WHEN D2 DOESNT WORK

Understanding Todays
Toolmaking and Metalforming Problems

Jerry Wright
Vice President - Technology
Crucible Specialty Metals
May 14, 2008

Crusteel Confederation of
Limited British Metalforming
Crucible
 D2
One Of The Most Common Tool Steels.
35% of tool steels sold (60% D2 + A2)
Suitable for all kinds of metalforming tools

Cold work
tool steel
sales
Tons

D2 A2 x x x x x x x x
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 What Makes Tool Steels Work?

Hardness
Wear resistance
Toughness

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 What makes tool steels work?
Hardness ~ 60 HRC
Harder than the work material, so the tool can shape
or cut the work material
Workpiece should deform, not tool
Wear resistance
Adequate toughness

Hardness tester works by

indenting or deforming steel.
Hardness number is a
measure of steels resistance
to deformation.

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 What makes tool steels work?

Hardness ~ 60 HRC
Wear resistance
Max HRC ~60s
Carbides in microstructure enhance wear resistance
Adequate toughness

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 What makes tool steels work?

Hardness ~ 60 HRC
Wear resistance
Max HRC ~60s
Carbides in microstructure enhance wear resistance
Adequate toughness

A2 D2
(1C 5Cr 1 Mo) (1.5C 11.5Cr 1 Mo 1V)

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 What makes tool steels work?

Hardness ~ 60 HRC
Wear resistance
HARDENED STEEL - 60/65 HRC
Q

Max HRC ~60s

CHROMIUM CARBIDES - 65/70 HRC
Q
Carbides in microstructure enhance wear resistance
AdequateMOLY, TUNGSTEN CARBIDES - 72/77 HRC
toughness
Q

(solid carbide ~ WC)

Q VANADIUM CARBIDES - 82/84 HRC

A2 D2
(1C 5Cr 1 Mo) (1.5C 11.5Cr 1 Mo 1V)

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 What makes tool steels work?

Hardness ~ 60 HRC
Carbides
Adequate toughness
Impact from stamping operations
Side loads or bending from unbalanced loads

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 What makes tool steels work?

Hardness ~ 60 HRC
Carbides
SHARP NOTCH SMOOTH NOTCH NO NOTCH

Adequate toughness
SUDDEN

IMPACT Impact from stamping operations

SUDDEN SUDDEN GRADUAL
Side loads or bending from unbalanced loads
IMPACT IMPACT STRESS

IZOD CHARPY CHARPY BEND

V-NOTCH C-NOTCH FRACTURE

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 What makes tool steels work?

Hardness ~ 60 HRC
Carbides
SHARP NOTCH SMOOTH NOTCH NO NOTCH

Adequate toughness
SUDDEN

Impact
IMPACT from stamping operations
SUDDEN SUDDEN GRADUAL
Side loads or bending from unbalanced loads
IMPACT IMPACT STRESS

IZOD CHARPY CHARPY BEND

V-NOTCH C-NOTCH FRACTURE

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 What makes D2 work?

Hardness ~ 60 HRC
Adequate wear resistance
Tough enough for most situations
Not too hard to machine & grind
Genealogy & geography
Popular commodity

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 Whats wrong with D2?

Limited toughness
Wear resistance low for difficult work
materials
Not readily PVD coated
Sometimes higher hardness is needed

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 Whats wrong with D2?
Limited toughness
Wear resistance low for difficult work
materials
Not readily PVD coated
Sometimes need higher hardness
140
Charpy C-notch

120

100

80

60

40

20

S7 A9 3V A2 M4 CR- 10V D2 M2 T15 15V

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 Whats wrong with D2?
Limited toughness
Wear resistance low for difficult work
materials
Not readily PVD coated
Sometimes need higher hardness
200
180
Wear Resistance

160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
H13 S7 A9 A2 D2 CR- 3V M2 M4 9V T15 10V 15V
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 Whats wrong with D2?

Limited toughness
Wear resistance low for difficult work
materials
Not readily PVD coated
Sometimes need higher hardness

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 HT is not compatible with PVD process.

Limited toughness
Wear resistance low for difficult work
materials
Not readily PVD coated
Sometimes need higher hardness

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 D2 Not Compatible With PVD Process

Limited toughness
2000 resistance low for difficult Schematic
Wear Austenitize work
D2 Heat Treat Process
materials
Not readily PVD coated
1500
Sometimes Quench PVD process temperature
Preheat need higher hardness
1000
Temper
500

R.T.
(Freeze)
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 When doesnt D2 work?

