In today’s competitive forging markets, achieving good tool life is essential for maximizing the profit of any forge shop. An appropriate die material must be chosen that is both capable of meeting the estimated die life and able to withstand the forces of manufacturing. Material properties such as hardness and fracture strength must be balanced to achieve the performance requirements for the application. Additionally, understanding the relationship between material properties, production conditions under which the die is used and design of the impression is crucial to performance. With the assistance of the Technical Services team at Finkl Steel, choosing the best die steel grade doesn’t have to be a mystery.
Material Grades
| DOWNLOAD | GRADE | AISI | DIN | DESCRIPTION |
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CX® | A high toughness, high ductility forging die steel recommended for forging applications where resistance to fracture is a prime requirement. CX excels in many challenging forging applications, such as warm and near-net shape forging, where other die steels fail due to fracture. CX is also commonly used for replacement rams and sow blocks where the forge shop wishes to upgrade OEM equipment. | ||
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FX-XTRA® | 1.2714 mod | A remarkably tough, long lasting, Ni-Cr-Mo steel with excellent high temperature physical properties. Special machining quality reduces machining costs and machine loads, making it possible to sink FX-XTRA dies as hard as 477 BHN. FX-XTRA has earned an unparalleled reputation in the industry as a versatile workhorse alloy with applications from die blocks to machine components. | |
| CUPRODIE® | A unique blend of alloying elements provides good high temperature properties with additional self-lubricating qualities. Elevated levels of copper generate lubricity during the forging operation allowing for reduced levels of graphite. | |||
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DURODI® | 1.2714 mod | DURODI is suitable for closed die forging hammers, mechanical and hydraulic forging presses. The material hardens deeply and uniformly to a high hardness that holds up exceedingly well under impact and thermal shock. | |
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WF-XTRA® | WF-XTRA die steel is used where longer die life is desired and is especially suited to resist heat checking. This well balanced nickel-chromium molybdenum alloy exhibits high hardenability, toughness, wear resistance, and excellent high temperature physical properties. | ||
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PRESS-X® | A precipitation hardening die steel capable of recovering from overheated conditions. Low carbon (0.20%) eliminates development of a brittle surface layer that can lead to heat-checking. The precipitation hardening characteristics of PRESS-DIE minimize softening from overheated conditions. The heat from the forging process actually ages the die surface to a higher hardness. | ||
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DC® | 1.2344 | Die Cavity has excellent abrasion resistance due to high vanadium content that forms extremely hard vanadium carbide particles. However, as this material is sensitive to fracture at room temperature, die preheating is mandatory. | |
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SHELLDIE® | H-11 Mod | 1.2343 mod | SHELLDIE is a high chromium, molybdenum, vanadium grade offering excellent wear resistance at higher operating temperatures. This material exhibits remarkable resistance to abrasion and will maintain its hardness throughout the forging process. |
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SHELLEX® | H-11 Mod | 1.2367 mod | SHELLEX is similar to SHELLDIE but with nearly twice the molybdenum content for superior wear resistance under conditions of high die operating temperatures. SHELLEX was designed for applications that need greater resistance to wear, tempering, and heat-checking. |
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SUPERDIE™ | 1.2367 mod | SUPERDIE exhibits higher strength and surface hardness at room temperature than H13 and H11 type alloys when tempered at identical tempering temps. Hardnesses typically in the 42 to 52 HRC with standard hardening procedures. | |
| HLX™ | HLX is the most highly-alloyed die material in the die steel family. With more than 7% chromium, this alloy provides the greatest combination of high temperature abrasion and tempering resistance. HLX is suitable for the most challenging press die applications. |
