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1TOOLING APPLICATION PLASTIC MOULDING

UDDEHOLM TOOL STEELS FOR

PLASTICMOULDING

2 TOOLING APPLICATION PLASTIC MOULDING

This information is based on our present state of knowledge and is intended toprovide general notes on our products and their uses. It should not therefore beconstrued as a warranty of specific properties of the products described or awarranty for fitness for a particular purpose.

Classified according to EU Directive 1999/45/ECFor further information see our “Material Safety Data Sheets”.

Edition 12, 03.2016

© UDDEHOLMS ABNo part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercialpurposes without permission of the copyright holder.


CONTENTS

Steel affects us in millions of ways 4

Product design 5

Mould design 6

Mouldmaking 10

Moulding 14

Moulding methods – Injection moulding 17 – Compression moulding 17 – Blow moulding 18 – Extrusion 18

The same quality and service available worldwide 20

Product programme for plastic moulding 21 – Chemical composition and properties 22

Mould steel selection – General recommendations 23 – Special recommendations 24

Selecting a tool steel supplier is a key decision for all parties, including the tool

maker, the tool user and the end user. Thanks to superior material properties,

Uddeholm’s customers get reliable tools and components. Our products are always

state-of-the-art. Consequently, we have built a reputation as the most innovative tool

steel producer in the world.

Uddeholm produce and deliver high quality Swedish tool steel to more than

100,000 customers in over 100 countries. We secure our position as a world-leading

supplier of tool steel.

Wherever you are in the manufacturing chain, trust Uddeholm to be your number

one partner and tool steel provider for optimal tooling and production economy.

Quite simply, it pays to go for a better steel.


Plastic moulding is a part of our everyday lives.Car parts, mobile phones, spectacles andcomputer chassis are all manufactured inmoulds. However, the materials needed tomake these moulds often require unique anddemanding characteristics. This is why it iscrucial to select the correct steel grade for yourspecific mould.

Many of the most well-known brands useUddeholm Tool Steel in their manufacturingprocesses, since plastic moulding is a de-manding industry. Harsh environments putsteel under considerable stress. The problemsare well-known, choosing the right tool steel isthe solution.

A moulder knows that the cost of excessivemould maintenance, e.g. major repolishing,cleaning, replanting and replacing of worn orbroken parts has to be taken into account. Thecosts of production and down time, overtimepayment, late-delivery penalties and loss ofcustomer goodwill also need to be considered.

The moulders also know that they have tosolve the problem of maximizing the life andperformance of the production tool, e.g. themould, to achieve the lowest possible totaltooling cost per part produced. The cost of thetool steel in a mould usually represents only5–10% of the tool costs. The effect on the totalcost will be even less.

The drive to find new solutions, ongoingdevelopment and research are the hallmark ofUddeholm as a business partner.

Continuous improvements and new productdevelopment are possible because we under-stand and listen to our customers needs.

Wherever production calls for precision andoptimum performance, Uddeholm’s worldleading tool steel is used.

In this brochure we present all our highquality material used for production of plasticparts. We also focus on important factors thatcontribute to an economical production.

STEEL AFFECTS US IN MILLIONS OF WAYS

Pulse monitor. Uddeholm Stavax ESR and Uddeholm UHB 11 are suitable mould steel for this kind of production.


PRODUCT DESIGNWe at Uddeholm can help the product designerto ensure that the final moulding matches hisoriginal concept.

Our worldwide marketing organization is ableto provide high quality mould steel to meetevery plastics moulding and extrusion require-ment.

Our Technical Support will give competenttechnical advice and information on the selec-tion of the appropriate steel, heat treatmentand application techniques.

THE IMPORTANT ROLEOF THE PRODUCT DESIGNER

When setting out to create a new moulded parta product designer faces many criteria thathave to be satisfied.

Apart from its purely functional performance,the moulding is often required to match highstandards of finish and tolerance over a longproduction run.

Whether these requirements are successfullymet or not depends to a large extent on goodcomponent design, good mould design, goodmould-making and the selection of the bestmould steel for the job.

