H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1

H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1 Product Introduction

H11 Tool Steel (AISI/ASTM Standard)

H11 is a chromium-molybdenum-vanadium alloyed hot work tool steel (AISI/ASTM Standard) with a typical composition of C 0.35-0.40%, Cr 4.75-5.50%, Mo 1.25-1.75%, V 0.30-0.50%. Its core properties are excellent thermal stability (it can maintain ≥52 HRC hardness at 500-550°C) and high toughness, as well as good thermal conductivity (30.4 W/(m-K) at 700°C) and resistance to thermal cracking, but the risk of decarburisation needs to be tightly controlled during heat treatment.

1.2343 Tool steel (W-Nr/GIN standard)

1.2343 is a German W-Nr/DIN standard hot work tool steel (grade W.Nr. 1.2343) with a chemical composition highly consistent with H11 (C 0.36-0.42%, Cr 4.80 -5.50%, Mo 1.10-1.40%, V 0.30-0.50%). Significant advantages are the fine grain organisation and deep hardenability (oil quenching/air cooling hardness up to 50-56 HRC), as well as the low coefficient of thermal expansion (11.8 x 10-⁶ m/(m-K) at 20-100°C), but multiple temperings (≥2) are required to stabilise the residual austenite.

X38CrMoV5-1 Tool steel (DIN/W-Nr standard)

X38CrMoV5-1 is a chromium-molybdenum-vanadium hot-work steel according to the German DIN standard (corresponds to H11/1.2343), with a tightly matched compositional range (C 0.35-0.42%, Cr 4.75 -5.50%, Mo 1.10-1.40%, V 0.30-0.50%). The characteristics emphasise high-temperature strength (modulus of elasticity 176 x 10³ N/mm² at 500°C) and thermal fatigue resistance, and its weldability and coefficient of thermal expansion are close to those of ordinary steels, which makes it less susceptible to deformation under complex thermal cycling conditions.

H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1 Product Types and Options

The table below shows the size range, surface condition and tolerance details for H11,1.2343,X38CrMoV5-1 Tool Steel:

Shape	Pocess	Size range	Surface	Tolerance
Flat Bar	Hot Rolled	Thickness: 10-400mm Width: 200-800mm Length: 3000-5800mm	Black; Sandblasted	Thickness :0-+2MM Width:0-+5MM/0-+10MM
	Hot Forged	Thickness: 50-500mm Width: 50-1500mm Length: 3000-5800mm	Black	Thickness:+2-+5MM Width:0-+5MM/0-+10MM
			Turned/Machined/Milled/Bright	Thickness :0-+2MM Width:0-+5MM/0-+10MM
Round Bar	Hot Rolled	Diameter:10-65mm Length:3000-5800mm	Black	0-+2MM
			Turned/Machined	0-+2MM
	Hot Forged	Diameter:70-700mm Length:3000-5800mm	Grinded	0-+5MM/+2-+5MM
			Turned/Machined/Milled/Bright	0-+2MM

H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1 Customized Options

1.  Customized chemical composition: GB, DIN, ASTM, JIS and other standard grades can be produced. Chemical composition can be customized individually.
2. Customized specifications: round steel (diameter), plate (thickness, width) can be customized production.
3. Specialized packaging for long term storage or extreme transportation conditions: includes spraying black paint all around, wrapping plastic film, spraying anti-rust oil, and shipping in wooden crates.
4. Customized production based on samples or technical agreements.
5. 1.2343,H11,X38CrMoV5-1 Hot work Tool Steel Electroslag Remelting (ESR): premium option with higher purity and isotropic properties for critical applications.

H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1 Chemical composition

Standard/Steel Grade		Chemical Composition(%)
		C	Si	Mn	Cr	Mo	V
ASTM	H11	0.33~0.43	0.80~1.20	0.20~0.50	4.75~5.50	1.10~1.60	0.30~0.60
DIN/W-Nr.	X38CrMoV5-1/1.2343	0.36~0.42	0.90~1.20	0.30~0.50	4.80~5.80	1.10~1.40	0.25~0.50
JIS	SKD6	0.32~0.42	0.80~1.20	≤0.50	4.50~5.50	1.00~1.50	0.30~0.50

H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1 Heat Treatment Process

1.Annealing

Purpose: to eliminate internal stresses generated during forging or rolling, reduce hardness, improve cutting performance, and prepare for subsequent processing and heat treatment.
Process parameters:
Heating temperature: 800-850 ℃, holding time 2-4 hours, with the furnace cooling to below 500 ℃, and then air-cooled.
Hardness after annealing: ≤ 229 HBS.

