cold work tool steels catalog

Cold work tool steels are a class of tool steels used for tooling operations at temperatures typically below 200°C (390°F), generally at room temperature. They are designed to offer high hardness, mechanical strength, and wear resistance, which are achieved through specific heat treatments and the presence of coarse carbides in their microstructure.

There isn’t a single “best” steel, as the optimal choice depends on the specific application’s requirements, balancing wear resistance and toughness. Common types include high-carbon, high-chromium steels (D-series), air-hardening steels (A-series), oil-hardening steels (O-series), and shock-resisting steels (S-series). High-speed steels (HSS) and powder metallurgy (PM) tool steels also offer excellent wear resistance for cold work.

The primary difference lies in their operating temperature ranges and optimized properties. Cold work tool steels are for applications below ~200-260°C (390-500°F) and prioritize high hardness and wear resistance. Hot work tool steels are for applications above this temperature range (up to 800°C or 1472°F) and are characterized by hot strength, resistance to softening at elevated temperatures (red hardness), and toughness, often with lower hardness compared to cold work steels.

Cold working, also known as strain hardening or work hardening, is the plastic deformation of a metal at temperatures below its recrystallization temperature, typically at or near room temperature. This process causes distortions in the internal structure of the metal.

The primary purposes of cold working steel include increasing strength, hardness, and dimensional or microstructural stability, as well as improving wear resistance. It also produces a smooth, clean surface finish, achieves greater dimensional accuracy, and can improve machinability by causing chips to break more easily.

Yes, cold working directly increases the hardness of steel. As plastic deformation builds up, the internal structure distorts, making further deformation more difficult and increasing both the strength and hardness of the metal.

“Cold steel” typically refers to steel that has undergone “cold working” (e.g., cold rolling or cold drawing) at room temperature, which increases its hardness, strength, and provides a better surface finish and dimensional control. “Regular steel” can refer to hot-rolled steel, which is processed at high temperatures, usually resulting in a rougher surface and lower hardness but higher ductility initially.

No, cold working itself does not decrease grain size; it distorts and elongates the existing grains. Grain refinement (making grains smaller) occurs during a subsequent heat treatment process called annealing, which promotes recrystallization of new, finer grains after the cold work.

Cold work percentage is typically calculated as the percentage reduction in the material’s cross-sectional area or thickness. For example, a 70% thickness reduction means the material’s thickness has been reduced by 70% through cold working.

Cold working is widely used to improve a steel’s mechanical properties (like strength and hardness), achieve precise dimensions and smooth surface finishes, and enhance machinability. It is applied in processes like cold rolling of sheets and strips, cold drawing of bars and wire, cold heading, coining, and extrusion, particularly for automotive, aerospace, and general engineering components.

Cold working is performed at temperatures below the metal’s recrystallization temperature, typically at or near room temperature. Although the process itself can generate some heat due to deformation, the material generally starts at room temperature.

Cold working enhances mechanical properties like strength, hardness, and yield strength, improves surface finish and dimensional accuracy, and allows for better reproducibility and interchangeability of parts. It also minimizes contamination problems and can impart desirable directional properties.

Cold working is plastic deformation at temperatures where annealing doesn’t rapidly occur, leading to strain hardening, increased strength, and decreased ductility. Annealing is a heat treatment that softens metallic materials, relieves internal stresses, and restores ductility by heating and then cooling at an appropriate rate, often reversing the effects of cold working.

“Hot work” and “cold work” typically refer to the temperature at which a tool steel is designed to operate. Hot work tool steels are for high-temperature applications (above ~200°C), requiring hot hardness and resistance to softening at elevated temperatures. Cold work tool steels are for room temperature applications, focusing on high hardness, wear resistance, and toughness. Separately, hot working and cold working are also metal forming processes that occur above and below the recrystallization temperature, respectively.

No, cold working decreases a metal’s ductility and increases its hardness and strength. To restore ductility for further deformation, intermediate annealing is often required.

Cold working stainless steel involves deforming it at room temperature to increase its strength, hardness, and sometimes induce martensite formation (especially in austenitic types), while decreasing its elongation. It generally requires higher forces than cold-working carbon steels due to stainless steel’s higher work-hardening rates.

Yes, Type 316 is an austenitic stainless steel that can be cold worked81373. Austenitic stainless steels, including 316, are commonly subjected to cold working processes such as cold heading296482. Cold rolling, even at sub-zero temperatures, can be used to induce martensite and increase its work hardening rate373.

Hot work tool steels are a category of tool steels specifically engineered for cutting or forming operations where the workpiece or tool itself will reach elevated temperatures, typically above 200°C. Their primary characteristic is “hot hardness,” meaning they retain their strength and hardness at high temperatures. They also exhibit good toughness and wear resistance under hot conditions. Common examples include the AISI H-series steels.

Stainless steel refers to a family of alloy steels characterized by high corrosion resistance due to a minimum of 10.5% chromium content90…. “Cold steel” is not a type of steel, but usually refers to “cold-finished steel,” which describes carbon or alloy steels that have been processed at room temperature (cold working, turning, grinding) to achieve specific characteristics like improved dimensional accuracy, smoother surface finish, and increased strength and hardness through work hardening20…. So, stainless steel is a material composition, while “cold steel” refers to a processing method applied to various steel compositions.