CHOOSING THE BESTMOULD STEEL FOR THE JOB

The product designer is thus involved in a lot ofimportant decisions. Decisions that sooner orlater will relate to the mould steel selected. Hehas to ask himself questions such as:How important is the surface finish?Does it need to be a mirror or opticalfinish?(On page 10 you can see where we can be ofassistance in helping him to answer thesequestions.)

Will the mould for the part be patternedby photo-etching? Are there severalpatterned parts to be matched, e.g.mouldings in a car interior?(On page 13 you can see what Uddeholm hasto offer in this field.)

Will the moulding material be corrosive,abrasive or both?(For further information on how we tackle theseproblems see page 22.)

How critical is it that the tolerances areheld within close limits? What quantitieshave to be produced?(The answer is important since the productionquantity will affect the degree of wear resist-ance and other properties required in themould material.)

AVOID SHARP CORNERSAND STAY OUT OF TROUBLE!

Avoiding sharp corners and edges whereverpossible is one example of how an experi-enced product designer can improve mould lifeand moulding productivity.

Sharp corners in mouldings, and therefore inthe mould, are always potential stress-raisingpoints. Points likely to cause cracking andfailure of both moulding and mould.

By increasing the radius of the corners ofmoulded parts a product designer significantlyimproves the impact strength of the mould.

The result is a stronger mould, much betterable to resist high locking and injection pres-sures.

Effect of increasing radius on impact strength.(Steel type: AISI H13 at 46–47 HRC. Sample taken fromsurface, in the longitudinal direction.)

30

25

20

15

10

5

0.25 0.75 1.25 1.75 2.25 mm0.010 0.030 0.050 0.070 0.090 inch

Radius

Impact strengthKV


MOULD DESIGNThe mould designer can significantly contributeto optimum tooling economy by thinkingstandard, i.e. using standard steel grades,standard steel sizes and standard machinedplates.

THE IMPORTANT ROLEOF THE MOULD DESIGNER

In seeking to produce the best possible mould,a mould designer faces several criteria thathave to be satisfied.

Together with the mouldmaker he shares theheavy responsibility of producing a mould thatgives reliable and economical production of thepart conceived by the product designer.

He also endeavours to ensure that the mouldcan be constructed as easily and economicallyas possible by the mouldmaker.

Whether these requirements are successfullymet or not depends to a large extent onspecifying the best mould steel and hardnessfor the mould concerned.

A clever mould designer can also add avaluable service to all concerned by thinkingstandard.

TAKE A SHORT CUT TO PRODUCTIVITYBY THINKING STANDARD!

Most mould designers are used to specifying awhole range of standard parts such as guidepins and bushings, ejector pins etc. Sincethese parts are available quickly at competitiveprices they help the mouldmaker save valuabletime.

But there is even more time and money to besaved. Time and cost savings can be furtherimproved by extending this standard thinkingto standard steel sizes, machined plates andsteel grades.

In fact, by specifying readily available steelgrades in standard sizes the mouldmaker canensure prompt deliveries while keeping initialmachining costs and material losses to aminimum.

CHOOSING THE OPTIMUMMOULD STEEL FOR BEST TOOLINGAND PRODUCTION ECONOMY

The choice of steel grade and supplier is oftenmade at the design stage in order to simplifyand speed up the delivery of the mould. Thismeans that the material and parts can beordered in good time and that the work can bebetter planned.


This is not always a simple task. In many casesthe choice of steel grade is a compromisebetween the wishes of the mouldmaker andthe moulder.

The mouldmaker is primarily interested in themachinability of the steel, its polishability, heattreatment and surface treatment properties.

The moulder is looking for a mould with goodwear and corrosion resistance, high compres-sive strength etc.

MOST COMMONLY USEDMOULD STEEL

The steel types most commonly used are:• prehardened mould and holder steel• through-hardening mould steel• corrosion resistant mould steel

(For further information on these steel typesand their properties see pages 21–23.)

WHEN TO USE PREHARDENEDMOULD AND HOLDER STEEL

These steel are mostly used for:• large moulds• moulds with low demands on wear resistance• extrusion dies• high strength holder plates

The steel are delivered in the hardened andtempered condition, usually within the 270–400 Brinell range. No heat treatment is neces-sary before the mould is put into use.