2.Quenching

Purpose: to make the steel to obtain martensitic organization, improve hardness and wear resistance.
Process parameters:
Heating temperature: 1000-1050 ℃ (commonly used 1020-1040 ℃), holding time according to the size of the workpiece to determine, generally 30-60 minutes.
Cooling: oil cooling or air cooling (for small size or simple shape of the workpiece), large workpieces can be graded quenching (in the 260-300 ℃ salt bath cooling for a period of time and then air-cooled), in order to reduce the quenching stress, to prevent deformation and cracking.

3.Tempering

Purpose: to eliminate quenching stress, adjust the hardness and toughness, stable organization and size.
Process parameters:
low-temperature tempering: 150-250 ℃, insulation 2-3 hours, air-cooled, tempered hardness of 58-62HRC, for molds requiring high hardness and wear resistance.
Medium temperature tempering: 300-500 ℃, insulation 2-3 hours, air-cooled, tempered hardness of 50-58HRC, can improve the toughness, suitable for molds subject to impact load.
High-temperature tempering: 500 ℃ or more, insulation 2-3 hours, air-cooled, tempered hardness 45-50HRC, mainly for the need for higher toughness of the occasion.

4.Precautions

Heating process should control the rate of heating to avoid too rapid a rise in temperature leading to workpiece surface oxidation and decarburization. Protective atmosphere heating can be used or placed in the furnace charcoal and other anti-decarburization agent.
When quenching and cooling, choose the appropriate cooling medium and cooling method according to the shape and size of the workpiece to ensure the quenching effect while reducing the risk of deformation and cracking.
Tempering must be sufficient to ensure the elimination of internal stresses to avoid mold failure due to stress release during use. For large molds or workpieces with complex shapes, multiple tempering can be used.

H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1 Quality Inspection

1.Surface Condition Inspection

FCS factory has a very strict quality inspection team, we will carefully check the surface condition of each piece of tool steel to ensure that the steel surface is free from cracks, folds, knots, oxidized skin, pitting, scratches and other defects.

2.Chemical Composition Testing

To verify whether the content of alloying elements meets the standard requirements and to safeguard the basis of the mechanical properties of the material. We will let the staff use full-spectrum direct reading spectrometer to analyze multiple elements at the same time. Sampling needs to remove the surface oxidation layer, using a block specimen to stimulate the test.

3.Dimension and Tolerance Inspection

FCS factory will use professional measuring tools to inspect the dimensions and tolerances of the steel to ensure compliance with the customer's contract requirements. Corresponding gauges will be selected according to the dimensional accuracy requirements, including tape measure, high-precision vernier calipers (0.02mm), micrometers (0.001mm), and special inspection gauges. Inspection items cover: diameter, thickness, width, length, hole diameter, chamfering dimensions, etc., to ensure that the tolerances and dimensions meet the contract requirements.

4.Hardness test

Our FCS factory will use professional hardness tester to test the hardness of steel to ensure that it meets the customer's contract requirements.

5.Ultrasonic Testing

Ultrasonic Testing Standard (UT Test Standard) is: Sep 1921-84 Class3 D/d,E/e.
FCS factory uses ultrasonic testing equipment to detect macro defects inside the material (such as cracks, shrinkage holes, inclusions, white spots, etc.), and every piece of round steel and plate will be examined by a second flaw detection test before shipment to ensure that the quality is qualified before shipment.

6.Microstructure Inspection

(1) Metallographic Analysis

FCS factory will use metallographic analysis instrument to detect the microstructure state after heat treatment, including carbide distribution, martensite morphology, residual austenite content, etc.

 (2) Grain size rating

FCS factory will use the comparative method to determine the austenite grain size by comparing the microstructure of the specimen with the standard rating chart, to ensure that it meets the customer's requirements.

H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1 Technical Specifications

Property	Value	Test Method
Density	7.80 g/cm³	ASTM B311
Annealed Hardness	≤ 229 HBS	ASTM E10
Achievable Hardness	38-54 HRC	ASTM E18
Tensile Strength	1,200-1,590 MPa (dependent on heat treatment)	ASTM E8
Yield Strength	1,000-1,400 MPa (dependent on heat treatment)	ASTM E8
Impact Toughness	15-20 J/cm² at 42 HRC	ASTM E23
Thermal Conductivity	25 W/m·K at 20°C	ASTM E1461
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion	11.5 × 10⁻⁶ /°C (20-400°C)	ASTM E228
Maximum Operating Temperature	500°C	Internal Testing
Machinability Rating	65% of W1 tool steel	Internal Testing