Heavy impacts
High strength work material
AHSS, stainless, thick stock, etc.
Difficult tool geometry
Coating needed for galling
Non-ferrous, close clearances, etc.
High pressure at cutting edges
Need higher HRC to prevent dings

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 What other options are available?
Tool steels with better toughness
Tool steels with better wear resistance
Tool steels with higher hardness
Tool steels that can be readily coated

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 How Do We Determine Failure Modes?
We Look For Facts With An Open Mind
Sometimes We Are Lead By What We Want To
Hear

LOOK!!

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 How Do We Determine Failure Modes?
We Look For Facts With An Open Mind
Sometimes We Are Lead By What We Want To Hear
Example: from The Archives
Having dug to a depth of 10 meters, Scottish scientists found
traces of copper wire dating back 200 years and came to the
conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network
for more than 200 years.

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 How Do We Determine Failure Modes?
We Look For Facts With An Open Mind
Sometimes We Are Lead By What We Want To Hear
Example: from the archives
Having dug to a depth of 10 meters, Scottish scientists found
traces of copper wire dating back 200 years and came to the
conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network
for more than 200 years.
Not to be outdone by the Scots, English scientists dug to a depth
of 20 meters. Shortly after, headlines in the UK newspapers
read: English archeologists have found traces of 300 year old
copper wire and have concluded that their ancestors had an
advanced high tech communcations network a hundred years
before the Scots.

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 How Do We Determine Failure Modes?
We Look For Facts With An Open Mind
Sometimes We Are Lead By What We Want To Hear
Example: from the archives
Having dug to a depth of 10 meters, Scottish scientists found
traces of copper wire dating back 200 years and came to the
conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network
for more than 200 years.
Not to be outdone by the Scots, English scientists dug to a depth
of 20 meters. Shortly after headlines in the UK newspapers
read: English archeologists have found traces of 300 year old
copper wire and have concluded that their ancestors had an
advanced high tech communcations network a hundred years
before the Scots.
One week later, The Kerryman reported: after digging as deep
as 30 meters in peat bog near Tralee, Paddy ODighe, a self
taught archeologist, reported that he found absolutely nothing.
Paddy concluded that 400 years ago, Ireland had already gone
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 Many Failure Modes Are Not Material Related

Non-Material Causes Must First Be Eliminated

A True Measure Of The Material Effectiveness
Can Then Be Determined
Typical Issues:
Heat Treatment Typically Undertempering
EDM Damage Or Grinding Burn
Machining Marks And Other Stress Risers
Unexplained Mechanical Damage

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 D2 Coining Dies
Cracked In Service

Hardness 62.5 HRC

HT 1870F + 400F +
380F + 360F
Highly Undertempered
Microstructure Comensurate
With High HRC

Properly Tempered Microstructure Sample Microstructure

Failure Related To Under Tempered Condition

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 CPM 10V - 2.51Dia. Punch
Fractured During Wire EDM

Fracture Exhibits Evidence Of Melting

On Outside Surfaces
Hardness 61 HRC
Base Alloy Adequately Hardened
And Tempered
Very Heavy EDM Layer Which Was
Completely Melted And Re-solidified

Crusteel Failure Caused By Extremely Heavy EDM Layer

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 CPM S30V 0.160 Knife Blade
Fractured When Dropped

Hardness 59.4 HRC

Microstructure Adequately
Hardened And Tempered
Fracture Is Aligned With
Mechanical Stamping Marks
Evidence Of Double Or Mis-
stamping

Notch Effect From Mis-stamping Stamps Profile And Fracture Edge

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 D2 Cutter Knife .25 x 1.75 x 60
Fractured During Following Heat Treatment

Microcleanliness typical 58 HRC

No adverse surface conditions
were observed.
Adequately hardened and
tempered
Cracking did not follow the
segregation bands
No evidence of any scale or
oxidation.

Examination suggests that an applied side

load or material handling was the cause for the fracture

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 What other options are available?
Tool steels with better toughness
Tool steels with better wear resistance
Tool steels with higher hardness
Tool steels that can be readily coated

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 Trading Toughness For Wear Resistance
P20

H11,
H13
S2, S7
S5
W1
TOUGHNESS

L2 420, H14, H19

L6 H21
H24
L2 L3 A2,
H26
O1 T1, T2
M2
T4 D2, M4
M3
T5 D4 A7,
T15
WEAR RESISTANCE

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 Trading Toughness For Wear Resistance

A2 D2
(1C 5Cr 1 Mo) (1.5C 11.5Cr 1 Mo 1V)

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 PM Tool Steel Manufacturing

CPM steelmaking fast solidification

of particles controls carbide size &
shape for improved toughness at
higher carbide volumes.
CPM tool steels offer better
combinations of wear resistance &
toughness

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 PM Tool Steel Manufacturing

Conventional Mfg. CPM Mfg.

