1.3343 - AT A GLANCE
What kind of steel is the 1.3343?
High speed steel 1.3343 is one of the most used high speed steels, it is suitable for cold forming tools e.g. cold extrusion rams, its elevated wear resistance makes it suitable for e.g. plastic molds and can also be used for certain hot work applications. The added tungsten and molybdenum give this high speed steel the excellent combination of toughness, wear resistance, red hot hardness and the good edge retention, which make it suitable to a wide variety of applications.
Properties
HSS 1.3343 is ideal to use for high speed and high wear applications. It has great wear resistance, high impact toughness and good compression strength.
Care should to be taken when the material is EDM’ed or welded as these processes can lead to brittleness in those areas and can lead to entry points for rust as well as weak spots where the material can crack. With a good surface treatment the material can be made even harder on the surface as well as reduce friction which is needed when using the material for example for taps or drills. With the right maintenance and use this material can be used for a large variety of applications.
Practically, this means:
- High wear resistance
- High impact strength
- Good compressive strength
- High heat resistance
- Good edge strength
- Nitridable
- Can be eroded, but caution is advised
- Working hardness is 62 – 65 HRC
Applications
The 1.3343 has good cutting abilities up to 600°C without loosing its hardness compared to a normal cold work steel that looses its hardness at around 200°C. The base for those abilities ly within its alloys as well as its martensitic micro structure.
- Machining tools
- Milling cutters
- Spiral drills
- Taps
- Reamers
- Broaching tools
- Rotary blades
- Chisels
- Gear shaper cutters
- Circular saw segments
- Metal saw
- Woodworking tools
- Die plates
- Countersinks
- Chaseres
- Cold extrusion punches
- Dies
- Punches
- Plastic moulds with high wear resistance
