H13 STEEL
VIRAT SPECIAL STEELS Pvt. Ltd.
Introduce H-13 material & Modify H13 (DIN 2344 / SKD61/ AISI H13) for the application of drop forgings,
Extrusion, Pressure Die Casting etc. H13 steels belong to a family of Hot-Working Steels, a group of steel
that is used to cut or shape material at high temperatures. These H-group tool
steels were developed for strength and hardness during prolonged exposure to
elevated temperatures. These tool steels are low carbon and moderate alloy with
significant carbide content resulting in good hot hardness and toughness,
coupled with fair wear resistance. The main alloy constituents of H13 are Chromium (4.75 to 5.5%);
Molybdenum (1.1 to 1.75%); Vanadium (0.8 to 1.2%); and nominal volume of Nickel
(only 0.3%).
While Molybdenum and Vanadium provide strength, the high Chromium
content makes H13 resistant to softening when at high temperatures (red
hardness). H-13 is also resilient in to shock and abrasion. It is capable of
withstanding rapid cooling and not prone to heat checking (cracking because of
large changes in temperature).
Ease of fabrication is an important consideration in selection of
tool steel and H13 steels score highly on this issue. The primary factors that
influence easy fabrication are: good Machinability (H series steels score 70 on
the Index where W-class steels are at 100), Grindability, Weldability,
Hardenability, and Resistance to Distortion, Safety (cracking resistance) and Decarburizing
Tendency. H13 steels are high on all these and can be formed (shaped into tool
or mould) by conventional means.
Weldability matters mainly for large tools and is the ability to
make, alter and repair a tool by welding without the material cracking. A
simplistic explanation of Hardenability is whether hardness is maintained
through the depth of the material.
H13 steels are particularly
useful where precision is required such as for small and medium sized extrusion
dies; and ejector pins, apparatus holders and shrink fit chucks. Also for making inserts, cores, and cavities for die
casting dies, die casting shot sleeves, hot forging dies, and plastic mould
cavities and parts that require a smooth finish.
A major
advantage with H13 steels is that
they can be Precision-Cast. Not only are cast tools superior to wrought tools
in terms of resistance to thermal checking; but if they can be precision cast
to near finished size they save significantly on waste and machining. They also
allow for pattern making costs to be spread over a large population of tools.
H13
tool steels are practically equivalent to DIN 1.2344 (Europe)
and quite similar to grades AFNOR Z 40 COV 5, UNI KU, JIS SKD61, SS 2242, B.S.
BH 13 & ASTM A681.
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