UDDEHOLM TOOL STEELS FOR

FORGING
APPLICATIONS

TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING 1

© UDDEHOLMS AB
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial
purposes without permission of the copyright holder.

This information is based on our present state of knowledge and is intended to provide
general notes on our products and their uses. It should not therefore be construed as a
warranty of specific properties of the products described or a warranty for fitness for a
particular purpose.

Classified according to EU Directive 1999/45/EC

For further information see our “Material Safety Data Sheets”.
Edition 4, 10.2017

2 TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING

Selecting a tool steel supplier is a key decision for all parties, including the tool
maker, the tool user and the end user. Thanks to superior material properties,
Uddeholm’s customers get reliable tools and components. Our products are always
state-of-the-art. Consequently, we have built a reputation as the most innovative
tool steel producer in the world.

Uddeholm produce and deliver high quality Swedish tool steel to more than 100,000
customers in over 100 countries.

Wherever you are in the manufacturing chain, trust Uddeholm to be your number one
partner and tool steel provider for optimal tooling and production economy.

CONTENTS

Hot forging of metals 4

Warm forging 7
Progressive forging 8
Effect of forging parameters on die life 10
Die design and die life 11
Requirements for die material 14
Manufacture and maintenance of forging die 16
Surface treatment 17
Tool steel product programme
– general description 19
– chemical composition 20
– quality comparison 20
Tool steel selection chart 21

Cover illustration: Connecting rod forging tool.

Most of the photos are coming from Arvika Smide AB, Sweden and Fiskars Brands Finland Oy Ab

TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING 3

 HOT FORGING mean to say that wear resistance is not impor-
tant, particularly in smaller dies, which in fact
OF METALS normally fail as a result of wear. In hammer forg-
In hot forging a heated up billet is pressed ing, there is a lot to be said for using inserts of
between a die set to a nearly finished product. a more wear-resistant die steel which are shrink
Large numbers of solid metal parts are pro- fitted into a tough holder material.
duced in aluminium alloys, copper alloys, steel For larger, high-production hammer dies,
or super-alloys where irregular shapes need to which may be resunk a number of times, it is
be combined with good mechanical properties. important that the die steel used has sufficient
The main methods of drop forging are hammer hardenability that the later cavities are not sunk
forging and press forging. in softer material with inferior wear resistance.

HAMMER FORGING PRESS FORGING

Hammer forging is characterized by a very short In press forging, the contact time under pres-
contact time and very rapid rate of increase of sure is much longer, and the impact load is
force with time (impact loading). The cumulative much lower than in hammer forging. In general
contact time for the bottom die can be fairly long terms, this means that the heat resistance and
if one includes the time between blows. How- elevated temperature wear resistance of the die
ever, since a lubricant with “blow-out” effect is steel are relatively more important than the
normally used with hammers, effective contact ability to withstand impact loading. However,
between the part and the die only occurs during one must optimize impact toughness and
the actual forging blow. ductility in relation to wear resistance; this
These features imply that impact toughness applies particularly for large press dies which
and ductility are important properties for die are not supported from the sides. Since the
steel to be used in hammer dies. This does not surface temperature of press dies will during

4 TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING

service generally be higher than for hammer bustion of oil-based lubricant in the confined
dies, it is important that the die surface is not space between forging and die can also give
excessively chilled by lubrication. Otherwise, rise to a type of erosive wear.
premature heat checking or even thermal shock
cracking may result.

TYPICAL DIE FAILURES

The deterioration of forging dies is usually
associated with several processes which may
operate simultaneously. However, one of these
normally dominates and is the ultimate cause of
failure. In general, four distinct damage mecha-
nisms can be distinguished:
• wear
• mechanical fatigue and gross cracking Wear.
• plastic deformation
• thermal fatigue cracking (heat checking)
GROSS CRACKING
Different damage mechanisms can dominate in
Forging dies might fail as a result of some form
different parts of the cavity.
of gross cracking. This may occur during a sin-
gle cycle or, as is most common, over a number
Thermal fatigue Wear Wear
of cycles; in the latter instance, the crack growth
proceeds via a high-stress fatigue mechanism.
Gross cracking is more frequent in hammer
blocks than in press tooling, because of the
greater degree of impact.

