Elements in Tool Steels and high speed steel

Carbon - Carbon is the most important element in steel; it combines with other elements to provide hardness and strength to steel. Increasing in carbon content, the strength and hardenability of the steel increases. Ductility, machinability, formability, and weldability will decrease if hardness increases.

Cobalt - Cobalt improves red hardness and high temperature strength, It is frequently used in high-speed steels, hot forming tool steels, and high temperature materials.

Manganese - Manganese contributes to strength and hardness to steel, it has a strong effect on increasing the hardenability of steel by reducing the critical cooling rate and can reduce heat treating distortion.

Nickel - With the combination with chromium, nickel produces greater hardenability in tool steel. Nickel increases, corrosion resistance increases.

Silicon - A strong promoter of hardenability and increases scale resistance. Silicon helps improve toughness and provides a greater depth of hardening.

Sulfur - Sulfur added to steel to improve machinability by increasing lubrication and small chip formation.

Tungsten Carbide Forming Elements

Chromium – Chromium is generally added to steel to increase resistance to corrosion and oxidation, to increase hardenability, and to improve high temperature strength. Chromium is a carbide former, which increases edge retention and wear resistance.

Molybdenum – Molybdenum increases temper brittleness and promotes fine grain formation. Molybdenum also increases weldability and increases the tendency for secondary hardening during tempering.

Tungsten – Tungsten improves toughness and prevents grain growth. Tungsten increases high temperature strength and red hardness. It is primarily used in high speed steels and hot forming tool steels.

Vanadium – Vanadium is an excellent carbide former, which increases wear resistance. It forms the highest hardness carbides. It increases high temperature strength and resistance to softening

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