Cold Work Tool Steel Grades
Aobo Steel supplies cold work tool steel for blanking dies, forming dies, punches, shear blades, gauges, cold rolls and wear-resistant tooling. Our range includes AISI, DIN, JIS and GB grades supplied in annealed condition for machining before final heat treatment. Selection guidance by die type, including stamping, blanking and piercing dies, is in the die selection guide for stamping and blanking. Plate for these grades is also supplied machined — milled square or ground flat to finished thickness: precision ground tool steel plate.
Cold Work Tool Steel Grades Supplied by Aobo Steel
Choose the grade according to wear resistance, toughness, dimensional stability, impact load and tooling cost. If the application is not clear, use the selection filter below as a quick starting point.
This filter is for preliminary selection. Final grade choice should consider tool size, working material, failure mode, target hardness and heat-treatment condition. Where two equivalent names still behave differently in service, as with D2 and SKD11, the comparison pages set out the difference.
D2 Tool Steel
High-carbon, high-chromium cold work steel for tooling that needs strong abrasive wear resistance and high compressive strength.
D3 Tool Steel
High-carbon, high-chromium cold work steel for severe wear conditions where toughness demand is not the main concern.
D6 Tool Steel
High-hardness cold work steel for dies and blades that require strong wear resistance and good hardenability.
A2 Tool Steel
Air-hardening cold work steel for tooling that needs a practical balance of wear resistance, toughness and dimensional control.
O1 Tool Steel
Oil-hardening cold work steel for general-purpose tooling, especially where machinability and cost control matter.
O2 Tool Steel
Manganese oil-hardening tool steel for precision cold work tools where stable size control is important.
S1 Tool Steel
Tungsten-alloyed shock-resisting steel for impact tools where cracking resistance is more important than maximum abrasive wear resistance.
S7 Tool Steel
Air-hardening shock-resisting steel for tools exposed to impact, heavy loading and cracking risk.
52100 Bearing Steel
High-carbon chromium bearing steel used for high-hardness wear parts, bearing parts and cold rolling applications.
DC53 Steel
High-performance cold work die steel used when D2-level wear resistance needs better toughness and dimensional control.
Cr12
GB high-carbon, high-chromium cold work steel for wear-resistant dies and tooling where toughness demand is limited.
Cr12MoV
GB cold work die steel widely used for wear-resistant dies, punches and forming tools.
Cr12Mo1V1
GB high-carbon, high-chromium cold work steel for long-life dies and wear-resistant tools.
Cr5Mo1V
GB air-hardening cold work steel used when the tool needs a balance of wear resistance, toughness and dimensional stability.
6CrW2Si
GB alloy tool steel for shear blades and impact-loaded tools requiring strength and resistance to chipping.
9SiCr
GB low-alloy tool steel for economical cutting tools, gauges and cold work parts with moderate loading.
9CrWMn
GB low-alloy cold work steel for dies and measuring tools requiring machinability and dimensional control.
GCr15
GB high-carbon chromium bearing steel for bearing parts, cold rolls and wear-resistant precision components.
Quick Selection Guide for Cold Work Tool Steel
Use this table to narrow the grade direction before checking the detailed product page. You usually select the right steel by failure mode, not hardness alone.
| Selection Need | Recommended Grades | Why These Grades Are Used |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum wear resistance | D2, D3, D6, Cr12, Cr12MoV, Cr12Mo1V1, DC53 | High carbon and high chromium provide strong carbide-based abrasive wear resistance. |
| Better toughness than high-chromium grades | A2, Cr5Mo1V, S7, S1, DC53 | These grades are more suitable when chipping, cracking or impact failure is the main risk. |
| Lower distortion risk | A2, O2, S7, Cr5Mo1V, 9CrWMn | Air-hardening or dimensionally stable grades are often safer for precision tools. |
| Economical general-purpose tooling | O1, O2, 9SiCr, 9CrWMn | Good machinability and practical performance for short-run or moderate-load tooling. |
| Heavy impact or shock loading | S1, S7, 6CrW2Si | Shock-resisting grades reduce the risk of cracking under sudden load. |
| Cold rolls, bearing parts and wear components | 52100, GCr15, D3, D6 | These grades are selected for high hardness, wear resistance and fatigue performance. |
Choose by Tool Failure Mode
A cold work tool usually fails by wear, chipping, cracking, deformation or heat-treatment distortion. Matching the steel to the failure mode gives better results than choosing the most famous grade.
