Common problems in mold manufacturing and processing
1. What is the most important and decisive factor in choosing die steel?
A: Forming methods - Choose from two basic material types.
A) Hot working tool steel, which can withstand relatively high temperatures during casting, forging and extrusion.
B) Cold working tool steel, which is used for blanking and shearing, cold forming, cold extrusion, cold forging and powder pressure forming.
Plastics - Some plastics produce corrosive byproducts, such as PVC. Corrosion can also be caused by condensation, corrosive gases, acids, cooling/heating, water, or storage conditions caused by prolonged downtime. In these cases, stainless steel is recommended.
Size - Prehardened steel is often used for large sizes. Integral hardened steels are often used for small sizes.
Times of use - For long-term use (> 1 000 000 times), high hardness steel should be used, with a hardness of 48-65 HRC. Medium long service (100 000 to 1 000 000 times) should use pre-hardened steel with a hardness of 30-45 HRC. Mild steel with a hardness of 160-250 HB should be used for short time use (< 100,000 times).
Surface roughness - Many plastic manufacturers are interested in good surface roughness. When sulfur is added to improve metal machinability, surface quality is reduced. Steel with a high sulfur content also becomes more brittle.