DC53 Cold Work Tool Steel

This DC53 is used in punching, cold solid forming, deep drawing, coining and cold extrusion processing methods. During cold solid forming, materials are transformed into their final shape by cold forming or extrusion. Depending on the method employed, the forming tools can be exposed to extremely high wear resulting from pressure and abrasion.The coining or embossing process, especially the minting of coins, creates unusually high demands on the steels used for punches and dies when it comes to purity, compression strength and wear resistance.

In the mints where the coins are produced, even the slightest divergences relating to surface, dimensional or gravimetric accuracy result in the tools being taken out of service. This strongly underlines the importance of the tool steel quality employed.

ASTM A681 Standard Specification for Tool Steel Alloy

Round Size Rnage:300-1000mm

Steel-making:EF/EAF+LF+VD EF/EAF+ESR 

Process: Hot Rolled 

Delivery condition: Annealed

Surface condition: Bright

Hardening Vacuum Furnace: 

Pre-heat to 300-400oC and then to 800-850oC allowing sufficient time to equalise. Raise to 1,020-1,040oC and allow soaking time

Quenching Vacuum Furnace:

The high hardenability of this steel enables it to be satisfactorally quenched in a vacuum furnace.

Surface Treatments:

Surface treatments such as CVD, PVD, TD and Nitriding require the use of relatively high processing temperatures. While this can be a problem with standard D2, the higher through hardness of DC53 steel at elevated temperatures will allow these surface treatments to be used successfully.

Tempering:

Double temper according to the hardness and toughness charts below. As with D2, a third temper at 400oC should be carried out to avoid any chance of any delayed grain growth and distortion. This is the preferred heat treatment for most applications as high hardness will be the primary consideration.Where maximum toughness is required, double temper between 200 and 300oC (depending on application). Note the material tempered at the lower temperature should not be subjected to subsequent high temperature processes such as PVD.