H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1 Product Applications

Key application scenarios

1. Die casting mould applications:Die casting manufacturers rely on our H11/1.2343/X38CrMoV5-1 tool steel to make moulds for processing aluminium, zinc and magnesium alloys. The material's excellent resistance to thermal fatigue extends mould life by up to 30% compared to standard hot work steels. One automotive component manufacturer reports running over 100,000 cycles before needing die maintenance, thanks to the consistent quality of our material and optimised heat treatment process.
2. Extrusion tooling:Aluminium Extrusion uses our 1.2343 steel for dies, bushings and pressure pads because of its ability to withstand high pressures and temperatures while maintaining dimensional stability. The material's thermal conductivity allows for efficient cooling, resulting in more consistent extruded product dimensions and improved surface quality. Proper heat treating services ensure the best combination of wear resistance and toughness for these demanding applications.
3. Forging dies and tools:Hot forging operations benefit from the excellent resistance to thermal cracking and plastic deformation of our X38CrMoV5-1 tool steel. The material maintains its mechanical properties at elevated temperatures, providing consistent part geometries even after thousands of forging cycles. Combined with our custom machining and heat treating services, customers report mould life 25-40% longer than conventional materials.
4. Engineering polymer injection moulds:For injection moulding of glass-filled and other abrasive plastic compounds, our pre-hardened H11 tool steel offers an excellent balance of wear resistance and polishability. The thermal properties of the material ensure efficient cooling and short cycle times. Custom-machined cooling channels and optimised heat treatments provide enhanced performance for high-volume production environments.

Industry-specific applications

1. Automotive: die casting dies for engine blocks, transmission housings, structural components; hot stamping tools for forming high-strength steels
2. Aerospace: forging dies for turbine blades, structural components; extrusion dies for specialised aluminium extrusion profiles
3. Consumer electronics: precision die casting tools for housings of thin-walled and complex features; tools for insert moulding
4. Industrial equipment: heavy-duty moulding tools, hot shear blades, high-temperature punches
5. Energy Fields: Tooling for valve components, pressure vessel parts and specialised pipe fittings

H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1 Comparison Summary

H11 (ASTM) is widely used in North American hot forging dies and extrusion tools.1.2343/X38CrMoV5-1 (DIN/EN) are preferred in European die casting molds and thermal fatigue-resistant components due to stricter impurity control.

Characteristic Dimension	H11 (ASTM)	1.2343 (DIN W-Nr)	X38CrMoV5-1 (DIN)
Carbon Content Range	0.33–0.44%	0.36–0.42%	0.36–0.42%
Chromium Content Range	4.75–5.50%	4.80–5.80%	4.75–5.80%
Molybdenum Content Range	1.10–1.60%	1.10–1.40%	1.10–1.40%
Annealed Hardness	≤229 HBS	≤229 HBS	≤229 HBS
Hardness After Quenching	50–54 HRC (air cooling)	50–56 HRC (oil quenching)	50–54 HRC (air cooling)
Thermal Conductivity (700℃)	30.4 W/(m·K)	30.5 W/(m·K)	30.5 W/(m·K)

H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1 Customer Success Stories

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H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1 Pricing Structure Information

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H11 Tool Steel| 1.2343 | X38CrMoV5-1 Frequently Asked Questions

Q:What is the difference between H11, 1.2343 and X38CrMoV5-1?
A:These are steel grades from different systems (AISI, DIN and EN respectively) that essentially refer to the same hot work tool steel composition. There are minor specification differences between the standards, but our material meets or exceeds all three.

Q:How does electroslag remelting (ESR) improve tool properties?
A:ESR treatment significantly reduces non-metallic inclusions and improves micro-homogeneity, resulting in superior fatigue resistance, better polishability, and more consistent heat treat response. This translates into 30-40% longer tool life in demanding applications.

Q:How does H11/1.2343 compare to H13/1.2344 in die casting applications?
A: H11/1.2343 has slightly higher toughness and thermal conductivity than H13/1.2344, making it well suited for large moulds and parts subjected to severe thermal cycling. h13/1.2344 offers slightly better thermal hardness and may be better suited for very high temperature applications.

Q:What surface treatments are recommended to extend tool life?
A:Nitriding is very effective in improving surface wear resistance while maintaining core toughness. pvd coatings (especially TiAlN or CrN) are excellent in resisting erosion. For best performance, a controlled nitriding process is often best used in conjunction with a subsequent PVD coating.