Thermal Cracking Wear Plastic

fatigue

WEAR
If all other damage mechanisms are sup-
pressed, a forging die will ultimately wear out
(parts out of tolerance). Wear occurs when the
work material plus oxide scale glide at high
velocity relative to the cavity surface under the
action of high pressure. It is most pronounced
at convex radii and in the flash land. Wear is
increased drastically if the forging temperature
is reduced (higher flow stress for the work
material). The explosion which occurs via com-

TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING 5

 Gross cracking is a failure condition which can THERMAL FATIGUE CRACKING
almost always be rectified. Normally, cracking lies in This results if the surface of the cavities is
one or more of the following: subjected to excessive temperature changes
• overloading, e.g. work material temperature during the forging cycle. Such temperature
too low changes create thermal stresses and strains at
• die design, e.g. too sharp radii or too thin wall the die surface which eventually lead to cracking via
thickness a low-cycle fatigue mechanism (heat checking).
• inadequate preheating of the die Thermal fatigue cracking is increased by the
• inadequate toughness of die steel (wrong following factors:
selection) • cavity surface at too high temperature
• too high hardness of die material (excessive billet temperature and/or long
contact time)
• poor quality heat treatment/surface treatment
• excessive cooling of die surface between
• inadequate die support/alignment
forgings
• inadequate preheating of die
• wrong selection of die steel and/or poor heat
treatment

All these factors will increase the difference

between maximum and minimum temperature in
the die surface.

Totally cracked die.

PLASTIC DEFORMATION

This occurs when the die is locally subjected to

stresses in excess of the yield strength of the
die steel. Plastic deformation is quite common
at small convex radii, or when long thin tooling
components e.g. punches, are subjected to high
bending stresses.
The following can be the cause of plastic
deformation in forging dies:
• too low billet temperature (high flow stress of
work material)
• inadequate hot strength of die steel
• die temperature too high
• die material too soft

6 TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING

DIE MATERIAL PROPERTIES
FORWARD EXTRUSION
The properties profile required for tool steel in
Rod Tube
forging dies depends to some extent on the
Punch
type of forging operation, on the work material
and on the size of the part, depth of cavity etc. Work Die
material
However, a number of general characteristics
will always be required in all forging operations.
The particular die damage mechanism are given
in parentheses.
• Sufficient hardness and ability to retain this at
BACKWARD EXTRUSION
elevated temperatures—temper resistance
(wear, plastic deformation, thermal fatigue Can
cracking).
• Enhanced level of hot tensile strength and hot
hardness (wear, plastic deformation, thermal
fatigue cracking).
• Good toughness and ductility at low and
elevated temperatures (gross cracking, OPEN DIE EXTRUSION
thermal shock cracking, thermal fatigue
Reducing
cracking). It is important that the die steel
exhibits adequate toughness/ductility in all
directions.
• Adequate level of fatigue resistance (gross
cracking).
• Sufficient hardenability (retention of wear
resistance etc. if the die is resunk). LATERAL EXTRUSION
• Amenability to weld repair.
• Good machinability, especially prehardened
die blocks.

IRONING
WARM FORGING
Warm forging is a precision forging operation
carried out at a temperature range between
550–950°C (1020–1740°F). It is useful for forg-
ing of details with intricate shapes, with desir-
able grain flow, good surface finish and tighter
dimensional tolerances than if hot forged. HEADING
The weight of the forged piece is between
0.1–50 kg (0.22–110 lbs) and the production rate
about 10–40 pieces per minute. The contact time
is about 200 ms and the mechanical loads at 600°C
(1110°F) are 3 to 5 times higher than in hot forging.
Automatic multistation presses with integrated UPSETTING
cooling/lubricating systems are often used.

Typical processes in warm forging.

TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING 7

 TYPICAL FAILURES heating them inductively, cutting them to the
During the warm forging operation the tool parts required size, shaping them in 3–4 stages and
are exposed to rather high temperature, high discharging finished forgings at the other end of
mechanical loads and intensive cooling. the line.
As a result of this alternate heating and cooling Depending on the weight of the forgings,
the tool parts are subjected to high thermal fatigue. production capacity is between 50 and 180 per
An additional factor is the degree of hot wear minute.
of the material, which depends on the surface
temperatures and the mechanical stresses on
TYPICAL FAILURES
the tool. Tool parts used in the progressive forging,
such as die, stem, stem holder, punch and
TOOL MATERIAL PROPERTIES counter punch-ejector are subjected to very
The tool parts are subjected to both high high stresses.
mechanical stresses and high thermal stresses. As the production speed is very high, the
For these reasons a tool steel has to be die parts need to be water-cooled to protect
chosen which has a good temper resistance, them against overheating. Nevertheless, de-
good wear resistance, high hot yield strength, spite intensive cooling, the tool surfaces can be
good thermal conductivity and good thermal strongly heated, even by the brief contact, with
fatigue resistance. A warm forging steel must the hot metal being forged.
exhibit a properties profile which is in between As a result of this alternate heating and cool-
the typical properties profiles for hot work and ing the die parts are subjected to extremely high
cold work steel. thermal fatigue. The degree of the thermal fatigue
cracking constitutes a measure of the material life.
An additional factor is the degree of hot wear
of the material, which depends on the surface
temperatures and the mechanical stresses on
PROGRESSIVE the die.
FORGING
TOOL MATERIAL PROPERTIES
In progressive forging a large number of
symmetrical, precision-forged parts with forged The required properties profile of the hot
weights of up to about 5 kg (11 lbs) are pro- forming die and die parts are:
duced. The fully automatic process involves • high temperature strength and good temper
supplying hot rolled bars at one end of the line, resistance to withstand hot wear and thermal
fatigue cracking
• good thermal conductivity to withstand
thermal fatigue cracking
• good hot ductility and toughness to resist
initiation and rapid spread of thermal fatigue
cracking

8 TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING

 FORGING IN A FULLY AUTOMATIC PROCESSS

1
2 3

1 4

5 8
6 5
9 6
7 6a

8
7a 6
5 6a

8
9 10
11

1 Two-part cutting bush

2 Work metal
3 Stopper
4 Cutter
5 Blank
6 Stem/Punch
6a Hollow punch
7 Bolster
7a Counter punch-ejector
8 Die
9 Waste metal
10 Piercer
11 Product

TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING 9

 EFFECT OF TYPICAL HOT FORGING
TEMPERATURES
FORGING PARAMETERS
STEEL 1050–1250°C (1920–2100°F)
ON DIE LIFE CU-ALLOYS 650–800°C (1200–1470°F)
Apart from the influence of the actual die AL-ALLOYS 350–500°C (660–930°F)
material and its heat treatment/surface treat- TI-ALLOYS 800–1000°C (1470–2010°F)
ment, a number of parameters related to the
forging operation affect die life:
• billet temperature
BILLET SHAPE AND
• billet shape and surface condition
SURFACE CONDITION
• work material
The greater the difference between the shape of
• cavity stress level and contact time
the billet and that of the final forging, the greater
• type of forging operation
is the degree of wear because the relative
• type of lubricant movement between work material and die must
increase. Likewise, hard, adherent scale on the
BILLET TEMPERATURE billet surface will increase wear, especially if the
Reduced billet temperature in forging is favour- gliding distance is large.
able from the viewpoint of mechanical proper-
ties in the forged part itself. This is particu- WORK MATERIAL
larly important if the components are not heat The higher the flow stress of the work material,
treated after forging. However, the higher flow the faster is die deterioration due to wear and/or
stress of the work material, which is associated plastic deformation, at the same time as the risk
with a reduced forging temperature, results in for gross cracking is increased. Hence, stainless
both increased wear and a higher risk for plastic steel is more difficult to forge than carbon steel
deformation. Further, since the forging loads at the same temperature.
increase, the probability for gross cracking is
enhanced.

FORGEABLILITY

High Constructural

Stainless
Moderate Ni- and
Al–Mg-alloys Co- alloys

Ti-alloys

Low

Low Moderate High

IMPACT ENERGY OR PRESS POWER

Forgeability of different types of material.