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 What Other Options Are Available?
Tool steels with better toughness
Tool steels with better wear resistance
Tool steels with higher hardness
Tool steels that can be readily coated

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 Better toughness than D2
Tool steels with better toughness
Tool steels with better wear resistance
Tool steels with higher hardness
Tool steels that can be readily coated

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 Better toughness than D2

S7, A2, CPM 3V

Wear Resistance Toughness

Relative Values

S7 A2 CPM 3V D2

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 Better toughness than D2

S7, A2, CPM 3V

Wear Resistance Toughness

Relative Values

Toughness
benefit

S7 A2 CPM 3V D2

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 Better toughness than D2

A2 toughness little better than D2

Wear resistance better than S7

Wear Resistance Toughness

Relative Values

Toughness
benefit

S7 A2 CPM 3V D2
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 Better toughness than D2

CPM 3V toughness approaching S7

Wear resistance comparable to D2
Coatable for enhanced wear

Wear Resistance Toughness

Relative Values

Toughness
benefit

Crusteel S7 A2 CPM 3V D2
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 What other options are available?
Tool steels with better toughness
Tool steels with better wear resistance
Tool steels with higher hardness
Tool steels that can be readily coated

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 Higher wear resistance than D2
More or harder carbides in microstructure
More carbides = lower toughness
Except PM manufacturing can counteract
Cost of PM is higher
Trade Cr carbides for harder carbides (V, Mo)
Limit is drop in toughness, grindability

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 Trading Toughness For Wear Resistance
P20

H11,
H13
S2, S7
S5
W1
TOUGHNESS

L2 420, H14, H19

L6 H21
H24
L2 L3 A2,
H26
O1 T1, T2
M2
T4 D2, M4
M3
T5 D4 A7,
T15
WEAR RESISTANCE

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 Higher wear resistance than D2
CruWear, M2, CPM M4, CPM 10V
All offer better wear resistance
All offer similar or higher hardness and toughness
All may be PVD coated for enhanced wear properties

Wear Resistance Toughness

Relative Values

D2 CruWear M2 CPM M4 CPM 10V

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 Higher wear resistance than D2
CruWear economical performance upgrade
2-1/2% V harder carbide type
Hardness up to 64 HRC
Higher compressive yield strength than D2
Tougher than D2

Wear Resistance Toughness

Relative Values

Crusteel D2 CruWear M2 CPM M4 CPM 10V

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 Higher wear resistance than D2
M2 high speed steel
2% vanadium + Mo + W harder carbide types
Hardness up to 65 HRC
Higher compressive yield strength than D2
Toughness similar to D2

Wear Resistance Toughness

Relative Values

D2 CruWear M2 CPM M4 CPM 10V

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 Higher wear resistance than D2
CPM M4 - All-around High Performer
4% vanadium + Mo + W harder carbide types
CPM manufacturing for better toughness
Hardness up to 65+ HRC
Higher compressive yield strength than D2

Wear Resistance Toughness

Relative Values

Crusteel D2 CruWear M2 CPM M4 CPM 10V

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 Higher wear resistance than D2
CPM 10V - Premium Wear Resistance
10% vanadium - better carbide type
Better abrasion resistance at same hardness
Toughness comparable to D2 or M2
Hardness comparable to D2

Wear Resistance Toughness

Relative Values

Crusteel D2 CruWear M2 CPM M4 CPM 10V

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 What other options are available?
Tool steels with better toughness
Tool steels with better wear resistance
Tool steels with higher hardness
Tool steels that can be readily coated

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 Higher attainable hardness than D2
Higher HRC = higher compressive yield strength
Resist deformation, peening, indenting

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 Higher attainable hardness than D2

400 Resistance to deformation, or Rex 76

compressive yield strength, T15
depends primarily on hardness,
M2, M3, M4
not grade!
Comp. Yld. Str. (ksi)

CruWear
350
A2, D2, 10V, 15V
3V
A9
S7
300

50 55 60 65
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Hardness (HRC)
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 What other options are available?
Tool steels with better toughness
Tool steels with better wear resistance
Tool steels with higher hardness
Tool steels that can be readily coated