The surface hardness can be increased inmany cases (see “Why Heat Treatment” onpage 11).

Prehardened mould steel are generally usedfor large moulds and for moulds with moderateproduction runs.

UDDEHOLM PREHARDENEDMOULD AND HOLDER STEEL

Uddeholm Impax Supreme (AISI P20 modified),which is refined by the vacuum degassingtechnique, offers good machinability andhomogeneity, excellent polishability andconsistent photo-etching properties due to alow sulphur content.

Uddeholm Nimax is a low carbon steel withexcellent toughness and weldability. It also hasexcellent machinability for a high hardness pre-hardened steel.

Uddeholm Holdax (AISI 4140 modified), oftenrecommended for high strength holder blocksand large moulds with low requirements onpolishability, offers excellent machinabilityenabling high metal removal rates for deepforms and insert cavity recesses.

Uddeholm Mirrax 40, ESR remelted, offerscorrosion resistance, good homogeneity,cleanliness and excellent polishablility.

Uddeholm Impax Supreme, UddeholmHoldax, Uddeholm Nimax and UddeholmMirrax 40 are prehardened steel. UddeholmImpax Supreme and Uddeholm Holdax aredelivered at 290–330 HB. Uddeholm Nimaxand Uddeholm Miarrax 40 are delivered at360–400 HB.

Uddeholm Ramax HH (high hard, AISI 420 Fmodified) and Uddeholm RoyAlloy are pre-hardened stainless holder steel sulphurized forimproved machinability. The delivery hardnessof Uddeholm Ramax HH is approx. 340 Brinelland of Uddeholm RoyAlloy approx. 310 HB.They are both ideal partners for UddeholmStavax ESR, Uddeholm Mirrax ESR, UddeholmMirrax 40, Uddeholm Polmax, UddeholmCorrax and Uddeholm Elmax SuperClean whena completely stainless mould package isdesired.

Mold base in Uddeholm RoyAlloy.


WHEN TO USETHROUGH-HARDENED STEEL

These steel are mostly used:• for long productions runs• to resist abrasion from certain moulding

materials• to counter high closing or injection pressures• for high pressure processes like compression

moulding

The steel are delivered in the soft annealedcondition. They are usually rough-machined,stress-relieved, semi-finish machined, hard-ened and tempered to the required hardnessand then finish-machined ground and oftenpolished or photo-etched.

Through-hardened steel, used for cavity andcore inserts, are usually placed in holder blocksof prehardened steel such as UddeholmHoldax, Uddeholm RoyAlloy or UddeholmRamax HH.

By using through-hardened mould or cavityinserts, e.g. in the range 48–60 Rockwell C,you’ll obtain better wear resistance, resistanceto deformation and indentation and betterpolishability.

Better wear resistance is especially importantwhen filled or reinforced plastic materials areused. Resistance to deformation and indenta-tion in the cavity, gate areas and parting lineshelps to maintain part quality.

Better polishability is important when highsurface finish is required on the moulded part.

UDDEHOLM THROUGH-HARDENING STEEL

Uddeholm Stavax ESR (AISI 420 modified),Uddeholm Mirrax ESR, Uddeholm Polmax(AISI 420 modified), Uddeholm Orvar Supreme(AISI H13 improved), Uddeholm Vidar 1 ESR(AISI H11) and Uddeholm Unimax are all typicalthrough-hardening steel.

Our powder-metallurgy tool steel, UddeholmVanadis 4 Extra SuperClean, UddeholmVanadis 8 SuperClean and Uddeholm ElmaxSuperClean, are our most wear resistant steel.

Uddeholm Vancron 40 SuperClean’s lowfriction properties can reduce problems withsticking of plastic to mould surface.

WHEN TO USE CORROSIONRESISTANT MOULD STEEL

If a mould is likely to be exposed to corrosion,a stainless steel is strongly recommended.

The increased initial cost of this steel is oftenless than the cost involved in a single repolish-ing or replating operation of a mould made of anon corrosion resistant steel.

