Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM VANADIS 60 Powder Metallurgically Produced Tool Steel

Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM VANADIS 60 Powder Metallurgically Produced Tool Steel Product Information -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM VANADIS 60 Powder Metallurgically Produced Tool Steel Synonyms -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM VANADIS 60 Powder Metallurgically Produced Tool Steel Product Information -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: # **Böhler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM VANADIS 60 Powder Metallurgically Produced Tool Steel** ## **Product Overview** **UDDEHOLM VANADIS 60** is an **ultra-high-performance powder metallurgy (PM) cold work tool steel** that pushes the boundaries of wear resistance to the extreme. Engineered for the most demanding applications where abrasive wear is the primary failure mechanism, this material represents the pinnacle of Uddeholm's PM technology. Through its specialized alloy design and optimized carbide structure, VANADIS 60 delivers **unmatched wear resistance** while maintaining sufficient toughness for practical industrial use, making it the definitive choice for applications where conventional and even premium PM tool steels fall short. --- ## **1. Key Characteristics & Advantages** ### **Core Advantages:** - **Exceptional Wear Resistance:** The highest wear resistance in the VANADIS family, significantly outperforming VANADIS 10 and other commercial PM grades - **Optimal Toughness Balance:** Maintains practical toughness levels despite its extreme wear characteristics - **Homogeneous Microstructure:** Ultra-fine, uniformly distributed vanadium carbides through advanced PM processing - **Superior Grindability:** Better grinding characteristics than comparable high-vanadium PM steels - **Excellent Dimensional Stability:** Minimal distortion during heat treatment due to isotropic properties - **Good Polishability:** Capable of achieving very fine surface finishes (≤ 0.10 μm Ra) - **Consistent Performance:** Predictable behavior across different production batches and directions --- ## **2. Chemical Composition (Weight %)** | Element | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Vanadium (V) | Tungsten (W) | |---------|------------|---------------|-----------------|--------------|--------------| | Content | ~3.5 | ~6.5 | ~3.0 | ~10.5 | ~6.5 | | **Key Role** | Primary carbide former | Hardness & corrosion resistance | Hardenability & secondary hardening | **Extreme wear resistance via ultra-hard VC carbides** | Hot hardness & additional wear resistance | **Additional Elements:** - Cobalt (Co): ~8.0% (enhances hot hardness and tempering resistance) - Silicon (Si): ~0.5% - Manganese (Mn): ~0.4% - **Key Feature:** Optimized carbide volume fraction (~25-30%) for maximum wear resistance --- ## **3. Physical & Mechanical Properties** ### **Physical Properties:** - **Density:** ~8.10 g/cm³ - **Thermal Conductivity:** 19 W/(m·K) at 20°C - **Modulus of Elasticity:** 215 GPa - **Coefficient of Thermal Expansion:** 10.2 × 10⁻⁶/K (20-400°C) - **Specific Heat Capacity:** 440 J/(kg·K) ### **Heat Treatment Parameters:** - **Soft Annealed Hardness:** ~300 HBW - **Austenitizing Temperature:** 1120-1180°C (2050-2155°F) - **Quenching Media:** Pressurized gas (2-5 bar), oil, or salt bath - **Tempering Range:** 500-550°C (930-1020°F) - **Recommended Cycles:** 3 tempering cycles minimum - **Achievable Hardness:** **66-70 HRC** (typically operated at 66-68 HRC) - **Red Hardness:** Maintains hardness up to 550°C due to cobalt content ### **Mechanical Performance at 68 HRC:** - **Compressive Strength:** ~3,800-4,000 MPa - **Transverse Rupture Strength:** ~3,000-3,300 MPa - **Impact Toughness (Charpy C):** 8-15 J - **Abrasive Wear Resistance:** 3-5× better than VANADIS 10, 10-15× better than conventional D2 - **Fatigue Strength:** Excellent under high-stress cyclic conditions --- ## **4. Primary Applications** ### **Ultra-Demanding Cold Work Applications:** - **High-Volume Precision Blanking:** Progressive dies for electrical steel laminations, silicon sheets, and hard magnetic materials - **Powder Compaction Tools:** Punches and dies for pressing extremely abrasive powders (ceramics, tungsten carbide, ferrites) - **Wire Drawing:** Dies for drawing super-hard or abrasive wires (tungsten, molybdenum, steel cord) - **Cutting & Slitting:** Industrial knives for cutting carbon fiber composites, fiberglass, abrasive papers, and reinforced plastics ### **Specialized Industrial Applications:** - **Wear Parts for Abrasive Environments:** Screw conveyors, mixer blades, and wear plates in mining and mineral processing - **Cold Extrusion Tools:** For forming materials with high work-hardening rates - **Thread Rolling Dies:** For manufacturing high-strength fasteners from hardened materials - **Precision Rolls:** For cold rolling of abrasive strips and foils ### **Advanced Manufacturing:** - **Molds for Abrasive Plastics:** Injection molds for highly filled polymers (glass-filled, mineral-filled, ceramic-filled) - **Metal Injection Molding (MIM):** Tooling for processing metal powders - **Electrode Materials:** For EDM machining of hardened steels --- ## **5. International Standards & Comparable Grades** ### **Classification & Standards:** - **Primary Classification:** PM Ultra-High Vanadium Cold Work Tool Steel - **Manufacturing Standard:** Proprietary Uddeholm specification - **Material Type:** Ledeburitic chromium-vanadium-tungsten PM steel ### **Comparative Analysis:** | Grade Type | Standard | Comparable Grade | Key Differences | |------------|----------|------------------|-----------------| | **PM Tool Steel** | Uddeholm | VANADIS 10 | VANADIS 60 offers 30-50% higher wear resistance | | **PM Tool Steel** | Uddeholm | VANADIS 8 | Higher V and W content for extreme applications | | **PM Tool Steel** | Böhler | K890 | Similar wear class, different alloy approach | | **PM Tool Steel** | CPM Series | CPM 15V | Higher vanadium (15% vs 10.5%), different toughness balance | | **PM Tool Steel** | Japanese | HAP72 | Similar cobalt content, different carbide system | | **Conventional Steel** | AISI | D2 | VANADIS 60 offers 10-15× longer tool life | ### **Performance Positioning:** - **Wear Resistance:** Top-tier among commercial PM cold work steels - **Toughness:** Balanced for practical tooling applications despite high hardness - **Hot Hardness:** Superior to standard cold work steels due to cobalt - **Industry Position:** Specialist material for the most extreme wear applications --- ## **6. Processing & Fabrication Guidelines** ### **Material Supply Forms:** - Precision ground flat stock (thickness tolerance: ±0.03 mm) - Round and square bars - Custom pre-machined blanks - Near-net-shape components ### **Machining Recommendations:** - **State:** Must be machined in soft-annealed condition - **Turning:** CBN or ceramic inserts with moderate cutting parameters - **Milling:** Fine-grained carbide tools, reduced speeds and feeds - **Drilling:** Solid carbide drills with peck drilling cycles - **Grinding:** Aluminum oxide or diamond wheels with ample cooling ### **Heat Treatment Protocol:** 1. **Preheating:** 600°C and 850°C stages recommended 2. **Austenitizing:** 1150°C ±10°C in vacuum or protective atmosphere 3. **Quenching:** Pressurized gas (4-6 bar) for minimal distortion 4. **Tempering:** 3 cycles at 525°C for 2+ hours each 5. **Deep Cryogenic Treatment:** Highly recommended (-196°C) for maximum dimensional stability and hardness ### **Surface Enhancement:** - **PVD Coatings:** TiAlN, AlCrN, DLC (excellent substrate adhesion) - **Polishing:** Diamond compounds for optical-grade finishes - **Surface Treatments:** Nitriding possible but generally not required --- ## **7. Technical Comparison & Selection Guidance** ### **When to Choose VANADIS 60:** 1. **Primary Failure Mode:** Severe abrasive wear dominates 2. **Production Volume:** Extremely high (multi-million stroke applications) 3. **Material Processed:** Highly abrasive composites, hard metals, or ceramics 4. **Tool Life Requirements:** Maximum possible between regrinds 5. **Operating Conditions:** Elevated temperatures (up to 550°C) ### **Economic Considerations:** - **Typical Tool Life:** 5-10× longer than premium PM grades like VANADIS 10 - **Initial Cost:** Premium investment justified by exceptional longevity - **Downtime Reduction:** Significantly fewer tool changes and maintenance intervals - **Process Stability:** Consistent performance reduces quality issues ### **Limitations & Considerations:** - Not recommended for high-impact applications - Requires specialized heat treatment facilities - Higher grinding times compared to lower-alloy steels - Best suited for applications where wear is the sole limiting factor --- ## **Conclusion** **UDDEHOLM VANADIS 60** represents the ultimate weapon in the battle against abrasive wear in cold work applications. As the highest-wear-resistant grade in Uddeholm's renowned VANADIS family, it delivers performance that redefines what is possible in tool life and productivity. While requiring careful application engineering and proper processing, VANADIS 60 offers unparalleled economic returns in applications where conventional materials fail prematurely. This specialist material is recommended only for the most extreme applications where wear resistance is the overriding concern and other failure modes have been eliminated through design. For these demanding scenarios, VANADIS 60 provides a definitive solution that maximizes uptime, reduces total tooling costs, and enables production capabilities that would otherwise be impractical or uneconomical with conventional tool steels. -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM VANADIS 60 Powder Metallurgically Produced Tool Steel Specification Dimensions Size： Diameter 20-1000 mm Length <6876 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 VANADIS 60 Powder Metallurgically Produced Tool Steel Properties -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Applications of Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM VANADIS 60 Powder Metallurgically Produced Tool Steel -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Chemical Identifiers Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM VANADIS 60 Powder Metallurgically Produced Tool Steel -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Packing of Bohler-Uddeholm UDDEHOLM VANADIS 60 Powder Metallurgically Produced Tool 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 3347 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