manufacturing process Heat treating and finishing Today, we are going to talk about tooling design. Careful consideration should always be given to the design, material and fabrication of tooling – let’s face it, finished parts are only as good as the tooling used to create them. There are several variables such as heat, pressure and speed that can contribute to excessive tool wear or tool failure. Managing these variables, sourcing the right tool steel and applying good tool design sensibility will help you avoid downtime and extend tool life.  Here are some common problems and solutions to consider when designing and fabricating tooling: At Otai Special Steel we work closely with customers to help them select the right tool steel for the...

When selecting a metal for a specific project, one of the most important considerations – especially when it comes to structural applications – is tensile strength and impact strength. Knowing what these mechanical properties are and how to evaluate them is essential to selecting the correct metal for your project. What Is Tensile Strength? Tensile strength is a value that indicates a metal’s ability to resist deformation and failure when loads are applied that pull it apart (known as tensile loads). Tensile strength is typically quantified through units of pounds per square inch (PSI) or pascals (Pa). There are 3 different types of tensile strengths: Tensile yield strength Ultimate tensile strength Fracture tensile strength The yield strength is the strength a metal has before it begins to plastically deform. The ultimate tensile strength is the maximum tensile strength a metal has, and it typically is found after plastic deformation has begun to occur. The fracture te...

Tool steels feature the increased amount of carbon and other alloying elements which give them enhanced physical properties, making them the ideal choice for a variety of applications. Cutting tools, cams, dies, chuck jaws, blocks, gages, and drill bits are just some examples of the many different tool steel applications. Along with many different applications, there are also many different tool steel grades available, including cold-working tool steels that encompass water-hardening tool steels, oil-hardening tool steels, and air-hardening tool steels. There are high-speed tool steels, hot-working tool steels, and shock-resisting tool steels as well. With so many different choices, it is necessary to be able to identify the correct tool steel for the job. Listed in this article are seven things to consider when selecting a tool steel grade. Will the tool steel be subjected to large impacts? Tool steels are generally hard and brittle. When impacts occur on materials like this, it...