1.2311 vs 1.2312 vs 1.2738 Plastic Mold Steel Differences

Plastic mold steel is a pearlitic steel grade based on Cr-Ni-Mo, and it is a crucial material in the mold manufacturing industry. Among these, the 1.2311, 1.2312, and 1.2738 steel grades are the most commonly utilized. Despite all being classified as plastic mold steels, these grades exhibit distinctive differences. This article will discuss the various aspects differentiating 1.2311, 1.2312, and 1.2738 plastic mold steel, helping customers make informed decisions when purchasing suitable steel for their projects.

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Alloy steel can acquire various specialized properties, such as high strength, high toughness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, by adding different elements and employing suitable processing technology.

Alloy steel is formed by adding one or more alloying elements to an iron-carbon alloy made from ordinary carbon steel.

In machinery manufacturing, several types of performance steels are utilized, including stainless steel, heat-resistant steel, and wear-resistant steel.

Special performance steel exhibits unique physical or chemical properties, distinguishing it from other types of steel. In addition to standard mechanical properties, these steels require specific attributes.

Tool steel, for example, displays high hardness, maintains its hardness at elevated temperatures, and exhibits both high wear resistance and appropriate toughness.

Alloy tool steel is used to manufacture cutting tools, measuring tools, molds, and wear-resistant tools.

Alloy steels can primarily be divided into structural steel for construction and engineering applications, which is used for components like pipes and brackets, and structural steel for machinery manufacturing, which is used for mechanical parts such as shafts, gears, springs, and impellers.

Structural alloy steels meet specific strength and formability requirements, with formability usually expressed as elongation after fracture in tensile tests. Structural steel is primarily used in load-bearing applications where strength is a critical design factor.

Classification by Type of Commonly Used Alloying Elements

Various classification systems exist for alloy steel. The most prevalent classifications include:

The Function of Alloying Elements in Steel

• Introduction for Alloying Elements

The principal alloying elements in alloy steel include silicon, manganese, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, titanium, niobium, zirconium, cobalt, aluminum, copper, boron, and rare earth elements.

Vanadium, titanium, niobium, and zirconium are known to be strong carbide-forming elements in steel. Under suitable conditions, their respective carbides will form as long as sufficient carbon is present. In cases of carbon deficiency or at high temperatures, they exist in a solid solution at the atomic level.

Manganese, chromium, tungsten, and molybdenum are classified as carbide-forming elements; some of them enter the solid solution at an atomic level, while others contribute to the formation of replacement alloy cementite.

Elements like aluminum, copper, nickel, cobalt, and silicon do not form carbides and typically remain in solid solutions at the atomic level.

• The Specific Function of Common Alloying Elements

Silicon (Si)

Silicon serves as a principal deoxidizer during the steelmaking process. When silicon content exceeds 0.50-0.60%, it is classified as an alloying element.

Silicon enhances the elastic limit, yield point, and tensile strength of steel, making it a common choice for spring steel. An addition of 1.0-1.2% silicon to quenched and tempered structural steel can increase material strength by 15-20%.

Silicon also combines well with molybdenum, tungsten, and chromium to enhance corrosion and oxidation resistance, thus making it suitable for manufacturing heat-resistant steel.

Low carbon steel with 1-4% silicon exhibits extremely high magnetic permeability, commonly applied in the electrical industry.

However, an increase in silicon content can reduce the weldability of steel.

Manganese (Mn)

Manganese is an effective deoxidizer and desulfurizer in the steelmaking process. Generally, manganese content in steel ranges from 0.30% to 0.50%. If the manganese content exceeds 0.70% in carbon steel, the steel is classified as 'manganese steel.'

Manganese enhances steel's strength, hardness, and wear resistance, while also improving hardenability and hot working performance.

Steels with 11-14% manganese possess exceptional wear resistance and are commonly used for applications like excavator buckets and ball mill lining plates.

Nevertheless, higher manganese content can weaken the corrosion resistance and reduce welding performance of steel.

Chromium (Cr)

Chromium significantly improves strength, hardness, hardenability, and wear resistance in both structural and tool steels, though it can also decrease ductility and toughness.

This element also enhances oxidation and corrosion resistance, making it pivotal in stainless and heat-resistant steel formulations.

Nickel (Ni)

Nickel enhances the strength of steel while maintaining good plasticity and toughness. It exhibits high resistance to corrosion from acids and alkalis, as well as robustness against rust and heat at elevated temperatures.

Inclusion of an appropriate amount of nickel in high chromium steel results in austenitic stainless steel, which boasts improved toughness, ductility, and corrosion resistance.

However, because nickel is a relatively scarce resource, alternatives should be considered instead of creating nickel-chromium steel.

Molybdenum (Mo)

Molybdenum refines steel grain structure, enhances hardenability and thermal strength, and sustains adequate strength and creep resistance at high temperatures.

This element is added to structural steel to improve strength, hardness, hardenability, and toughness. Molybdenum helps combat temper brittleness due to quenching in alloy steel.

In hot-work steels and high-speed steels, molybdenum contributes to better red-hardness properties.

Titanium (Ti)

Titanium functions as a powerful deoxidizer, promoting a compact internal structure in steel while refining grains and minimizing aging sensitivity and cold brittleness.

Adding appropriate amounts of titanium to austenitic stainless steel stabilizes the material, fixing carbon in inert particles and thus improving corrosion resistance and weldability.

Due to its rarity, titanium is significantly more expensive than standard carbon steel.

Vanadium (V)

Vanadium acts as an efficient deoxidizer. Adding 0.5% vanadium to steel refines its grain structure, resulting in improved strength, toughness, wear resistance, and resistance to shock impact.

Vanadium-carbides increase steel's resistance to hydrogen corrosion under conditions of high temperature and high pressure.

It is commonly utilized in producing high-speed metal cutting tools due to its enhanced red-hardness properties.

Tungsten (W)

Tungsten is a valuable alloying element with a high melting point and significant density. Tungsten carbide exhibits high hardness and wear resistance, making it desirable in various applications.

Incorporation of tungsten into high-speed and hot-work tool steels markedly improves red-hardness and thermal strength, enhancing hot-working efficiency and cutting capability at elevated temperatures.

Copper (Cu)

Copper enhances strength and toughness, particularly for atmospheric corrosion resistance (with a copper content of 0.2%-0.4%).

However, excessive copper content can negatively impact forging and welding, leading to hot embrittlement during processing stages.

Plasticity declines significantly with copper content exceeding 0.5%. Copper concentrations below 0.50% typically do not affect weldability.

Aluminum (Al)

Aluminum is recognized as an effective deoxidizer in steel production. Inclusion of aluminum can refine grain structure and boost impact toughness.

It also provides anti-oxidation and anti-corrosion benefits, particularly when paired with chromium and silicon to improve high-temperature corrosion resistance.

Aluminum finds common usage in nitrided steels due to its ability to form hard aluminum nitride with nitrogen, as seen in EN41B and 41CrAlMo7 steel.

Nonetheless, aluminum can compromise hot workability, weldability, and machinability.

Cobalt (Co)

Cobalt is a rare and precious metal primarily used in high-speed steels, hot-forming tool steels, and high-temperature materials.

Cobalt enhances red-hardness and high-temperature strength, allowing for higher quenching temperatures.

However, cobalt does not form any carbides.

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