International Mold Steel TOOLOX® 33 Cold Work Die Steel

International Mold Steel TOOLOX® 33 Cold Work Die Steel Product Information -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: International Mold Steel TOOLOX® 33 Cold Work Die Steel Synonyms -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

International Mold Steel TOOLOX® 33 Cold Work Die Steel Product Information -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: # **Product Introduction: TOOLOX® 33 Premium Cold Work Die Steel** ## **1. Overview** **TOOLOX® 33** is a high-performance, **quenched and tempered, nitrogen-alloyed cold work steel** developed by SSAB, designed to deliver exceptional **strength, toughness, and dimensional stability** directly from the mill. As part of the innovative TOOLOX® family, it is supplied in a **ready-to-use pre-hardened condition** with a guaranteed hardness of **33 HRC**. This steel bridges the gap between conventional pre-hardened mold steels (like P20) and higher-alloy tool steels, offering a unique combination of **high yield strength, excellent impact resistance, and superior machinability** without the need for any post-purchase heat treatment. TOOLOX® 33 is engineered for demanding cold work applications where resistance to chipping, cracking, and plastic deformation under high pressure is critical. ## **2. International Standards & Specifications** TOOLOX® is a proprietary steel family with unique metallurgy and guaranteed properties, manufactured to SSAB's stringent specifications. * **Primary Manufacturer Standard:** * **SSAB TOOLOX® 33:** Proprietary material specification with certified hardness, tensile strength, and toughness values. * **Material Classification & Comparative Grades:** * **Material Type:** High-strength, nitrogen-alloyed, quenched and tempered structural steel for tooling. * **Performance Benchmark:** Its performance profile is often positioned between high-quality **pre-hardened P20+Ni (1.2738)** and **H11-type hot work steels** in terms of strength-toughness balance. * **Application Alternative:** Serves as a robust alternative to through-hardened **O1** or **A2** tool steels for many applications, offering the crucial advantage of **no heat treatment risk or delay**. * **Unique Status:** It is **not a standard AISI or DIN tool steel** but a specially engineered material derived from ultra-high-strength steel technology, optimized for tooling applications. ## **3. Chemical Composition (Weight %, Typical)** The composition is designed for an optimal balance of hardenability, core toughness, and stability, featuring nitrogen as a key strengthening element. | Element | Typical Range (%) | Role & Benefit | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Carbon (C)** | 0.20 – 0.30 | Provides foundational strength. Kept at a moderate level to ensure good toughness and weldability at the target hardness. | | **Silicon (Si)** | 0.10 – 0.40 | Deoxidizer and solid solution strengthener. | | **Manganese (Mn)** | 1.00 – 1.60 | Enhances hardenability and strength. Contributes to good machinability. | | **Chromium (Cr)** | 1.30 – 1.70 | Improves hardenability and provides moderate wear and corrosion resistance. | | **Molybdenum (Mo)** | 0.20 – 0.40 | Increases hardenability, strength, and toughness, particularly in thick sections. | | **Nickel (Ni)** | 0.80 – 1.20 | **Key toughener.** Significantly enhances impact strength and fracture toughness. | | **Vanadium (V)** | ≤ 0.05 | Added for fine grain structure. | | **Nitrogen (N)** | **Alloyed addition** | **Critical innovation.** Acts as a powerful interstitial strengthener, elevating yield and tensile strength significantly without the embrittling effect of high carbon content. | | **Sulfur (S)** | 0.005 – 0.015 | Controlled level to ensure good machinability. | ## **4. Typical Physical & Mechanical Properties (As Delivered)** * **Delivery Condition:** Quenched and tempered. **Ready for machining and immediate use.** * **Guaranteed Hardness:** **32 – 34 HRC (310 – 330 HB).** High and uniform for a readily machinable pre-hardened steel. * **Tensile Strength (Rm):** 1100 – 1250 MPa (160,000 – 181,000 psi) * **Yield Strength (Rp0.2):** 950 – 1100 MPa (138,000 – 160,000 psi) – **Exceptionally high for 33 HRC.** * **Elongation (A5):** ≥ 12% * **Impact Toughness (Charpy V, longitudinal):** **≥ 70 J (52 ft-lb) at 20°C.