Tool Steels

Tool and die steels may be defined as special steels which have been developed to from, cut or otherwise change the shape of a material into a finished or semi finished product.

Properties of Tool Steels:

Slight Change of form during hardening Little risk of cracking during hardening Good toughness Good wear resistance Very good machinability A definite cooling rate during hardening

Properties of Tool Steels:

A definite hardening temperature A good degree of hardening Resistance to decarburization Resistance to softening on heating(Red hardness)

AISI Classification Tool Steels

Symbol
T M D A O W H S

Meaning
Tungsten-HSS Mo-High Speed Steel High C High Cr Steel Air Hardening Steel Oil hardening Steel Water hardening Steel Hot work Steel Shock resisting Steel

Composition of Tool Steels:(%)

Tungsten-High Speed Steel (T)
T1 C0.7, Cr4, V1, W18 T4- C0.75, Cr4, V1, W18, Co5 T6- C0.8, Cr4.5, V1.5, W20, Co12

Mo-High Speed Steel(M)

M1- C0.8, Cr4, V1, W1.5, Mo 8 M6- C0.8, Cr4, V1.5, W4, Mo5, Co 2

High C High Cr Steels:(D)

D2- C1.5, Cr 12%, Mo1 D5- C1.5, Cr12, Mo1, Co3 D7- C2.35, Cr12, V4, Mo1

Air Hardening Steels(A): A2- C1, Cr5, Mo1 A7- C2.25, Cr5.25, V4.75, W1, Mo1 A9- C0.5, Cr5, Ni 1.5, V1, Mo1.4 Oil Hardening Steels(O) O1- C0.9, Mn1, Cr0.5, W0.5 O6- C1.45, Si1, Mo0.25

Water Hardeing Steels(W) W5- C1.1, Cr0.5 Hot Work Steels(H) H10- C0.4, Cr3.25, V0.4, Mo2.5 H12- C0.35, Cr5, V0.4, W1.5, Mo1.5 Shock Resisting Steels(S) S1- C0.5, Cr1.5, W2.5 S2- C0.5, Si1, S5- C0.55, Mn0.8 Si2, Mo0.4 S7- C0.5, Cr3.25, Mo1.4

Heat Treatment of Tool Steels:

Tool Steels should be heated slowly to the desired heat-treatment temperature. Tool Steel should be kept at proper temperature for sufficient time so that the whole of the tool section gets heated uniformly Protective furnace atmosphere or any other method should be employed to avoid scaling or decarburization of tool steel during heating Tool Steels should be tempered immediately after quenching and before they cool to room temperature. This reduces cracking

Plain Carbon steels:

A plain carbon steel is defined as a steel which has its properties mainly due to its carbon content and does not contain more than 0.5% silicon and 1.5% of manganese. The carbon content can vary 0.06% to 1.4%.
S.No 1. Type of steel Low carbon steels or Mild steel Uses Chain links, nails, rivets, car bodies, bridges, cams, light duty gears etc. Axles, connecting rods, gears, wheels for trains and rails etc. Clutch plates, razor blades, scissors, knives, files, punches, dies etc.

2.

Medium Carbon Steels

3.

High carbon steels

Alloy Steel:
A Steel in which elements other than carbon are added in sufficient quantity, in order to obtain special properties, is known as alloy steel. The alloying of steel is generally done to increase its strength, hardness, toughness and to improve electrical and magnetic Properties. The various alloying elements are nickel, chromium, molybdenum, cobalt, vanadium, manganese, silicon and tungsten.

High speed steel:

These steel are used for cutting metals at a much higher cutting speed than ordinary carbon tool steel. The HSS have the valuable property of retaining their hardness even when heated to red hot. Most of the HSS contains tungsten as the chief alloying element. But other alloying elements like cobalt, chromium vanadium etc may be present in some proportions. Following are the different types of High speed steels. 18-4-1 HSS: This steel contains 18% Tungsten, 4% Chromium and 1% Vanadium. It is considered to be one of the best of all purpose tool steels. It is widely used for drill, lathes, planer and shaper tools, milling cutters, reamer, threading dies and punches.