10 TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING

CAVITY STRESS LEVEL DIE DESIGN
AND CONTACT TIME
An increased stress level in the cavity, can be
AND DIE LIFE
found, for example, in high precision forging, Assuming that the forging equipment is in
and has the following consequences: good condition (properly adjusted and without
• increased stress in the tool with higher risk for excessive play in the ram guide system), then
deformation or gross cracking adherence to the following “die design” prin-
• increased heat transfer from billet to die ciples will reduce the risk for catastrophic die
(heat checking) failure:
• proper die support
• more pronounced wear
• dovetails, if used, should be properly dimen-
Prolonged contact between billet and die during sioned, have sufficiently large radii and be
forging results in accelerated wear and a greater properly finished (grinding marks should be
risk for heat checking. For very long contact tangential and not axial), see figure below.
times, the surface layer of the tool may become • sufficient wall thickness, and sufficient
so hot that it transforms to austenite. Cracking material below the cavity and between
problems can then be experienced if this layer individual cavities
rehardens during the cooling part of the cycle.
• adequate radii and fillets in the cavity
• proper dimensioning of flash land and gutter
TYPE OF FORGING OPERATION • proper design of parting plane and, if used,
Because of the much higher impact load, die locks
hammer dies tend to fail by cracking to an • correct use and design of setting plugs,
extent which is greater than in press forging punches and knockout pins
where the loading rate is lower. Thermal fatigue • sufficiently large cushion-face area in hammer
(heat checking) is more common in powder forging in relation both to die block thickness
forging and other near-net-shape forging and to the capacity of the hammer used
processes involving long contact times.
Improper die support, insufficient material
TYPE OF LUBRICANT thickness in the die and too small radii are all
very common reasons for a die failing cata-
Oil-based lubricants can give rise to excessive
strophically by cracking, and will be further
wear/erosion due to the explosion-like combus-
enlarged upon.
tion of the oil between billet and cavity. On the
other hand, water base lubricants cool the die
surface to a greater extent which increases the
risk of thermal fatigue cracking.

Grinding of dove-tail radii.

TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING 11

 DIE SUPPORT Hmin,
inch mm
It is very important that the die is properly 16 400
supported underneath by a perfectly flat back-
ing surface with sufficient hardness. Concave 14 350
depressions in the support surface immediately
under the die cavity are particularly deleterious 12 300

because they exaggerate the tensile stresses at

radii. 10 250
Proper backing is especially important in
8 200
hammer forging because there is usually no side
support in this case. When dies of greatly differ-
6 150
ent dimensions are used on the same press or
hammer, it is essential to remove any cavities in 4 100
the backing block or plate when switching from 10 25 50 75 100 125 150 mm
0.4 1 2 3 4 5 6 inch
a small to a large die. hmax
For press forging, side support of the die is Minimum height (Hmin) of hammer dies with a maximum
desirable but this is not always possible. Shrink depth of cavity (hmax).
fitting of inserts into a massive holder provides
the best security against cracking in press dies.
hmax

FILLET RADII
The greatest tensile stresses in a forging die Hmin
occur at the radii between the sides and bottom
of the cavity. The smaller the radius, the higher
the stresses. In general, the forging should be
designed so that die fillet radii less than 2 mm
(0.08 inch) can be avoided. For deeper cavities,
>50 mm (>2 inch), this radius limit needs to be
increased to 5 mm (0.2 inch). As a rule of thumb for solid die blocks in press
It is especially important during die making forging the thickness below the cavity should be
that radii are ground and polished with grind- at least 1.5 x cavity depth.
ing marks, if any, in the tangential direction. In As a minimum wall thickness in hammer forging
particular, EDM residues, which may contain the recommendations are according to the table
cracks, must be removed completely at radii below.
(and preferably from the rest of the die as well).
If this is not possible, then the die should at t

least be retempered at 25°C (50°F) below the Distance h

cavity to outer
previous tempering temperature. Depth of cavity (h) edge of a die (t)
mm inch mm inch
DIE MATERIAL AND WALL THICKNESS
6 0.2 12 0.5
A number of more or less empirical methods or 10 0.4 20 0.8
dimensioning of forging dies are available, 16 0.6 32 1.3
25 1.0 40 1.6
which range in complexity from simple “rule of
40 1.6 56 2.2
thumb” to fairly advanced nomograms with a 63 2.5 80 3.2
theoretical base. However, there is no doubt 100 3.9 110 4.3
125 4.9 130 5.1
that the stresses imparted to the die by a given
160 6.3 160 6.3
forging machine increase profoundly as the die
dimensions are decreased. Mnimum wall thickness (t) recommended in hammer
dies between cavity and outer edge.

