Crucible Steel Tube,Pipe,REX® M4 High Speed Steel Tube,Pipe

Crucible Steel Tube REX® M4 High Speed Steel Tube Product Information -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Crucible Steel Tube REX® M4 High Speed Steel Tube Synonyms -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Crucible Steel REX® M4 High Speed Steel Product Information -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: # **Product Introduction: Crucible REX® M4 High Speed Steel** Crucible REX® M4 is a premium, conventional ingot-cast high-speed steel that conforms to the AISI M4 specification. It represents a high-performance workhorse grade within the M-series, renowned for its **excellent balance of high wear resistance, good hot hardness (red hardness), and better toughness than many other high-vanadium, high-speed steels**. Positioned between the standard M2 and the more alloyed T15 types, REX M4 delivers enhanced capability for demanding machining and cold work applications where tools face both abrasive wear and moderate thermal loads. Manufactured using Crucible's specialized melting and rolling practices, REX M4 provides a quality alternative to standard M2 with a deliberate increase in carbon and vanadium content. This results in a higher volume of hard vanadium carbides, significantly boosting wear resistance. While not produced via the particle metallurgy (PM) process like its "CPM M4" counterpart, REX M4 is a reliable, cost-effective choice for applications that benefit from its upgraded chemistry but do not require the ultimate in isotropic toughness and grindability offered by PM versions. --- ## **1. Chemical Composition (Weight %)** REX M4 adheres to the AISI M4 specification, characterized by higher carbon and vanadium than standard M2. | **Element** | **Carbon (C)** | **Tungsten (W)** | **Molybdenum (Mo)** | **Chromium (Cr)** | **Vanadium (V)** | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Content** | **1.30 - 1.40** | 5.25 - 6.00 | 4.25 - 5.00 | 3.75 - 4.50 | **4.00 - 4.50** | | **Role** | Increased carbon (vs. M2) enables the formation of more vanadium and molybdenum carbides, enhancing wear resistance and achievable hardness. | Contributes to hot hardness, abrasion resistance, and secondary hardening. | Primary agent for hardenability and hot hardness; more efficient than tungsten. Provides good toughness. | Ensures deep hardenability and provides some oxidation resistance. | **Key differentiator from M2.** High vanadium content (4.0-4.5%) forms a substantial volume of extremely hard vanadium carbides (VC), providing **superior abrasion resistance**. | *Note: Iron (Fe) constitutes the remainder. Cobalt is not a standard component of M4.* --- ## **2. Physical & Mechanical Properties** *Typical properties after proper heat treatment to 62-65 HRC.* * **Density:** ~8.10 g/cm³ (0.292 lb/in³) * **Modulus of Elasticity:** ~215 GPa (31.2 x 10⁶ psi) * **Thermal Conductivity:** Moderate for a high-speed steel. * **Hot Hardness (Red Hardness):** **Very Good.** Maintains hardness well at elevated temperatures (above 500°C / 930°F), though slightly lower than cobalt-bearing grades like M42. Suitable for high-speed machining operations. * **Hardness (Typical Working Range):** **61 - 66 HRC.** Most commonly used at **63-65 HRC**. * **Abrasion Resistance:** **Excellent.** Significantly better than M2 and approaching that of some premium cold work steels, thanks to its high vanadium carbide content. A primary reason for selecting M4 over M2. * **Toughness:** **Good for its wear resistance level.** Offers higher toughness than more highly alloyed high-speed steels (like T15) and many high-carbon, high-chromium cold work steels (like D2). However, its toughness is lower than M2 and is anisotropic (direction-dependent) due to the carbide banding inherent in ingot-cast material. * **Grindability:** **Fair to Difficult.** The high volume of hard vanadium carbides makes grinding more challenging than for M2, requiring appropriate wheels and techniques to avoid burning. --- ## **3. Heat Treatment** Proper heat treatment is crucial to achieve the optimal balance of hardness, wear resistance, and toughness. * **Annealing:** Heat to 870-900°C (1600-1650°F), slow cool. Annealed hardness: 240-280 HB. * **Stress Relieving:** 650-675°C (1200-1250°F), hold, then slow cool. * **Preheating:** **Critical.** Use a double preheat: First at 540-650°C (1000-1200°F), then at 815-870°C (1500-1600°F). * **Austenitizing:** **1175-1220°C (2150-2230°F).** A common range is **1190-1205°C (2175-2200°F)**. Higher temperatures increase wear resistance and hot hardness but reduce toughness. * **Quenching:** Air quench, salt bath quench, or controlled gas quench. Oil quenching can be used for complex shapes but increases distortion risk. * **Tempering:** **Mandatory Multiple Tempers.