Plastic moulds and dies can be affected bycorrosion in several ways:• plastic materials can produce corrosive by-

products, e.g. PVC• corrosion leads to reduced cooling efficiency

when water channels become corroded orcompletely blocked

• condensation caused by prolonged produc-tion stoppages, humid operating or storageconditions, often leads to corrosion

Tupperware plastic boxes produced in a mouldmade in Uddeholm Mirrax ESR.


UDDEHOLM CORROSIONRESISTANT MOULD STEEL

Uddeholm Stavax ESR and Uddeholm MirraxESR, are corrosion resistant mould steeloffering excellent polishability combined withgood wear and indentation resistance. Udde-holm Mirrax ESR is developed to meet theincreased requirements on good toughnessand through hardenability in larger sections.

Uddeholm Polmax is also a corrosion resist-ant mould steel specially developed to meetthe high demands on polishability.

Uddeholm Mirrax 40 is a corrosion resistanceprehardened mould steel with good polish-ablility.

Uddeholm Elmax SuperClean is a powder-metallurgy mould steel with high wear andcorrosion resistance.

Uddeholm Corrax is a precipitation hardeningmould steel with un-matched corrosion resist-ance, easy heat treatment and good weld-ability.

OTHER MATERIAL

Alumec 89 is recommended for prototypemoulds and for short runs with low demandson strength and wear resistance. It is also asuitable material to use for low pressure proc-esses like blow moulding or foam moulding.

Copper alloy like Moldmax HH is used inmoulds when high thermal conductivity isneeded. Either by itself or in combination withother insert material.

FINDING THE CORRECT WORKINGHARDNESS FOR THE MOULD

The chosen working hardness for the mould,and the heat treatment method used toachieve it, affect a lot of properties. Propertiessuch as toughness, compression strength,wear and corrosion resistance.

Generally it can be said that increasedhardness results in better resistance againstwear, pressure and indentation and thatdecreased hardness leads to better toughness.

A normal working hardness for a through-hardening steel is 46–60 Rockwell C. The opti-mum working hardness used depends on thechosen steel, the mould size, layout and shapeof the cavities, the moulding process, plasticmaterial etc.

For recommended steel grades and workinghardness related to various plastic materialsand processes, see page 23–25.

For information on heat treating plasticmoulds ask for the Uddeholm publication“Heat Treatment of Tool Steel”.

Prehardened steel like Uddeholm ImpaxSupreme or Uddeholm Nimax is a good

choice for production of buckets.


MOULDMAKINGA substantial part of the total tooling cost isincurred during the manufacturing of themould. It is therefore of great importance thatthe mouldmaking process should be asstraight-forward as possible.

THE IMPORTANT ROLEOF THE MOULDMAKER

A well equipped machine shop with competentand experienced personnel is an essential partof the mouldmaking process.

The significant investment that this processrepresents is ultimately focused on the mouldmaterial. An experienced mouldmaker, there-fore, places high demands on his steel supplierand his product when it comes to steel qualityand properties as well as steel finish andavailability.

CHOOSING THEOPTIMUM MOULD STEEL

The mouldmaker is looking for a mould steelfree from defects, easy to machine and polish,stable in heat treatment and suitable in manycases for EDM and/or photo-etching.

WITHOUT DEFECTS

All material supplied by Uddeholm has beensubjected to various external and internalinspection procedures, including ultrasonictesting. This ensures that high and even qualitystandards are met.

GOOD MACHINABILITY—GOOD ECONOMY

The cost of machining, accounts for roughly1/3 of the total cost of mould manufacture. Soa good and uniform machinability is of outmostimportance.

Most of Uddeholm’s mould steel are suppliedin the fully annealed condition enabling thebest possible metal removal rates for the typeof steel concerned.

The only exceptions are the Uddeholm steelImpax Supreme (AISI P20 modified), Holdax(AISI 4140 modified), Nimax, RoyAlloy, RamaxHH, Corrax and Mirrax 40 which are deliveredprehardened.

The Uddeholm steel grades Impax Supreme, Holdax,Nimax, Ramax HH, RoyAlloy and Mirrax 40 were testedin the prehardened condition.

