Overview – SKD61 vs SKD11
SKD61 and SKD11 are two different tool steel types. Each one works best under different conditions.SKD61 is a hot-work tool steel (same as AISI H13). This steel handles thermal shock well. It stays tough even after repeated heating and cooling cycles.SKD11 is a cold-work tool steel (same as AISI D2). It gives you maximum hardness and wear resistance at normal temperatures.
The main difference? Their chemical makeup and how they perform.SKD61 has lower carbon (0.35%) but higher vanadium (1.00%). It trades some hardness (43-52 HRC) for better toughness. This makes it great for die-casting and forging work where thermal fatigue resistance matters most.SKD11 has much higher carbon (1.40-1.60%) and chromium (12%). This lets it reach hardness levels of 58-62 HRC. You get excellent wear resistance for cold-working jobs like precision dies and punches.
Which steel should you choose? Match the material properties to your work environment. Are you working at room temperature and need maximum hardness? Or do you face high temperatures that demand thermal shock resistance and ductility?
Chemical Composition Comparison
The elemental makeup of these two steels shows you why they perform so differently in the workshop.
Here’s the complete comparison:
|
Element |
SKD61 |
SKD11 |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Carbon (C) |
0.35–0.42% |
1.40–1.60% |
High carbon → higher hardness |
|
Chromium (Cr) |
~5% |
~12% |
Wear resistance & mild corrosion |
|
Molybdenum (Mo) |
1.0–1.5% |
0.8-1.2% |
Thermal shock resistance for SKD61 |
|
Vanadium (V) |
0.8-1.15% |
0.2-0.5% |
Carbide formation → hardness & wear |
|
Silicon (Si) |
~1.2% |
~0.4% |
High-temp strength & toughness for SKD61 |
These composition choices aren’t random. SKD61’s lower carbon with more molybdenum and silicon targets thermal shock resistance and toughness for hot working uses.SKD11’s high carbon, chromium, and vanadium combination gives maximum dimensional stability and wear resistance for cold working dies.
Hardness & Heat Treatment
|
Feature / Comparison |
SKD11 |
SKD61 |
|---|---|---|
|
Pre-Hardened Hardness |
<235 HB |
<229 HB |
|
Hardened Hardness |
60–62 HRC |
43–52 HRC |
|
Heat Treatment |
Triple tempering: 520°C, 2 hours each cycle |
Standard heat treatment; lower carbon limits max hardness |
|
Heat Resistance |
Maintains 60–62 HRC up to ~200°C; drops rapidly beyond |
Can withstand high thermal cycles; retains toughness |
|
Toughness / Thermal Fatigue |
Moderate; high hardness reduces impact toughness |
High; good resistance to thermal shock and fatigue |
|
Typical Applications |
– Blanking dies- Precision punches- Cold forming tools (aluminum, brass) |
– Die casting molds- Plastic injection molds (200–300°C)- Hot forging dies (1000°C+) |
|
Wear Resistance |
High |
Moderate |
Key Properties
SKD61 and SKD11 deliver different performance profiles. Their unique chemical structures make this happen.
|
Performance |
SKD61 |
SKD11 |
|---|---|---|
|
Wear Resistance & Surface Durability |
Moderate wear resistance; hot work focus; lower Cr (5%) & different carbide structure |
Very high wear resistance; Cr 12%, Mo 1%, V 0.3% form hard carbides; triple tempering scatters carbides for abrasion protection |
|
Dimensional Stability |
Focused on thermal stability; survives repeated heating to 600°C |
Exceptional precision at room temp; triple tempering + ESR reduces stress; deviation ≤0.02% |
|
Impact Toughness & Ductility |
High toughness; lower carbon (0.38%) + higher Si (1.0%) → flexible under sudden shocks |
Moderate toughness; higher carbon (1.5%) → more brittle; ESR improves crack resistance but still less ductile than SKD61 |
|
Thermal Shock & High-Temp Performance |
Excellent; survives rapid 400°C drops; retains strength up to 600°C |
Poor; brittle above 200°C; loses hardness quickly under high heat |
|
Corrosion & Oxidation Resistance |
High oxidation resistance at elevated temps; stable oxide layer prevents scaling |
Mild corrosion resistance; Cr forms thin oxide layer, sufficient for indoor workshop only |
Applications
Cold work or hot work—this choice tells you whether SKD61 or SKD11 fits your tooling needs.
