Bohler-Uddeholm,UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR Plastic Mold Steel Tube,Pipe

Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR Plastic Mold Steel Tube Product Information -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR Plastic Mold Steel Tube Synonyms -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR Plastic Mold Steel Product Information -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: # **Böhler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR Plastic Mold Steel** ## **Product Overview** **UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR** is a premium **martensitic stainless chromium mold steel** manufactured using **Electro-Slag Remelting (ESR)** technology, specifically engineered to provide an optimal balance of **corrosion resistance, polishability, and machinability** for demanding plastic injection molds. Representing a superior evolution within the 420-type stainless mold steel family, MIRRAX ESR combines enhanced alloy design with exceptional microstructural cleanliness to deliver reliable performance in applications involving corrosive plastics, high-gloss surfaces, and complex mold geometries requiring superior dimensional stability. --- ## **1. Key Characteristics & Advantages** * **Excellent Corrosion Resistance:** Provides superior resistance to moisture, acidic plastic decomposition products (from PVC, flame-retardant materials, polyacetals), and cooling water compared to standard P20-type steels. * **Very Good Polishability:** Capable of achieving high-quality surface finishes (SPI A-2 to A-1 level) suitable for most high-gloss consumer products and technical components. * **Superior Machinability (for a stainless mold steel):** Offers significantly better machinability in the annealed state compared to higher-carbon stainless tool steels like AISI 420F or 440C, reducing manufacturing time and cost. * **ESR Quality:** The Electro-Slag Remelting process ensures extremely low sulfur content and minimal non-metallic inclusions, resulting in improved toughness, better polished surfaces, and more predictable texturing performance. * **Good Wear Resistance:** For a stainless steel, provides adequate resistance to abrasion from standard and moderately filled engineering plastics. * **Good Dimensional Stability:** Predictable heat treatment response with minimal distortion, suitable for precision mold components. * **Good Weldability:** Can be successfully repaired or modified using appropriate welding procedures and filler materials. --- ## **2. Typical Chemical Composition (Weight %)** | Element | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Vanadium (V) | Silicon (Si) | Manganese (Mn) | | :--- | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | | **Content** | **0.23** | **13.60** | **0.20** | **0.07** | **0.40** | **0.50** | **Alloying Rationale & "MIRRAX" Optimization:** * **Carbon (0.23%):** Carefully balanced to provide sufficient hardness after heat treatment while maintaining significantly better machinability than higher-carbon stainless steels (e.g., 0.38% C in STAVAX). * **Chromium (13.6%):** Provides the fundamental corrosion resistance through the formation of a passive chromium oxide layer. * **Molybdenum (0.2%) & Vanadium (0.07%):** Added in controlled amounts to refine the grain structure and enhance hardenability and toughness. * **ESR Process:** The key differentiator. This refining process dramatically reduces impurities (especially sulfur) and inclusions, which directly translates to better machined surfaces, improved polishability, and superior etching characteristics compared to air-melted 420 grades. --- ## **3. Physical & Mechanical Properties** ### **Physical Properties:** * **Density:** ~7.75 g/cm³ * **Thermal Conductivity:** ~25 W/(m·K) at 20°C * **Modulus of Elasticity:** ~200 GPa * **Coefficient of Thermal Expansion:** ~10.5 x 10⁻⁶/K (20-100°C) * **Magnetic Properties:** Magnetic after hardening. ### **Heat Treatment & Mechanical Data:** * **Annealed Hardness:** ~200 HBW (max) * **Austenitizing Temperature:** 1000 - 1025°C (1830 - 1880°F) * **Quenching Medium:** Oil or air. **Must be performed in a protective atmosphere or vacuum** to prevent decarburization. * **Tempering Temperature Range:** 200 - 400°C (390 - 750°F). Double tempering is recommended. * **Achievable Hardness:** **48 - 52 HRC** * Typical working hardness for plastic molds is **48-50 HRC** (tempered at ~250-300°C), providing an optimal balance of corrosion resistance, polishability, and toughness. * **Impact Toughness:** Good for its hardness and corrosion resistance class. * **Corrosion Resistance:** Positioned between AISI 420 and 440A, fully adequate for the vast majority of corrosive plastic molding environments. --- ## **4. Primary Applications** MIRRAX ESR is designed for plastic injection molds where corrosion resistance is a primary concern, but where the extreme polishability of higher-carbon steels (like STAVAX) is not required, and machinability is valued. * **Plastic Injection Molds for Corrosive Plastics:** * **PVC** (all types), **flame-retardant (FR) grades**, and **polyacetals (POM)**. * **Polyurethane (PU)** processing molds. * Molds for plastics that release **acetic