Tool Steels in Die-Casting Utilization and Increased Mold Life

Abstract

In die-casting molds, heat-checking is the typical failure mechanism. Optimizing the parameters that decrease this failure venture should be considered when designing and heat treating steels. The quality of die steels and their treatment continue to improve. This research investigated properties of the traditional materials 1.2343 and 1.2344 and the new steels (Dievar and TOOLOX 44) when applied to the die-casting mold specimens, after different experimental cycles. Also microstructures of the mentioned materials were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) test. Chrome-molybdenum-silicon-vanadium steels have good hardening ability in oil and in air. Therefore, the hot-work steels have considerable toughness and plastic attributes through both regular and higher temperatures. So, it is a good traditional die-casting material. However, another special die steel, such as Dievar, is a particularly developed steel grade; its exclusivity profile is exceptional due to its chemical composition and the use of the latest production techniques. Dievar has good heat-checking and gross-cracking resistance as a result of both high toughness and good hot strength. An additional material, a new prehardened tool steel known as TOOLOX 44, exhibits control of the failure described above by optimizing the parameters of impact toughness that could reduce the heat-checking failures. A variety of heat treatment parameters exist for various reasons because the heat treatment operation is performed by a variety of companies. This issue of the diversity in heat treatments is resolved by TOOLOX 44; this steel is quenched and tempered in delivered state.