| Tooling Problem | Common Cause | Material Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Fast abrasive wear | The tool material lacks enough carbide volume or hardness for the workpiece. | D2, D3, D6, Cr12MoV, Cr12Mo1V1, DC53 |
| Edge chipping | The steel has high wear resistance but insufficient toughness for the load. | A2, Cr5Mo1V, DC53, S7 |
| Cracking during service | Impact load, sharp tool design or unsuitable hardness makes the tool too brittle. | S1, S7, 6CrW2Si, A2 |
| Heat-treatment distortion | Quenching stress or uneven section size causes movement after hardening. | A2, O2, S7, Cr5Mo1V, 9CrWMn |
| Short-run tooling with cost pressure | High-alloy steel may exceed the real tool-life requirement. | O1, O2, 9SiCr, 9CrWMn |
| Cold rolling or bearing-related wear | The part needs high hardness and fatigue resistance. | 52100, GCr15 |
Cold Work Tool Steel Grade Groups
Cold work tool steels are commonly grouped by alloy system and hardening behavior. This helps compare steel families before reviewing individual product pages.
| Group | Typical Grades | Main Feature | Typical Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-Series and high-chromium grades | D2, D3, D6, Cr12, Cr12MoV, Cr12Mo1V1 | High wear resistance from high carbon and chromium carbides | Blanking dies, forming dies, shear blades, wear parts |
| A-Series and balanced cold work grades | A2, Cr5Mo1V | Balanced wear resistance, toughness and dimensional stability | Precision dies, punches, gauges, forming tools |
| O-Series and low-alloy cold work grades | O1, O2, 9SiCr, 9CrWMn | Good machinability and practical cost for general tooling | Short-run dies, gauges, cutting tools, punches |
| Shock-resisting grades | S1, S7, 6CrW2Si | Higher toughness for tools exposed to impact or sudden load | Impact punches, chisels, shear tools, heavy-duty tooling |
| Bearing and wear-resistant grades | 52100, GCr15 | High hardness and fatigue resistance after heat treatment | Bearings, cold rolls, wear parts, precision components |
Cold Work Tool Steel Applications
The table below connects common cold work applications with suitable material directions. Final selection should consider tool life target, failure risk and heat-treatment capability.
| Application | Common Grade Options | Selection Logic |
|---|---|---|
| Blanking dies | D2, A2, Cr12MoV, Cr12Mo1V1, DC53 | Balance wear resistance, chipping risk and dimensional control. |
| Forming dies | D2, A2, O1, O2, Cr5Mo1V | Select by wear level, forming load and distortion requirement. |
| Punches | D2, A2, O1, S7, DC53 | Use wear grades for abrasive work and tougher grades for impact risk. |
| Shear blades | D2, D6, S7, 6CrW2Si | Blade selection depends on cutting load, edge chipping and wear. |
| Drawing dies | D2, D6, O2, Cr12MoV | Wear resistance and dimensional stability are usually important. |
| Gauges and precision tools | O1, O2, A2, 9SiCr, 9CrWMn | Machinability and dimensional control are often more important than maximum wear resistance. |
| Cold rolls and bearing-related parts | 52100, GCr15, D3, D6 | High hardness, wear resistance and fatigue resistance are key requirements. |
| Impact tools | S1, S7, 6CrW2Si | Toughness and cracking resistance are more important than maximum carbide volume. |
Cold work tool steels are normally supplied soft and annealed for machining. Final hardness, wear resistance, toughness, and dimensional stability depend on the hardening and tempering process.
D2, D3, D6, Cr12, Cr12MoV and Cr12Mo1V1 require careful heat-treatment control. Overheating, poor quenching, or insufficient tempering can lead to cracking, retained austenite, or unstable tool size.
A2, S7, O2, Cr5Mo1V, and 9CrWMn are often considered when distortion, chipping, or cracking risk is more important than maximum abrasive wear resistance.