Molybdenum HSS:
This steel contains 6% Tungsten, 6% Molybdenum, 4% Chromium, and 2% Vanadium.

Super HSS:
This steel also called as cobalt high speed steel. This steel Contains 20% Tungsten, 4% Chromium, 2% Vanadium, 12% Cobalt.

High Carbon High Chromium Steel:

These are widely used for drawing, coining, blanking, forming and thread rolling. They are also used for reamer gauges, rolls for forming and bending sheet metal etc.

Stainless Steel:
It is a steel, which when correctly heat-treated and finished, resists oxidation and corrosive attack from corrosive media Following are the different types of stainless steels: Ferritic stainless steel:These steels contain a greater amount of nickel from 15% t 20% and about 1% carbon. They have great strength, toughness and extremely good resistance to corrosion. These steels can be welded, forged, rolled and machines. These are used manufacture of pipes in the chemical and food plant equipments to resist nitric acid corrosion.

Martenisic stainless steel:

These steels contain 11% to 14% chromium and 0.35% carbon. These steels can be hardened by suitable heat treatment and have satisfactory for making steam valves, turbine blades, shafts, scissors, knifes, gears, ball bearing, springs, cutlery, surgical and dental instruments and other purposed where hard edges are required.

Austentic stainless steels:

These steels contain 18% chromium and 8% nickel(commonly referred as 18/8 steel). These steels have greatest resistance to corrosion and good tensile strength. They are used in manufacture of pump sets, screws,bolts etc.. They are also used chemical plant appliances, storage and transport devices etc

Non ferrous metals:

Non ferrous metals are those which contain metal other than iron as their chief constituent. The various non ferrous metals used in engineering practice are Aluminium Copper Lead Tin Zinc Nickel etc..

Aluminium:
It is a white metal produced by electrical process from the oxide(alumina) It is light weight metal having specific gravity 2.7 and melting point 660C In its pure state the metal would be weak and soft for most purposes. But when mixed with small amounts of other alloys, it becomes hard and rigid. So it may be blanked formed, drawn turned cast, forged and die cast.

Aluminium Alloys:
Aluminium can be alloyed with one or more other elements like copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon and nickel. The addition of small quantities of alloying elements converts the soft and weak metal into hard and strong metal. The main aluminium alloys are 1.Duralumin 3.Magnalumin 2.Y-Alloy 4.Hindalium

Duralumin:
It is an important and interesting wrought alloy. Its composition is as follows Copper = 3% to 4.5% Manganese = 0.4% to 0.7% Magnesium = 0.4% to 0.7% Rest is Aluminium. It is widely used in forging, stamping, sheets, tubes, and rivets. It cab be worked in hot conditions at a temperature of 500C

Y-Alloy
It is also copper aluminium alloy. The addition of copper to pure aluminium increases its strength and machinability. The composition of this alloy is as follows Copper = 3.5% to 4.5% Manganese = 1.2% to 1.7% Nickel = 1.8 to 2.3% Silicon, Magnesium, Iron=0.6% each and rest is Aluminium It is mainly used in casting purposes. Since it has better strength mainly used in aircraft engines for cylinder heads and pistons.

Magnalumin:
It is made by melting aluminium with 2% to 10% magnesium in a vacuum and then cooling it in a vacuum or under pressure of 100 to 200 atmospheres. It also contains about 1.75% copper. Due to its light weight and and good Mechanical properties it is mainly used for aircraft and automobile components.

Hindalium:
It is an alloy of aluminium with 2% to 10% magnesium with a small quantity of chromium. It is the trade name of aluminium alloy produced Hindustan Aluminium Corporation Ltd.

