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ExEll™ HOT-DIE

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ExELL™ HOT-DIE

ExELL™ HOT-DIE is a premium or superior quality hot work die steel manufactured for high heat resistance with a very good level of toughness and ductility.

ExELL™ HOT-DIE is produced to meet the requirements of NADCA 207, Grade C and other industry specifications.

ExELL™ HOT-DIE is designed to offer a CVN impact strength capability similar to a high quality H-13 superior type (NADCA 207, Grade B) but offer the greatest level of heat resistance for all of the NADCA 207 grade types.

Application of ExELL™ HOT-DIE will offer longer service life resulting in:

  • Longer tool life
  • Less repairs
  • Fewer die changes
  • Fewer tools
  • Added production time

Hot Work Die Steel Selection Chart

ESS Grade NADCA 207 Grade Typical Analysis
C Mn P S Si Cr Mo V
ExELL™ H-13
Superior
B 0.41 0.34 <0.015 <0.003 0.90 5.07 1.22 0.81
ExELL™
Tuf-Die
E 0.39 0.34 <0.015 <0.003 0.25 5.07 1.80 0.65
ExELL™
Hot-Die
C 0.36 0.34 <0.015 <0.003 0.25 5.07 2.80 0.65

CHARACTERISTICS

ExELL™ HOT-DIE exhibits a combination of properties characterized by:

  • Very good high temperature strength
  • Very good toughness and ductility
  • High level of resistance to thermal shock and fatigue
  • Excellent resistance to heat checking, erosion and hot wear
  • Good tempering resistance

TYPICAL ANALYSIS

C 0.38 Cr 5.20
Si 0.25 V 0.65
Mn 0.35 Mo 2.80

 

APPLICATIONS

ExELL™ HOT-DIE is used in die casting die applications and related components where the best level of heat resistance is required along with good toughness and ductility. Application hardness would be comparable to the same or similar hardness levels applied to H-13 Superior.

ExELL™ HOT-DIE is used in most other hot work applications such as hot forging press dies and inserts, hot extrusion tooling and forming dies. The use of ExELL™ HOT-DIE in these tools is designed to offer added heat resistance when H-13 or similar alloys are used.

IMPROVED MANUFACTURING

ExELL™ HOT-DIE is manufactured to standards of very high tooling quality for optimum service performance without any excessive cost disadvantage. This tool steel grade is produced with excellent cleanliness, structure uniformity and mechanical properties.

Basic manufacturing includes:

  • Special steel refining and melting
  • Very precise chemistry control
  • Heavy forging reductions
  • Special homogenixing thermal treatments
  • Most modern melting, remelting and forging equipment
  • Complete manufacture, testing and quality assurance within facilities certified to ISO 9001

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Density, lbs/cu.in.

70F…………….0.283

750F…………..0.278

1450F…………0.273

 

Modulus of Elasticity, psi

70F……………29,450,000

 

Thermal Conductivity, BTU in/ft2 hr F
70F……………185

750F………….190

1450F………..195

 

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion, in/in/F

70-450F………….0.0000070

70-1450F…………0.0000077

 

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

Tensile Properties, Room Temperature

52 HRC 48 HRC 44 HRC
Tensile Strength, psi 275,000 235,000 205,000
0.2% Yield Strength, psi 225,000 195,000 175,000
% RA 45 48 55
% Elongation 13 14 14

 

HEAT TREATMENT

STRESS RELIEVING

After rough machining of an annealed part, heat slowly to 1200F, equalize and hold 1-2 hours. Furnace cool to 900F and then air cool to room temperature.

 ANNEALING

With a protective atmosphere or vacuum furnace, heat slowly to 1560F. Equalize and hold 1 hour per inch of thickness. Furnace cool 20F/hr to 1100F and equalize. Cool freely in air to room temperature. Hardness will be 217 max HB.

HARDENING AND QUENCHING

(Protect against decarburization and oxidation during austenitizing)

Preheating

Heat to 1200F and equalize. Continue heating to 1550F and equalize. Complete heating to hardening temperature.

Hardening

Typical austentizing range is 1875 – 1900F. A hardening temperature of 1885F is normally used for most applications. Hold at hardening temperature 30 minutes.

Quenching

Quenching should be performed as rapidly as possible (50F/min) without promoting excess movement or cracking. Typical quenching media include:

  • High speed gas with sufficient positive pressure and circulation in a vacuum furnace
  • Warm oil flash quench
  • Martempering bath or fluidized bed at 575-1020F, then air cool

 Temper as soon as part reaches 120-150F

Tempering

Temper immediately after quenching to about 150F. Temper a minimum of two times (three preferred) with intermediate cooling to room temperature.

Choose a tempering temperature to develop required hardness. Approximate tempering response is shown in the table (do not temper in the range of 800-975F to avoid temper embrittleness):

ExELL™ HOT-DIE should be heated to the desired tempering temperature and held a minimum of 2 hours. Air cool to room temperature. Check hardness and adjust temperature for additional tempering operation. Repeat for added tempers.

1885F Austenitize

Tempering Temp. HRC
480F 53
1000F 55
1025F 55
1050F 53
1100F 52
1150F 49

Surface Treatments

Surfaces of ExELL™ HOT-DIE can be nitrided by all commercial processes. ExELL™ HOT-DIE is also treated by other surface treatment and coating processes.

Tool Making

For any additional information to include machining, welding, grinding, or EDM, please contact Ellwood Specialty Steel direct at 800-932-2188.

CAPABILITIES

Ellwood Specialty Steel is a fully integrated producer of a wide range of specialty tool steels. Our ExELL™ grades are made with advanced ASEA-SKF steel making capabilities which include an ultra high powered electric arc furnace with subsequent state of the art ladle refining and vacuum degassing equipment for the most complete and modern ladle metallurgy technology.

Our steel making expertise and capability is further enhanced from a long forging history with optimum forging and heat treating practices to develop very special material characteristics of product uniformity, cleanliness, machinability polishability, strength, toughness, hardenability  and other steel properties. All this from production facilities certified to ISO 9002.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Ellwood Specialty Steel is committed to providing products and services which will consistently meet or exceed all quality and performance expectations. We will provide customer and technical service that will ensure complete satisfaction.

Being a very flexible integrated producer, Ellwood Specialty Steel will establish product programs to fully support industry or customer requirements. Our extensive stock programs are supported by very short mill lead times of custom forged products. Customized stock programs are and can be available for specific customer needs.

This information is intended to provide general data on our products and their uses and is based on our knowledge at the time of publication. No information should be construed as a guarantee of specific properties of the products described or suitability for a particular application. Ellwood Specialty Steel reserves the right to make changes in practices which may render some information outdated or obsolete. Ellwood Specialty Steel should be consulted for current information and/or capabilities.

 

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