Bohler-Uddeholm,WEARTEC SF Cold Work Tool Steel Tube,Pipe

Bohler-Uddeholm WEARTEC SF Cold Work Tool Steel Tube Product Information -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Bohler-Uddeholm WEARTEC SF Cold Work Tool Steel Tube Synonyms -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Bohler-Uddeholm WEARTEC SF Cold Work Tool Steel Product Information -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: # **Böhler-Uddeholm WEARTEC SF Cold Work Tool Steel** ## **Product Overview** **Böhler-Uddeholm WEARTEC SF** is an advanced, high-performance **sintered and forged powder metallurgy (PM) cold work tool steel** specifically engineered for applications demanding extreme wear resistance combined with high toughness. The **"SF"** designation indicates a unique **Sintered & Forged** manufacturing process, where the material is first produced via powder metallurgy to achieve an exceptionally homogeneous and fine carbide structure, and subsequently hot-forged to enhance density, mechanical integrity, and toughness. This proprietary technology results in a material with **superior wear resistance, excellent grindability, and near-isotropic properties**, establishing it as a premium solution for the most demanding cold work applications where conventional tool steels fail prematurely. --- ## **1. Key Characteristics & Advantages** - **Extreme Wear Resistance:** Provides outstanding resistance to abrasive wear, outperforming conventional high-chromium steels (e.g., D2) and many other PM grades, due to its high volume of finely dispersed, hard vanadium carbides. - **Excellent Toughness:** The sintered and forged process yields a refined microstructure that delivers superior toughness for its hardness level, significantly reducing the risk of chipping and catastrophic failure in demanding applications. - **Superior Grindability:** Exceptionally good grindability for a steel of its wear resistance class, enabling easier and safer finishing operations without the high risk of thermal cracking associated with other ultra-high-wear materials. - **High Dimensional Stability:** Minimal and predictable dimensional changes during heat treatment, critical for precision tooling and complex geometries. - **Near-Isotropic Behavior:** Uniform mechanical properties in all directions due to the homogeneous PM structure and forging process, ensuring consistent and predictable tool performance. - **Good Polishability:** Capable of achieving fine surface finishes, suitable for applications requiring controlled surface contact or reduced friction. - **Deep and Uniform Hardenability:** Can be fully through-hardened in substantial cross-sections with consistent properties from surface to core. --- ## **2. Typical Chemical Composition (Weight %)** | Element | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Vanadium (V) | Cobalt (Co) | | :--- | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | | **Content** | **~2.5** | **~6.0** | **~2.5** | **~8.0** | **-¹** | **Alloying Rationale & SF Process Impact:** - **Carbon (~2.5%) & Vanadium (~8.0%):** The foundation of its performance. Form an extremely high volume of ultra-hard vanadium carbides (VC), providing the primary mechanism for extreme wear resistance. - **Chromium (~6.0%) & Molybdenum (~2.5%):** Provide hardenability, contribute to secondary hardening during tempering, and enhance overall strength and toughness. - **Sintered & Forged (SF) Process:** This two-step method is key. Powder metallurgy ensures the homogeneous distribution of fine carbides, while the subsequent hot forging densifies the material, closes any residual micro-porosity, and refines the grain structure, resulting in enhanced toughness and mechanical reliability not always achieved in standard PM steels. *¹: The composition may be adjusted slightly across variants. Official datasheets should be consulted for precise values. Cobalt is typically not a primary alloying element in WEARTEC SF, distinguishing it from some hot-work oriented grades.* --- ## **3. Physical & Mechanical Properties** ### **Physical Properties:** - **Density:** ~7.6 - 7.7 g/cm³ - **Thermal Conductivity:** ~21 W/(m·K) at 20°C - **Modulus of Elasticity:** ~210 GPa - **Coefficient of Thermal Expansion:** ~10.1 x 10⁻⁶/K (20-400°C) ### **Heat Treatment & Mechanical Data:** - **Soft Annealed Hardness:** ~280-310 HBW - **Austenitizing Temperature:** 1120 - 1180°C (2050 - 2155°F) - **Quenching Medium:** Salt bath, oil, or pressurized gas (2-5 bar). - **Tempering Range:** 500 - 560°C (930 - 1040°F). **Triple tempering is essential.