Tooling Material, Treatment and Finishing

Mould materials Guidelines for selection of mould materials Heat treating Mould finishing

 Mould materials
Aluminum filled epoxy Aluminum Tool steel Stainless steel Hotwork die steel Beryllium-copper etc.

 Material specifications for common mould materials

Hardness (Rockwell C) => (abrasion resistance) Wear resistance Toughness Compressive strength Hot hardness Corrosion resistance Thermal conductivity Hobbability

Machinability Polishability Nitriding ability Weldability Coefficient of thermal expansion Specific heat capacity Density Yield strength

 Heat treating
Two major objective for heat treating are stress relief and hardening Hardening can be classified into 2 groups which are 1) Full hardening For steel parts that need hard all crossection. Carbon more than 0.3% and temp. about 750-1220 C. Main applications: mould, die, cutting tool and mechanical parts. 2) Case hardening For steel parts that need hard surface (higher wear resistance) and good elastic property at the middle.

 Heat treating Stress relieving

This is one of annealing processes but it is done at a little high temperature for relieving the residual stress occurring from the cold working process at room temperature.

 Heat treating (Case hardening) Carburizing

This process is developed for steel having low % carbon such as mild steel with less than 0.15% C. The carburizing process adds carbon by penetrating the surface of the (machined) part. The elevated temperature is about 900-950 C. Usually, the depth is from 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

Nitriding
This process is similar to carburizing that is carbon is added on the surface of the (machined) part, however, in this process, nitrogen is also added. A elevated temperature is about 500-550 C at nitrogen-rich atmosphere. A depth of 0.3 - 0.5 mm, or even less, is usually sufficient for mould parts.

Flame hardening
% carbon must higher than 0.3 The depth is from 0.5 0.7 mm. The workpiece usually is a cylindrical or flat piece of steel. The workpiece move and pass into induction coil resulting in greater temperature, and then it is cool by spraying the water. This process provides a high quality of hardening and it can be used for both some desired surface area or full surface.

Induction hardening
% carbon must higher than 0.3 The depth is from 0.5 0.7 mm. A gas flame is directed at that surface of a steel part (which needs hardening) then this area is chilled with a jet of water for harden. This process provides a high quality of hardening and it can be used for both some desired surface area or full surface.