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 More coatable than D2
Coatings improve abrasive wear resistance
Coatings harder than HTd steel
Coatings improve galling resistance
Coatings reduce surface friction
Coatings are applied at >900F (480C)
Substrate must be stable at processing temperature

Treatment Hardness Coefficient of Thickness

Vickers (HRC) friction (microns)
HTd steel 700 (60) 0.8/1.0 ---
Nitriding 850 (65) 0.6/0.7? 75-200
CrN (PVD) 1750 (~78) 0.5 1-5
TiN (PVD) 2300 (~80) 0.4 1-5
TiCN (PVD) 3000 (~90) 0.3 1-5
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 More coatable than D2
Tool steels that contain Mo, W, V
Secondary hardness in heat treatment

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 More coatable than D2

Limited toughness
2000 resistance low for difficult Schematic
Wear Austenitize work
D2 Heat Treat Process
materials
Not readily PVD coated
1500
Sometimes Quench PVD process temperature
Preheat need higher hardness
1000
Temper
500

R.T.
(Freeze)
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 More coatable than D2

LimitedAustenitize
toughness
2000 Schematic
Wear resistance low for difficult work
HSS Heat Treat Process
materials
1500
Not readily PVDQuench
coated
PVD process temperature
Sometimes
Preheat need higher hardness
Temper
1000

500

R.T.
(Freeze)
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 More coatable than D2

Secondary hardness from Mo, W, V

Hardness after tempering at 1000 F (540C)
depends on hardening temperature

D2 55-57
Cruwear 60-63
M2, M4 62-65
T15 65-67
Rex 76 66-68

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 For better deformation resistance than D2
tools (~60 HRC)
GOOD INCREASING
CruWear (62/63 HRC) HARDNESS

BETTER
High speed steel - M2, CPM M4 (63/64 HRC)

BEST
Cobalt HSS - CPM T15, Rex 76 (64/68 HRC)

If tools regularly require maintenance due to mushrooming

or flattening or rolling over, they are not hard enough.
Try a steel designed for higher hardness.
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 For better impact toughness
than D2 tools
GOOD INCREASING
TOUGHNESS
A2 - 40/45 ft lbs (lower wear)

BETTER
CPM 3V - 70+ ft lbs (good wear)

BEST
S7 - 100/125 ft lbs (poor wear)
Chronic reqrinding for minor chipping might suggest a tougher
material is needed, or that fabrication issues like EDM or grinding
should be examined. Catastrophic breakage often suggests an
inherent design or operation issue.
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 For better wear resistance
than D2 tools
INCREASING
GOOD CARBIDE TYPE
& AMOUNT
CruWear, M2 (2-3% V)

BETTER
CPM M4, T15 (4-5% V)

BEST
CPM 10V, 15V (max V)
Tools which regularly require grinding or resharpening after short
runs due to plain old wear (gradual dulling) need more wear
resistant steel (or carbide) or perhaps a surface treatment.
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 How do I select a better tool steel?
Decide what property is inadequate.
Toughness, hardness, wear resistance?
Find other steels with higher primary property.
Compare other properties.

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 How do I select a better tool steel?

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 Understanding Todays
Toolmaking and Metalforming Problems
Is The Key To Your Competitive
Success!!

Confederation of
British Metalforming

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 H13 Extrusion Punch
Heat Checked In Service

Hardness 49/51 HRC

Microstructure Adequately
Hardened And Tempered
Die Fails By Deforming,
Then Breaking

Heat Checking Due

Thermal Cycling

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 Forging Steels
Hardness vs. Tempering Temperature
pering S7 H10 mod H11 H12 H13 H19
ature (F)
65 (1750F) (1900F) (1850F) (1850F) (1850F) (2150F
HRC CVN HRC CVN HRC CVN HRC CVN HRC CVN HRC CV
000 60 51 58 9 53 13 52 8 52 10 57.5
050 57 10 47 18 45 11 50 10 55.5
55
Hardness (HRC)

100 47 54.5 12 41.5 23 41 13 H10 mod

47 18 (1900F)
52.5
150 50 50.5 14 35 31 H13 (1850F)
36 50.5 6
200 41 40.5 15.5 27 30 46
H19 (2150F) 11
250 45 40 11
H21 (2150F)
40 CPM 1V (2000F)

35

30
1000 1050 1100 1150 1200 1250
Tempering Temperature (F)

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