** - **Achievable Hardness:** **65 - 69 HRC** - *65-67 HRC (tempered at 530-550°C):* Recommended for optimal balance of wear resistance and toughness. - *67-69 HRC (tempered at 500-525°C):* For applications where maximum wear resistance is the absolute priority. - **Transverse Rupture Strength:** > 3500 MPa - **Compressive Strength:** > 3800 MPa (at 66 HRC) - **Impact Toughness:** Notably higher than conventional steels of comparable wear resistance, a direct benefit of the SF process. --- ## **4. Main Applications** WEARTEC SF is designed for ultra-demanding cold work applications where tool life is limited by severe abrasive wear, often under high pressure. - **High-Volume Precision Blanking:** Progressive dies for electrical steel (silicon steel), hardened spring steel, and other abrasive sheet materials. - **Powder Compaction Tools:** Critical punches and dies for pressing hard metal powders (e.g., tungsten carbide), ceramics, and ferrites. - **Cold Forming & Extrusion:** Tools for forming highly abrasive or work-hardening materials. - **Wire Drawing:** Cones and dies for drawing super-hard or abrasive wires. - **Shear Blades & Industrial Knives:** For cutting advanced composites (carbon fiber, fiberglass), abrasive textiles, and reinforced plastics. - **Thread Rolling Dies:** For high-volume production of fasteners from hard or abrasive materials. - **Precision Rolls & Wear Parts:** Rolls for cold rolling of abrasive strips and high-wear components in industrial machinery. - **Molding Inserts:** For highly abrasive plastics with high filler content (e.g., glass-filled, mineral-filled polymers). --- ## **5. Relevant International Standards & Comparable Grades** As a proprietary sintered and forged PM grade, WEARTEC SF does not have a direct international standard equivalent. It belongs to the top tier of high-vanadium PM cold work steels. | Category | Standard / Supplier | Comparable Grade | Key Performance Comparison | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **PM Tool Steel** | **Uddeholm Proprietary** | **VANADIS 10, ROLTEC SF** | Similar wear class. WEARTEC SF's specific SF process may offer a distinct balance of grindability and toughness. | | **PM Tool Steel** | **Böhler Proprietary** | **K890** | Belongs to the same ultra-high wear resistance category. | | **PM Tool Steel** | **Crucible (CPM)** | **CPM 15V** | Comparable or higher vanadium content for extreme wear. WEARTEC SF is likely to offer significantly better toughness and grindability. | | **Conventional Steel** | **AISI** | **D2** | **Not comparable.** WEARTEC SF offers an order-of-magnitude improvement in wear resistance and much higher compressive strength. | **Designation Note:** The material should be specified as **"WEARTEC SF"** or described as a **"Sintered & Forged PM Ultra-High Vanadium Cold Work Tool Steel."** --- ## **6. Supply Form & Processing** - **Available Forms:** Blocks, round bars, and custom pre-finished blanks. - **Machining:** Must be performed in the soft-annealed condition. Requires rigid setups, sharp carbide tools, and appropriate cutting parameters due to its abrasiveness. - **Grinding:** **Excellent grindability for its wear resistance class.** The fine, homogeneous structure allows for efficient material removal with reduced risk of grinding burns or cracks. Use aluminum oxide or CBN wheels with ample coolant. - **EDM:** Suitable. A stress-relieving temper (e.g., at 550°C) is mandatory after EDM to remove the brittle, transformed "white layer." - **Heat Treatment:** Requires precise, controlled atmosphere or vacuum heat treatment. **Triple tempering is non-negotiable** to achieve full properties, ensure dimensional stability, and transform retained austenite. Deep cryogenic treatment (-196°C) is highly recommended between tempers for maximum performance. - **Surface Treatment:** An ideal substrate for advanced PVD coatings (TiAlN, AlCrN, DLC) to further reduce friction and adhesive wear. --- ## **7. Conclusion** **Böhler-Uddeholm WEARTEC SF** represents the pinnacle of wear-resistant cold work tool steel technology, leveraging the synergistic benefits of **powder metallurgy for homogeneity and forging for toughness**. This Sintered & Forged process delivers a material that consistently outperforms conventional and even standard PM steels in the most severe abrasive environments. It is the ultimate selection for applications where wear is the dominant failure mode and unplanned tool failure carries high economic cost. The investment in WEARTEC SF is justified by dramatically extended tool life, increased process reliability, and the ability to machine challenging materials with confidence. For engineers and toolmakers pushing the limits of productivity against highly abrasive materials, WEARTEC SF provides a definitive, high-performance solution that maximizes uptime and return on investment. -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Bohler-Uddeholm WEARTEC SF Cold Work Tool Steel Specification Dimensions Size： Diameter 20-1000 mm Length <6887 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 WEARTEC SF Cold Work Tool Steel Properties -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Applications of Bohler-Uddeholm WEARTEC SF Cold Work Tool Steel Tube -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Chemical Identifiers Bohler-Uddeholm WEARTEC SF Cold Work Tool Steel Tube -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Packing of Bohler-Uddeholm WEARTEC SF Cold Work Tool 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 3358 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