12 TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING

TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING 13
 REQUIREMENTS plotted against tempering temperature for given
tempering time. Another method of presenting
FOR DIE MATERIAL temper resistance data is to plot room tempera-
HARDENABILITY ture hardness against time at a given tempering
temperature.
In large press or hammer dies made from
pre-hardened die steel, it is important that the
HOT STRENGTH AND HOT HARDNESS
hardness is uniform throughout the block. If the
die steel has too low hardenability, the block will In contrast to temper resistance, which is
become softer away from its outer surface and defined in terms of hardness at room tempera-
die life for deep cavities or after progressive ture, hot strength and hot hardness refer to
resinking will be impaired. properties at high temperature. In general,
improved temper resistance is associated with
TOUGHNESS AND DUCTILITY increased hot strength and hot hardness. It
can be pointed out that good hot hardness and
The surface of the cavity can during use easily
hot strength are important prerequisites for
develop small cracks or other blemishes which
enhanced wear resistance at elevated tempera-
may propagate in an unstable manner under the
tures.
action of the high forging stresses, especially at
A high level of hot hardness and hot strength
radii etc. Notch toughness indicates the ability
is also important in order to achieve adequate
of the die material to resist crack development
resistance to thermal fatigue cracking.
from such defects.
All products, in the Uddeholm tool steel
programme for the forging industry, are charac-
terized by the highest levels of toughness and
ductility in all directions in the bar or block.
Hence, the forger can rest assured that the
resistance to gross cracking is the highest pos-
sible in dies made from Uddeholm die steel.
Proper die preheating will considerably reduce
the risk for catastrophic failure via cracking.

TEMPER RESISTANCE
The better the steel retains its hardness as the
temperature or the time increases, the better its
temper resistance.
Temper resistance can be assessed from the
tempering curve for a hardened tool steel. In
this, the hardness at room temperature is

FATIGUE RESISTANCE
Uddeholm tool steel for forging dies are pro-
duced to the highest possible quality standards,
especially with regard to freedom from non-
metallic inclusions. This imparts a degree of
fatigue resistance which is adequate for even the
most demanding applications where forging dies
are subjected to cyclic loading with high maximum
loads.

14 TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING

NOTCH TOUGHNESS
DIEVAR

VIDAR SUPERIOR
ORVAR SUPERIOR

ORVAR SUPREME

QRO 90 SUPREME

100 200 300 400 500°C

200 400 600 800 1000°F
TESTING TEMPERATURE

HOT STRENGTH

QRO 90 SUPREME

DIEVAR

ORVAR SUPREME
VIDAR SUPERIOR and ORVAR SUPERIOR

100 200 300 400 500 600°C

200 400 600 800 1000 1200°F
TESTING TEMPERATURE

TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING 15

 consulting in the context of forging die manu-
MANUFACTURE facture are “Grinding of tool steel” and “Electri-
AND MAINTENANCE OF cal Discharge Machining (EDM) of tool steel”.

FORGING DIE
Machinability, weldability and, when applicable, HEAT TREATMENT
response to heat treatment and surface treat- If forging dies are manufactured from die steel
ment are important parameters influencing the in the annealed condition, then the tool must
relative ease of manufacture and maintenance subsequently be heat treated in order that the
of forging dies. steel develops its optimum combination of
hardness, toughness, heat resistance and wear
MACHINABILITY resistance.
Machinability is a vital consideration when These properties are controlled through proper
forging dies are machined from prehardened choice of austenitizing temperature, cooling condi-
die blocks. tions during hardening and tempering temperature
The tool steel for forging applications from and time. The Uddeholm brochure “Heat treatment
Uddeholm are characterized by freedom from of tool steel” will be worth consulting.
oxidic inclusions and a uniform microstructure. For forging dies, where toughness is of the
These features, in combination with the low utmost importance, it is essential that the cool-
hardness in the annealed condition usually 170– ing rate during hardening is sufficiently rapid
200 HB, are to ensure excellent machinability. that undesirable microconstituents such as

NOTCH TOUGHNESS

10 15 25 35 65 600°C/min.
50 60 75 95 150 1110°F/min.

Notch toughness of Uddeholm Orvar Supreme, 44–46 HRC, as a function of quench rate.