COPPER
One of the most widely used non-ferrous metals in industry. It is a soft malleable and ductile material with a reddish brown appearance. Specific gravity is 8.9. Melting point is 1083 C. Largely used in electrical cables and wires for electrical machinery and appliances

Copper alloys
Cu-Zn Alloys Cu-Sn alloys Brasses Bronzes

Brass:
The most widely used copper zinc alloys is brass. The addition of 1%-2% of lead improves the machining properties of brass. It has greater strength than that of copper. It has lower thermal and electrical conductivity. Brass is very resistant to atmospheric corrosion condition. Easily fabricated by the processes like spinning.

Various types of brasses according to IS

ISI Desig
Catridge

Composition in %
Cu=70 Zn=30

Uses
Used for cold rolled sheets, tube manufacture Suitable for hot working by rolling, extrusion Used for plates tubes etc Used for Plates Tubes etc. It is used for marine casting It is used for valves Plumping fittings, automobile fitting, type writer Parts Etc

Yellow Cu=60 (Muntz metal) Zn=40 Leaded brass Admiralty brass Naval Brass Nickel brass (German Sil) Cu=62.5,Lead=1.5 Zn=29 Cu=70,Tin=1 Zn=29 Cu=59,Zn=40,Tin=1 Cu=60.45,Zn=35,Ni=5.35

Various types of Bronzes

Types
Phospor bronze

Composition in %
Cu=87-90,Tin=9-10 Phosphorus=0.1-0.3

Uses
Used for bearings,worm wheels,gears,machine lead screws,pump parts Widely used in boilers,stoves, where high strength is required Used for springs,electrical switches,cams and bushes Bushes,plungers, feed pumps, Worm gears. Making gears,propellers,pump componenets,slide valves etc..

Silicon bronze Cu=96,Si=3%,Mn=1%

Berylliyum bronze Manganese bronze Aluminium Bronze

Cu=97.75,Be=2.25

Cu=60,Zn=35,Mn=5

Cu=92%,Al=6-8%

Gun Metal:
It is an alloy of copper,tin,and zinc. It usually contains Cu = 88% Tin = 10% Zinc = 2% This metal is also known as admirality metal. The Zinc is added to clean the metal and to increase its fluidity.

Characteristics:
Not suitable for working in the cold state. It can be forged at about 600 C. The metal is very strong and resistant to corrosion by water and atmoshere It is extensively used in casting boiler fittings, bushes bearings etc

Lead
It is a bluish grey metal having specific gravity 11.36 Melting poing = 326 C

It is soft and it can be cut with the knife It is extensively used for making solders, as a lining for acid tanks, water pipes,electrical cables An alloy containing 83% lead, 15% antimony 1.5% tin, and 0.5% Cu is used for large bearing subjected to light service

Tin:
It is a brightly shining white metal It is soft,malleable and ductile. It can be rolled into very thin sheets.

Tin based alloys

Babbit Metal: Tin Cu = = 88% Antimony = 8% 4% is called babbit metal

Nickel:
It is a silvery white metal capable of taking a high polish Specific gravity Melting point = = 8.85 1452 C

It is almost as hard as soft steel It can be satisfactorily rolled with as little as 0.005% carbon It is somewhat less ductile than soft steel. But small amount of magnesium improves the ductility considerably. It resists the attacks of most of the acids.

Nickel base alloys Monel Metal:

It is an alloy of Ni and Cu Ni = 68% Cu = 29% and 3% other constituents like iron manganese silicon and carbon It is superior to corrosion resistant properties when compared to Brass and Bronze. It is used for making propellers, pump fittings, condensers tubes, steam turbine blades, sea water exposed parts, tanks, and chemical and food handling plants

Iconel:
Ni Chromiun = = 80% 14% and rest is iron

This alloy has excellent mechanical properties at ordinary and at elevated tempetatures It can be casted rolled Used for making springs which have to withstand high temperatures and are exposed to corrosive action, It is also used for exhaust manifolds of aircraft engine

Nichrome:
Ni Chromium Iron = = = 65% 15% 20%

It has a high heat and oxidation resistance. It is used in making electrical resistance wire for electric furnaces and heating elements

Nimonic:
Ni = 80% Chromium = 20% It is used in gas turbine engines widely.