** This **extraordinarily high toughness** is a hallmark of TOOLOX® 33, providing exceptional resistance to chipping and catastrophic failure. * **Modulus of Elasticity:** ~ 210 GPa (30.5 x 10⁶ psi) * **Density:** 7.85 g/cm³ * **Thermal Conductivity:** ~ 38 W/m·K (at 20°C) * **Coefficient of Thermal Expansion:** ~ 12 x 10⁻⁶/K (20-100°C) ## **5. Product Application** TOOLOX® 33 is ideal for a wide range of cold work tooling where a combination of strength, toughness, and machinability is required. * **Forming, Bending, and Punching Tools:** * **Press Brake Dies and Punches** for medium to high-strength materials. * **Stamping and Forming Dies** for sheet metal. * **Fine Blanking Dies** and **Progressive Die Components** (e.g., stripper plates, guide plates). * **Cutting and Shearing Tools:** * **Shear Blades** for non-ferrous metals and thinner gauge steels. * **Slitter Knives** and **Trimming Tools.** * **Plastic and Rubber Molds:** * **Large Injection Mold Bases, Cavities, and Cores** requiring high rigidity and resistance to deformation. * **Molds for High-Volume Production.** * **General Heavy-Duty Tooling and Machine Components:** * **Jigs, Fixtures, and Wear Plates.** * **Gauges, Bushings, and Guide Rails.** * **Holder Blocks and Backing Plates** for die casting and forging. ## **6. Key Features & Advantages** * **Elimination of Heat Treatment:** The most significant advantage. Removes all risks of distortion, cracking, and decarburization, and saves substantial time and cost associated with furnace treatment. * **Exceptional Toughness-to-Strength Ratio:** The core benefit of its nitrogen-nickel metallurgy. Delivers yield strength near 1000 MPa with impact toughness exceeding 70 J, making it exceptionally resistant to chipping and fatigue failure. * **Superior Dimensional Stability:** Extremely stable during machining due to its stress-relieved, homogeneous structure. Minimal movement ensures high precision in complex tool builds. * **Excellent Machinability:** Outstanding for its strength level. Allows for high metal removal rates, good surface finishes, and extended tool life compared to through-hardened tool steels of similar performance. * **Good Weldability:** Can be welded using standard procedures (pre-heat of 100-150°C recommended) with matching or high-toughness filler metals, facilitating repairs and modifications. * **Guaranteed and Consistent Properties:** Each batch is supplied with a material certificate guaranteeing minimum mechanical properties, ensuring predictability in design and performance. * **High Fatigue Strength:** Excellent resistance to failure under cyclic loading, ideal for high-cycle production tools. ## **7. Processing Guidelines** * **Machining:** Excellent machinability. Use sharp carbide or coated carbide tools. Standard feeds and speeds for pre-hardened steels (~33 HRC) apply. * **Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM):** Performs well in EDM. A low-temperature stress relief (e.g., 180°C for 2 hours) after roughing is recommended for ultimate precision work. * **Welding:** Pre-heat to 100-150°C. Use low-hydrogen electrodes (e.g., OK 48.00 or similar high-toughness filler). Post-weld tempering at 200-250°C is advised for critical applications to relieve stresses. * **Surface Treatment:** Can be **nitrided** (gas or plasma) to significantly increase surface hardness (up to 1000 HV) and wear resistance without affecting the beneficial core properties. **Summary:** TOOLOX® 33 represents a modern, high-reliability solution for cold work die applications. By offering a unique metallurgical package that delivers very high strength coupled with extraordinary toughness in a ready-to-machine condition, it addresses common failure modes in tooling while streamlining the manufacturing process. For toolmakers and manufacturers seeking to improve tool life, reduce downtime, and eliminate the complexities of heat treatment, TOOLOX® 33 provides a robust, predictable, and high-performance alternative to conventional tool steels. -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: International Mold Steel TOOLOX® 33 Cold Work Die Steel Specification Dimensions Size： Diameter 20-1000 mm Length <7033 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. -: International Mold Steel TOOLOX® 33 Cold Work Die Steel Properties -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Applications of International Mold Steel TOOLOX® 33 Cold Work Die Steel -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Chemical Identifiers International Mold Steel TOOLOX® 33 Cold Work Die Steel -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Packing of International Mold Steel TOOLOX® 33 Cold Work Die Steel -:- 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 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 3504 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