Even if these grades are supplied prehardened, pronounced grain-boundary carbide precipita-
the extreme cleanliness and microstructural tion, pearlite and coarse upper bainite can be
homogeneity ensure that machining can normally avoided. Furthermore, the austenitizing con-
be carried out without difficulty. ditions should be such that excessive grain
For all products, advanced process control growth can not occur, since this is detrimental
guarantees that the variations in machining as regards to toughness. Because forging dies
characteristics are minimal from batch to batch. are sometimes EDM’d extensively after heat
Uddeholm’s product brochures give de- treatment, there is generally no problem to
tailed information regarding machining of the cope with the greater dimensional change and
products. Other Uddeholm publications worth distortion which results when the rate of cooling

16 TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING

during hardening is rapid. Remember, however, However, the nitrided layer is very brittle and
that EDM’d dies should always be given an may crack or spall when subjected to mechani-
additional temper at about 25°C (50°F) below cal loading, especially impact loading. Nitriding
the previous tempering temperature. Detailed is usually carried out by one of four methods,
heat treatment recommendations for the various nitrocarburizing in salt-bath or gas, gas nitriding
grades, in Uddeholm’s tool steel programme for or plasma (ion) nitriding.
forging dies, are given in the product brochure Before nitriding, the tool should be hardened
and double tempered, the latter at a tempera-
ture at least 25–50°C (50–90°F) above the nitrid-
WELD REPAIR OF FORGING DIES
ing temperature.
Cracked or worn forging dies are often refur- The surface hardness attained and the thick-
bished via welding. This is especially true in ness of the nitrided layer depend on the nitriding
the case of large dies where the tool steel itself method, nitriding time and the character of the
represents a considerable portion of the total steel being treated. Typical data can be found in the
die cost. Uddeholm product brochures for the different tool
Further information can be obtained from the steel.
Uddeholm publication “Welding of tool steel”. Nitriding to layer thicknesses >0.3 mm
(>0.012 inch) is not to be recommended for
forging dies. The reason is that the nitrided layer
SURFACE TREATMENT is brittle and easily cracks during service. The
underlying steel can not resist the propagation
The cavity in forging dies is quite often surface
of such surface cracks if the layer thickness is
treated in order to enhance wear resistance.
too great and the entire die may fail catastrophi-
cally. 0.3 mm (0.012 inch) maximum nitride
NITRIDING
layer thickness is a general recommendation;
Nitriding is a thermochemical treatment this maximum value should be decreased if the
giving a hard surface layer which is very resist- impression has very sharp radii or if the die steel
ant to wear. In favourable cases, the process is used at high hardness.
also renders a compressive residual stress in The formation of the so-called “white layer”
the surface of the die which helps counteract should also be avoided because of brittlenesss.
heat checking.

BENDING STRENGTH

200°C (390°F)

20°C (70°F)

0.05 0.15 0.30 0.45 mm

0.0016 0.006 0.012 0.018 inch
NITRIDING DEPTH

Bending strength of Uddeholm Orvar Supreme as a function of nitriding depth.

TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING 17

18 TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING
TOOL STEEL PRODUCT PROGRAMME
FOR FORGING APPLICATIONS
GENERAL DESCRIPTION

UDDEHOLM
TOOL STEEL

Dievar Uddeholm Dievar excels in almost all areas as a hot work tool steel. The un-
paralleled toughness and ductility decrease the risk of cracks in the die.
Together with the high thermal conductivity and good hot strength, this
makes Dievar the ideal choice for your workhorse dies. It meets the
requirements of NADCA #207-2011.

Unimax When excessive wear is experienced in the die, Uddeholm Unimax shows its
true qualities. At a recommended hardness of 56–58 HRC Unimax resists
abrasive wear, both hot and cold, and significantly increases the life of the
forging die.

Orvar 2 Microdized Uddeholm Orvar 2 Microdized is part of the Uddeholm basic range for forging
applications. It is well-rounded steel with proven qualities and balanced
properties. Orvar 2 M has stood the test of time as a reliable forging tool
steel.

Orvar Supreme / Uddeholm Orvar Supreme is well-rounded steel that has proven itself as a
Orvar Superior great hot work tool steel for years. The combination of properties makes this
a solid choice for your tooling needs. It meets the requirements of NADCA
#207–2011.

Vidar Superior When cracking resistance is critical, Uddeholm Vidar Superior is a great
choice for forging dies. It meets the requirements of NADCA #207–2011.

QRO 90 Supreme Uddeholm QRO 90 Supreme is perfect when the surface of the tool is sub-
jected to excessive heat. The highest thermal conductivity in the Uddeholm
hot forging steel range combined with the highest resistance to wear at
elevated temperature make this advanced high strength steel a great choice
for long-lasting dies.

