Material selection for metal stamping die manufacturing is an important process. Supplies used in manufacturing stamp die types include polymer materials, zinc-based alloys, low-melting alloys, and aluminium bronze. It also includes steel, cemented carbide, steel-bonded cemented carbide, etc. Steel is the primary material utilized for making stamping tools. Various working parts are frequently used in tools.
They are carbon tool steel, low alloy tool steel, medium carbon alloy steel, high carbon high-chrome or medium chromium tool steel, and high-speed steel. Read this article to learn about material selection for metal stamping die manufacturing. Here are some materials used by metal stamping die manufacturers in the industry:
Carbon Tool Steel
More carbon tool steels, such as T8A and T10A, are utilized in the mold. The benefits include low cost and good processability. However, the bearing capacity is limited, the heat treatment deformation is significant, and the hardenability is poor.
Low Alloy Tool Steel
A suitable quantity of alloying elements is added to carbon tool steel to create low alloy tool steel. In contrast to carbon tool steel, it has greater wear resistance, increases its hardenability, and lessens the tendency of quenching deformation and cracking. Molds are made from low-alloy steels such as CrWMn, 9Mn2V, 7CrSiMnMoV, 6CrNiSiMnMoV, and others.
High Carbon, High Chromium Tool Steel
Cr12 and Cr12MoV, Cr12Mo1V1, and SKD11 are common high-carbon and high-chrome tool steels. They are wear-resistant, have good hardenability, and have minimal heat treatment distortion. Only high-speed steel has a greater load capacity. Nonetheless, there is a significant risk of carbide segregation. Therefore, the forging must often be changed through axial upsetting and radial drawing to lessen the carbide’s unevenness and enhance performance.
High Carbon Medium Chromium Tool Steel
Mold-making tool steels with high carbon content and medium chromium content are great. Molds like Cr4W2MoV, Cr6WV, and Cr5MoV possess uniform carbide distribution, low eutectic carbides, minimal heat treatment deformation, good hardenability, and dimensional stability. In contrast to high-carbon, high-chromium steel that has quite severe carbide segregation, this metal’s performance is enhanced.
High-Speed Steel
The highest hardness, abrasion resistance, compressive strength, and high bearing capacity are found in high-speed mold steel. Low tungsten content W18Cr4V and W6Mo5 Cr4V2 are frequently utilized in Molds, as are high-speed steels that reduce carbon and vanadium to increase toughness 6W6Mo5 Cr4V. High-speed steel must also be forged to enhance its carbide dispersion.
Base Steel
To improve the performance of high-speed steel, a stamping parts supplier will add a tiny amount of additional elements to its composition and adjust the carbon content level. Base steel is the collective term for these kinds of steel. They possess the same properties as high-speed steel, superior fatigue strength and toughness, and some wear resistance and hardness. 6Cr4W3Mo2VNb, 7Cr7Mo2V2Si, 5Cr4Mo3SiMnVAL, and other base steels are frequently used in molds.
Carbide and Steel-Cemented Carbide
Though it lacks toughness and bending strength, cemented carbide is harder and more resistant to wear than any other kind of mold steel. Tungsten-cobalt cemented carbide is utilized as the mold material. Low cobalt concentration can be selected for cemented carbide for molds with poor impact resistance and good wear resistance. Cemented carbide with a higher cobalt percentage can be chosen for high-impact molds.
Iron powder, titanium carbide, or tungsten carbide are the hard phases, and a tiny quantity of alloying element powders as a binder make up steel-bonded cemented carbide. Powder metallurgy is also used to sinter the powder.
Steel, which can be cut, welded, forged, and heat-treated, serves as the matrix for steel-bonded cemented carbide. This mitigates the drawbacks of cemented carbide’s low toughness and challenging machining. A significant proportion of carbides are present in steel-bonded cemented carbides. The wear resistance and hardness are still stronger than other types of steel while being lower than cemented carbides.
New Materials
Cold-working die steels are the most widely used, most versatile, and most widely applied type of die steel and are utilized in stamping die production. Strength, toughness, and wear resistance are the primary performance requirements.
Cold work die steel development is based on the performance of high-alloy steel D2, which is separated into two main areas. One is to enhance the homogeneity of carbide distribution in steel and lower the number of alloy elements and carbon content in steel.
The other one is powdered high-speed steel designed primarily to increase wear resistance to accommodate automation, mass production, and high speeds.
Read Also: How to Utilize Metal Stamping Die Design to Reach Ultimate Objectives
Final Thoughts
These are the basics of material selection in metal stamping die manufacturing. So, when you start your project, always choose reliable metal stamping die manufacturers to get the best supplies.
