Cold Work Steel

Cold Work Steel is a high-carbon, high-chromium alloy engineered for manufacturing tools that shape materials at room temperature. Its optimized composition (typically 1.0-2.3% C, 5-13% Cr with molybdenum/vanadium additives) ensures exceptional wear resistance and dimensional stability under intense pressure. Through precise heat treatment cycles achieving 58-64 HRC hardness, it maintains cutting-edge integrity during cold-forming operations like blanking, shearing, and extrusion. The tempered martensitic microstructure provides compression strength exceeding 2,500 MPa while resisting chipping. Industrial applications include precision stamping dies, slitter knives, and thread-rolling implements requiring minimal thermal distortion. This specialty steel extends tool service life 3-5× versus conventional alloys, particularly in abrasive environments with sustained mechanical stress.