SKD61 Applications (Hot Work)
|
Application Type |
Why SKD61 Works |
|---|---|
|
Aluminum Die Casting Dies |
Survives 100,000+ thermal cycles |
|
Injection Molding (Engineering Plastics) |
Stable at 200–300°C |
|
Hot Forging Dies |
High impact toughness at 600°C |
|
Hot Extrusion Dies |
Resists cracking from temperature + pressure |
|
Hot Forming Press Dies |
Handles 200–300°C continuous exposure |
SKD11 Applications (Cold Work)
|
Application Type |
Why SKD11 Works |
|---|---|
|
Stamping Dies |
Needs 60–62 HRC wear resistance |
|
Forming Dies |
Requires dimensional stability |
|
Cold Forging Dies |
Handles high pressure at room temperature |
|
Punches / Shear Blades |
Maintain sharp edges over millions of cycles |
|
Precision Gauges |
≤0.02% dimensional drift |
|
Plastic Molds (glass-fiber reinforced) |
High wear resistance needed |
Selection Logic
Choose SKD61 if thermal cycling or sustained high temperatures make thermal shock resistance the key failure mode—even if you sacrifice some surface hardness and wear resistance in the trade.Pick SKD11 if your tooling never exceeds 200°C operating temperature but needs maximum wear resistance and size precision.
Global Steel Equivalents
SKD61 Equivalents
|
Region |
Equivalent Grade |
|---|---|
|
USA |
|
|
Europe |
|
|
China |
H13 / 4Cr5MoSiV1 tool steel |
|
Japan |
SKD61 tool steel |
SKD11 Equivalents
|
Region |
SKD11 Equivalent |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
USA |
AISI D2 tool steel |
No ESR, lower toughness |
|
China |
Budget alternative |
|
|
Europe |
Similar chemistry |
|
|
Japan |
SKD11 tool steel |
ESR processed, highest stability |
Selection Criteria
Your tooling environment and performance needs show which steel works best. Check the material properties against your working conditions before you order.
SKD61 Becomes Necessary Here
Thermal cycling above 200°C – SKD61’s thermal shock resistance handles this. Die casting operations inject 660°C molten aluminum. The molybdenum (1.20%) and silicon (1.00%) content makes this work. The die survives 100,000+ heat-cool cycles without cracking. SKD11 fails within 5,000 cycles under the same conditions.
Impact loads at high temperatures – SKD61’s better ductility handles this. Hot forging dies take hammer blows at 600°C working temperature. The lower carbon content (0.38%) keeps the material flexible enough to absorb shock without breaking. Extrusion dies push heated billets through shaped openings. They need this flexibility.
High-temperature exposure between 200-600°C – SKD61 is your choice here. Injection molding dies run glass-filled nylon at 280°C. They stay stable through millions of thermal cycles. Hot forming presses bend ultra-high-strength steel at 900°C. They depend on this heat resistance.
SKD11 Works Best Here
Cold-working below 200°C – SKD11 wins. The 58-62 HRC hardness stops wear from metal-to-metal contact. Stamping dies cutting steel sheet need this protection. Precision punches forming brass parts depend on it. Blanking tools shaping aluminum require this resistance.
Dimensional precision work – SKD11 gives you ≤0.02% deviation on 100mm gauges after triple tempering. Electronic component dies holding ±0.05mm tolerances across multiple stations need this stability. Measurement tools and gauge blocks used as shop standards require it. Complex plastic molds with detailed cavities get better control through 500,000+ cycles.
Fatigue-resistant parts – SKD11’s refined structure makes them last. ESR processing removes sulfur and phosphorus. Finer carbide spreads stop cracks better than standard D2. Dies running 24/7 production survive longer before you replace them.
The 12% chromium oxide layer protects tooling in normal indoor workshops. It won’t handle harsh chemical settings though.
Budget Options
Cost-sensitive work – you can substitute Cr12MoV (Chinese GB standard) for SKD11. The 1.45-1.7% carbon and 11-13% chromium perform similarly at lower cost. Standard precision needs and normal production volumes work fine with this grade. High-precision jobs needing top stability still justify SKD11’s premium though.
Standard D2 grade – the chemical makeup matches SKD11 but skips the ESR refinement step. The less clean structure and coarser carbide spread cut costs. Budget cold-work dies handle this trade-off. Critical work needing maximum fatigue resistance sticks with SKD11.
Decision Matrix
|
Your Priority |
Choose |
Reason |
|---|---|---|
|
Maximum hardness + wear resistance |
SKD11 |
60-62 HRC, excellent carbide structure |
|
Thermal shock resistance |
SKD61 |
Survives 400°C temp drops in seconds |
|
Dimensional precision <0.02% |
SKD11 |
Triple tempering + ESR processing |
|
Operating temp >200°C |
SKD61 |
Maintains toughness at 600°C |
|
Impact toughness at high temp |
SKD61 |
Lower carbon = higher ductility |
|
Lowest cost cold-work steel |
Cr12MoV |
Budget alternative to SKD11 |
The wrong steel costs more than the price gap between grades. A cracked hot-work die from using SKD11 stops production. A worn cold-work die from using SKD61 destroys part quality. Match the material to the heat environment first. Then optimize for other properties like wear resistance or precision.
Conclusion:
I’ve spent years watching toolmakers choose the wrong steel—and pay for it in downtime and scrapped parts. The truth is simple: hot work needs SKD61’s toughness,cold work demands SKD11’s hardness. Match your steel to your temperature zone, not your budget. Get this right once, and your tooling will outlast the competition. Get it wrong, and you’ll be explaining production stops to management.