Formvar Uddeholm Formvar is a solid upgrade choice from H11/H13 forging dies. With good
tempering back resistance and hot yield strength.

Alvar 14 Uddeholm Alvar 14 is a pre-hardened grade suitable for hammer forging.

The good toughness and ease of machining make this a good choice for
basic hammer forging needs.

Vanadis 23 SuperClean PM-produced high speed steel. Recommended for forging applications where
Vanadis 30 SuperClean very good wear resistance is needed.

TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING 19

 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

SUPPLIED
UDDEHOLM AISI ANALYSIS % HARDNESS
TOOL STEEL (W.-Nr.) C Si Mn Cr Mo V Others Brinell

Dievar – 0.35 0.2 0.5 5.0 2.3 0.6 – ~160

Unimax – 0.50 0.2 0.5 5.0 2.3 0.5 – ~185
Orvar 2 H13
Microdized (1.2344) 0.39 1.0 0.4 5.3 1.3 0.9 – ~180

Orvar Supreme H13 0.39 1.0 0.4 5.2 1.4 0.9 – ~180
(1.2344)
Orvar Superior
H13 0.39 1.0 0.4 5.2 1.4 0.9 – ~180
(1.2344)
Vidar Superior H11 modified 0.36 0.3 0.3 5.0 1.3 0.5 – ~180
(1.2340)
QRO 90 Supreme – 0.38 0.3 0.8 2.6 2.3 0.9 Micro-
alloyed ~180
Formvar – 0.35 0.2 0.5 5.0 2.3 0.6 – <229
Alvar 14
(1.2714) 0.55 0.3 0.7 1.1 0.5 0.1 Ni 1.7 ≤ 250 or

QUALITATIVE COMPARISON OF RESISTANCE OF BASIC PROPERTIES

UDDEHOLM PLASTIC PREMATURE HEAT

TOOL STEEL HOT WEAR DEFORMATION CRACKING CHECKING

Dievar
Unimax
Orvar 2 Microdized
Orvar Supreme
Orvar Superior
Vidar Superior
QRO 90 Supreme
Formvar
Alvar 14

The longer the bar, the better.

20 TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING

TOOL STEEL SELECTION CHART
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

FORGING UDDEHOLM HARDNESS CAVITY
APPLICATION STEEL GRADE RANGE DEPTH

HAMMER
FORGING Solid die blocks Alvar 14 – Pre-hardened 400–440 HB max 20 mm
(0.8 inch)
360–400 HB max 50 mm
(2 inch)
320–360 HB max 150 mm
(6 inch)
≤320 very deep
Inserts Vidar Superior
Dievar
Orvar Supreme
Orvar Superior 38–50 HRC

PRESS FORGING Dies Dievar
Vidar Superior
Orvar Supreme
Orvar Superior
QRO 90 Supreme
Unimax
Formvar 38–57 HRC

WARM FORGING Tools Unimax

Dievar
Formvar 50–58 HRC
*

PROGRESSIVE
FORGING Tools QRO 90 Supreme
Unimax
Dievar
Formvar 48–54 HRC
*

UPSET FORGING Tools Unimax

Dievar
Formvar 46–56 HRC

* Uddeholm PM grades can be used in some tool parts. Higher hardnesses can be used.

TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING 21

22 TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING
NETWORK OF EXCELLENCE
Uddeholm is present on every continent. This ensures you
high-quality Swedish tool steel and local support wherever you
are. Our goal is clear – to be your number one partner and tool
steel provider.

TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING 23

 UDDEHOLM 10.2017.150 / STROKIRK-LANDSTRÖMS, Karlstad
Uddeholm is the world’s leading supplier of tooling materials.
This is a position we have reached by improving our customers’
everyday business. Long tradition combined with research and
product development equips Uddeholm to solve any tooling
problem that may arise. It is a challenging process, but the goal is
clear – to be your number one partner and tool steel provider.

Our presence on every continent guarantees you the same high

quality wherever you are. We act worldwide. For us it is all a matter
of trust – in long-term partnerships as well as in developing new
products. Trust is something you earn, every day.

For more information, please visit www.uddeholm.com

24 TOOLING APPLICATION HOT WORK TOOLING