Tool Steel Selection for Stamping, Blanking & Piercing Dies
Select tool steel by production volume, stock thickness, impact load, wear level, and dimensional stability requirement. For stamping, blanking, and piercing dies, the main choice is usually between wear resistance and toughness.
Quick Selection Guide by Tool Steel Grade
Choose the grade according to production volume, wear level, stock thickness, impact load, and dimensional stability requirement.
Balanced Choice
A2 Tool Steel 1.2363 / SKD12
Recommended for medium to long-run blanking, punching, and forming dies.
Reason: A2 gives a practical balance of wear resistance, toughness, and dimensional stability during heat treatment.
High Wear Resistance
D2 Tool Steel 1.2379 / SKD11 / Cr12Mo1V1
Recommended for long-run blanking and piercing dies where edge wear is the main failure risk.
Reason: D2 has high carbon and high chromium, forming hard carbides for strong abrasion resistance.
Very High Wear
D3 Tool Steel 1.2080 / SKD1 / Cr12
Recommended for blanking and piercing tools where wear resistance is more important than impact toughness.
Reason: D3 offers very high wear resistance, but it should not be used where heavy shock can cause chipping.
High Wear Dies
D6 Tool Steel 1.2436 / SKD2
Recommended for cold-work dies that need very high wear resistance under stable loading.
Reason: D6 belongs to high-carbon, high-chromium cold-work steels and is selected when abrasion resistance is the priority.
Short to Medium Runs
O1 Tool Steel 1.2510 / SKS3
Recommended for short to medium-run blanking, trimming, and piercing dies.
Reason: O1 is a general-purpose oil-hardening tool steel with good hardness and edge-holding ability.
General Purpose
O2 Tool Steel 1.2842
Recommended for short to medium-run piercing, trimming, and blanking tools.
Reason: O2 provides useful hardness and edge holding for less severe cold-work tooling conditions.
Shock Resistance
S1 Tool Steel 1.2550
Recommended when impact load is higher and the tool needs stronger resistance to cracking.
Reason: S1 is selected when toughness and shock resistance are more important than maximum wear resistance.
Heavy Impact
S7 Tool Steel 1.2355
Recommended for thick stock, hard stock, and severe impact blanking or punching conditions.
Reason: S7 has very high toughness, helping reduce premature chipping, snapping, or breaking.
Demanding Production
M2 High Speed Steel 1.3343 / SKH51
Recommended for high-speed blanking, highly abrasive work materials, or stronger production demands.
Reason: M2 is selected when standard cold-work steels are not enough for wear resistance and production severity.
Selection Summary
This table gives a faster comparison when the buyer already knows the main working condition. The clearance and tonnage that come with that grade choice are set out in the die clearance and cutting force chart.
| Main Requirement | Recommended Direction | Aobo Steel Grades |
|---|---|---|
| Balanced wear resistance and toughness | Air-hardening cold-work steel | A2 |
| Long tool life under abrasive wear | High-carbon, high-chromium cold-work steel | D2, D3, D6 |
| Short or medium production runs | Oil-hardening cold-work steel | O1, O2 |
| Resistance to chipping and breaking | Shock-resisting tool steel | S1, S7 |
| Higher production severity | High-speed steel | M2 |