** Temper immediately after quenching. **Minimum of two tempers** (three are often recommended), each for 2 hours. **Typical tempering range: 540-595°C (1000-1100°F).** Exhibits a strong secondary hardening response. * **Sub-Zero Treatment:** Commonly recommended between quenching and tempering to transform retained austenite, improving dimensional stability and maximizing hardness. --- ## **4. Key Applications** REX M4 is selected for demanding applications requiring better wear resistance than M2 can provide. * **High-Performance Cutting Tools:** Gear hobs, broaches, milling cutters (end mills), form tools, and reamers for machining abrasive materials like stainless steels, high-temperature alloys, and cast irons. * **Punches and Dies for Cold Work:** Tooling for cold forming, stamping, and fine blanking of abrasive or high-strength materials. * **Woodworking Tools:** Premium planer knives and router bits for hard or processed woods. * **Roll Forming & Thread Rolling:** Rolls for forming hard wires and rods. * **Wear Parts:** Components requiring a combination of hardness and moderate toughness under sliding wear conditions. --- ## **5. International Standards & Cross-References** Crucible REX M4 conforms to the AISI M4 specification. * **AISI/SAE:** **M4** * **UNS:** T11304 * **European (EN):** HS 2-9-2-5 / **1.3344** * **Japanese (JIS):** **SKH54** * **ISO:** HS2-9-2 * **Common Trade Names:** M4 HSS, High Speed Steel M4. *(Note: "REX M4" is Crucible's brand name for its conventional M4 product. "CPM M4" is their particle metallurgy version, which offers improved properties.)* --- ## **6. Advantages & Limitations** **Advantages:** * **Enhanced Wear Resistance over M2:** The primary benefit, offering longer tool life in abrasive conditions. * **Good Hot Hardness:** Maintains cutting edge integrity at high speeds. * **Better Toughness than Higher-Alloy Alternatives:** More resistant to chipping than T15 or some cold work steels. * **Cost-Effective Performance Upgrade:** Provides a significant step up from M2 without the cost of cobalt grades or PM processing. **Limitations (vs. CPM M4 and other PM grades):** * **Lower and Direction-Dependent Toughness:** Transverse toughness is significantly lower than longitudinal due to carbide banding, increasing risk of chipping in certain orientations. * **Poorer Grindability:** More difficult to grind than PM M4, with higher risk of grinding burns. * **Less Consistent Microstructure:** Potential for variation in carbide size and distribution compared to homogeneous PM steels. * **Limited to Ingot-Cast Capabilities:** Cannot match the isotropic properties, supreme toughness, and ease of grinding of CPM M4. --- ## **7. Summary** **Crucible REX® M4 is a high-performance, ingot-cast high-speed steel that delivers a proven upgrade over the ubiquitous M2 for applications demanding greater wear resistance.** It occupies a vital niche, offering a tangible increase in tool life for machining and forming abrasive materials, backed by the reliability of a well-understood AISI grade. While powder metallurgy versions like CPM M4 offer superior consistency and toughness, REX M4 remains a highly capable and cost-effective solution for a wide range of demanding industrial tooling applications where its enhanced wear resistance can be fully leveraged. It is the toolmaker's choice when standard M2 wears out too quickly, but the application or budget does not justify a premium PM steel. -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Crucible Steel REX® M4 High Speed Steel Specification Dimensions Size： Diameter 20-1000 mm Length <6975 mm Size:We can customized as required Standard： Per your request or drawing We can customized as required Properties（Theoretical） Chemical Composition -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Crucible Steel REX® M4 High Speed Steel Properties -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Applications of Crucible Steel Tube REX® M4 High Speed Steel Tube -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Chemical Identifiers Crucible Steel Tube REX® M4 High Speed Steel Tube -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Packing of Crucible Steel Tube REX® M4 High Speed Steel Tube -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Standard Packing: -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Typical bulk packaging includes palletized plastic 5 gallon/25 kg. pails, fiber and Steel Tube drums to 1 ton super sacks in full container (FCL) or truck load (T/L) quantities. Research and sample quantities and hygroscopic, oxidizing or other air sensitive materials may be packaged under argon or vacuum. Solutions are packaged in polypropylene, plastic or glass jars up to palletized 3446 gallon liquid totes Special package is available on request. E FORUs’ is carefully handled to minimize damage during storage and transportation and to preserve the quality of our products in their original condition