🧰 Tool Steel Grades: A Complete Guide for Industrial Applications
📌 Introduction
Choosing the right tool steel grade is crucial for manufacturing tools that can withstand wear, heat, and mechanical stress. Tool steels are categorized based on their composition and performance under various working conditions. In this blog, we’ll cover the major tool steel grades, their classifications, and ideal uses across industries.
✅ Focus Keyword: Tool steel grades
✅ LSI Keywords: Tool steel types, Tool steel specifications
🔍 What Are Tool Steel Grades?
Tool steel grades refer to standardized classifications that define the chemical composition and mechanical properties of tool steels. These grades are tailored for cutting, forming, die casting, and machining tools.
Tool steels are grouped based on:
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Working temperature: cold, hot, or high-speed
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Material composition: alloying elements like carbon, chromium, vanadium, tungsten, and molybdenum
🔩 Main Categories of Tool Steel Grades
1. 🧊 Cold Work Tool Steels
Designed for tools operating at room temperature.
Popular Grades:
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D2 – High wear resistance, high carbon-chromium
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O1 – Oil-hardening, general-purpose steel
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A2 – Air-hardening with good toughness
Applications: Blanking dies, shear blades, gauges, and punches
2. 🔥 Hot Work Tool Steels
Engineered for applications involving high temperatures and thermal shock.
Popular Grades:
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H11 / H13 – Chromium hot-work steels with excellent red hardness
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H21 – Tungsten-based hot work steel
Applications: Die casting dies, extrusion tools, forging dies
3. ⚙️ High-Speed Tool Steels
Maintain hardness at high cutting speeds and elevated temperatures.
Popular Grades:
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M2 – Widely used for general-purpose cutting tools
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M35 – Contains cobalt for enhanced heat resistance
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T1 – Tungsten high-speed steel
Applications: Drills, taps, end mills, gear cutters
4. 🧱 Shock-Resisting Tool Steels
Toughened for impact-heavy applications.
Popular Grade:
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S7 – Excellent toughness and impact resistance
Applications: Hammers, chisels, riveting tools
📘 Quick Comparison Table
| Grade | Category | Notable Feature | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| D2 | Cold Work | High wear resistance | Dies, knives, punches |
| H13 | Hot Work | Red hardness & toughness | Die casting molds |
| M2 | High Speed | Maintains hardness when hot | Drills, cutters, reamers |
| S7 | Shock Resist | Excellent impact resistance | Riveting, chiseling |
| O1 | Cold Work | Easy machinability | General tools, gauges |
📸 Image Alt Tag: “Tool steel grades chart comparing D2, H13, M2, and S7”
🔗 Related Product Pages
🔧 How to Choose the Right Tool Steel Grade
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Operating Temperature: Use hot-work steels (e.g., H13) for thermal environments
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Wear Resistance: Opt for D2 or M2 where abrasion is a concern
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Shock Loads: Choose S7 for impact-heavy operations
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Machinability vs. Hardness: O1 is easier to machine; D2 is harder but less machinable
📋 Industry Standards for Tool Steel Grades
Tool steel grades follow global classification systems:
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AISI/SAE (American)
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DIN/EN (European)
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IS 3748 (Indian)
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JIS (Japanese)
📤 Get a Quote or Technical Datasheet
Looking for high-performance tool steel grades for your dies or cutting tools? We stock a wide range of certified grades and offer custom sizes.
📞 Phone: +91 7385863226
📧 Email: info@amengineeringworks.in
🏢 Address: Plot No. 15, Khan compound, Taloja M.I.D.C. Navi-Mumbai 410208, Maharashtra INDIA