1.2344 - AT A GLANCE
What kind of steel is the 1.2344?
The 1.2344 Steel (X40CrMoV5-1) is a hot work steel. It can be water cooled, oil or air hardened and has a good toughness. The 1.2344 is a 5% chromium tool steel that hardens in air and is versatile enough for a broad range of hot and cold work uses. The added vanadium increases the resistance to abrasion and imparts superior properties at elevated temperatures.
Tool Steel 1.2344 is often used in cold work tools because of its exceptional toughness, even though it might slightly reduce wear resistance. Apart from its high temperaturr resistance and thermal cracking resistance, it also has high polishability and is suitable for lens and cutlery molds.
Properties
Tool Steel 1.2344 has some advantages and disadvantages. Although it has a certain corrosion resistance, it should be well cared for to prevent rust. The 1.2344 does not lend itself for making knives as it cannot hold its sharpness at the cutting edge, even though its hardness makes it easy to resharpen.
Although this steel is better suited for hot work, it can also be cold worked. The 1.2344 has high temperature stability, good resistance to thermal fatigue and good toughness and wear resistance.
- Good high-temperature strength
- High hot wear resistance (a bit higher than the 1.2343)
- High thermal shock resistance
- Very good toughness
- Can be easily eroded and nitrided
- Water coolable
- Fire crack resistant
- For even better toughness and the highest purity and homogeneousness use 1.2344 ESR
Applications
The 1.2344 has a multitude of good properties which makes this tool steel not only a good choice for high temperatures but in combination with its thermal fatigue and abrasion resistance can be used for casting and extrusion tools, as well as for dies, hot shear blades and stamping tools to name just a few. With its good resistance to thermal fatigue, erosion and wear, it is ideal for plastic moulds.
- Forging tools and dies
- Hot shear knives
- Hot extrusion tools
- Extrusion press tools
- Press tools
- Block receivers
- Die casting tools
- Light metal die casting
- Press mandrels
- Press dies
- Piecer plugs
- Screw production
- Rivet production
- Bolts production
- Ejectors
- Plastic molds