acid, hydrochloric acid (HCl), or hydrofluoric acid (HF)**. * **High-Gloss and Consumer Product Molds:** * Automotive interior and exterior trim. * Appliance housings and components. * Consumer electronics casings. * **Molds Operating in Humid Environments:** Where rust prevention during storage or production pauses is critical. * **General-Precision Mold Components:** Cavities, cores, ejector sleeves, and hot runner components exposed to corrosive atmospheres. --- ## **5. Relevant International Standards & Comparable Grades** MIRRAX ESR is a proprietary Uddeholm grade based on a modified AISI 420 chemistry with ESR refinement. | Standard | Grade / Designation | Country/Region | Similarity / Key Difference | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Proprietary (Uddeholm)** | **MIRRAX ESR** | International | The reference optimized 420-type steel with ESR quality and balanced properties. | | **AISI / ASTM** | **420 Modified (Low Carbon)** | USA | MIRRAX fits this category, with its specific 0.23% C and Mo/V additions. | | **DIN / Werkstoff** | **1.2085 / X33CrS16** | Germany/EU | The common "weldable" 420 variant (1.2085) has higher sulfur for machinability; MIRRAX uses ESR to achieve machinability without high S, offering better polishability. | | **JIS G4203** | **SUS420J2 Modified** | Japan | Similar corrosion resistance class. | | **Other Uddeholm Grades** | **STAVAX ESR** | Uddeholm | STAVAX has higher carbon (0.38%) for maximum polishability and wear resistance, but lower machinability. MIRRAX offers a more machinable alternative with slightly lower polishability. | | **ESR Quality Designation** | **ESR** | N/A | This process is a critical part of the specification, ensuring superior quality over standard air-melted 1.2083/420. | **Important:** Specifying **"MIRRAX ESR"** ensures receipt of a material with optimized chemistry for machinability and the guaranteed benefits of ESR refinement. --- ## **6. Processing & Fabrication Guidelines** * **Machining:** **Very good machinability for a stainless mold steel.** Perform all heavy machining in the **soft-annealed condition**. Use sharp carbide tools with positive rake angles and good cooling. Its ESR structure provides consistent chip formation. * **Heat Treatment:** **Must be hardened in a vacuum or protective atmosphere furnace.** Preheating is recommended. Double tempering improves toughness and dimensional stability. The relatively low austenitizing temperature reduces distortion risks. * **Stress Relieving:** After rough machining, a stress relief at 600-650°C is advisable for complex molds. * **Grinding & Polishing:** Grinds and polishes well. Follow systematic abrasive and diamond polishing steps. The ESR structure provides a uniform base for finishing. * **Photochemical Etching (Texturing):** Performs very well due to the clean, homogeneous ESR structure. * **Welding:** Good weldability for a stainless mold steel. * Use matching or similar analysis filler wire (e.g., UDDEHOLM CORRAX welding wire or AWS ER420 type). * Pre-heat to 250-300°C. * Post-weld heat treatment (re-harden and temper) is **strongly recommended** for critical applications to restore corrosion resistance and mechanical properties in the heat-affected zone. * **Surface Treatment:** Can be nitrided or coated with PVD (e.g., CrN) for specific enhancements, though often not required for its primary corrosion-resistant function. --- ## **7. Conclusion** **UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR** is a **strategically optimized stainless mold steel** that successfully addresses the common compromise between **corrosion resistance, machinability, and polishability**. By selecting a moderate carbon content and applying ESR refining, it delivers a material that is significantly easier and more economical to machine than higher-carbon stainless grades while still providing ample corrosion protection and surface quality for the majority of demanding molding applications. It is the **ideal choice when corrosion is the primary driver for material selection**, but where overall manufacturability and cost-effectiveness are also key considerations. For molders processing PVC, FR materials, or operating in humid conditions, MIRRAX ESR provides a reliable, high-performance solution that minimizes maintenance, extends mold life, and simplifies the manufacturing process compared to more challenging-to-machine stainless steels. -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR Plastic Mold Steel Specification Dimensions Size： Diameter 20-1000 mm Length <6892 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. -: Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR Plastic Mold Steel Properties -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Applications of Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR Plastic Mold Steel Tube -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Chemical Identifiers Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR Plastic Mold Steel Tube -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Packing of Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR Plastic Mold 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 3363 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