Uddeholmholder steel

Uddeholmmould steel

Increasing machinability

▲

Alumec 89 has an excellent machinability, i.e.high cutting speed, which leads to lower mouldcost and shorter delivery time.

A machinability comparison guide for anumber of grades of Uddeholm steel is shownbelow.The guide is based on tool wear tests.

Electrolux vacuum cleaner.

Impax SupremeNimaxStavax ESRMirrax ESRMirrax 40PolmaxOrvar SupremeUnimaxElmax SuperCleanCorrax

HoldaxRoyAlloyRamax HHUHB 11Formax


HOW IMPORTANT ISGOOD POLISHING?

Polishing sometimes accounts for up to 30%of the total mould cost. Not surprisingly, sinceit is a very time consuming and expensiveprocess.

The result obtained depends to a large extenton the polishing techniques and a few otherfactors. The cleanliness of the steel, i.e. thetype, distribution, quantity and size of non-metallic inclusions, the homogeneity of thesteel, the hardness of the steel and, for hard-ened steel, how the heat treatment has beencarried out.

Non-metallic inclusions are reduced to aminimum if the steel is vacuum-degassed and/or Electro Slag Refined (ESR process) duringproduction. This ESR treatment results inimproved homogeneity and minimal amount ofinclusions compared to conventional steelproduction processes.

WHY HEAT TREATMENT?

The purpose of heat treating a finished tool isto obtain suitable mechanical properties suchas hardness, toughness and strength. Butthere are some problems associated with heattreatment. Problems like distortion and dimen-sional changes have to be solved.

SOLVING THE DISTORTION PROBLEM

The tool should be stress-relieved after rough-machining in order to minimize distortionproblems. In this way the stresses induced bythe machining-operations are relieved and anydistortion is then rectified in the semi-finishmachining before heat treatment.

When using through-hardening steel at maxi-mum hardness levels, however, the requirementfor minimum distortion may have to be sacri-ficed. The reason is that higher hardeningtemperatures and rapid quenching rates arenecessary. This is especially the case whenheavy sections are involved. The safest way ofavoiding distortion is to use prehardened steelsuch as Uddeholm Impax Supreme, UddeholmNimax or Uddeholm Mirrax 40—for which noadditional heat treatment is required.

Different types of surface treatment canlocally increase surface hardness.

HOW TO DEAL WITHDIMENSIONAL CHANGES

It is true that some dimensional changes areinevitable during hardening. But it is alsopossible to limit and control these changes to acertain extent. For instance by slow uniformheating to the austenitizing temperature, byusing a temperature that is not too high, byusing a suitable quenching medium or a step-quenching procedure.

Uddeholm Stavax ESR, Uddeholm MirraxESR, Uddeholm Unimax, Uddeholm OrvarSupreme, Uddeholm Vidar 1 ESR, UddeholmPolmax and Uddeholm Elmax SuperClean canall be air hardened when dimensional stability isimportant.

Uddeholm Corrax needs only an agingprocess at 500–600°C (930–1110°F) and noquenching. This means that no distortion willoccur, only a linear and homogenous shrinkagein the order of 0.1%. Since it is totally predict-able it is easy to compensate for this shrinkageby adding stock before the heat treatment.

A high polishedmould for productionof car headlights.


TAKE THE SHORT CUTTO PRODUCTIVITY

Purchasing steel in a prefinished form is asmart way of releasing toolmaking capacity forthe more skilled machining operations. Manygrades of steel are obtainable in a number offorms and finishes. And many of them havebeen pre-machined to a greater or lesserdegree. Uddeholm tool steel are available asmachined bars.

It is always possible to find a suitable stocksize for the work in hand and thus reduce theamount of unnecessary and expensive machin-ing.

In all cases a plus machining allowance ismade on all sizes to allow for final finishing to astandard dimension.

MACHINED BAR

By using machined bar as starting material atool maker gets considerable benefits whichhave an effect on the total cost of the steel.

• Less material by weight can be purchased,which means that waste is considerablyreduced.

• No machining costs for removal of the de-carburized surface layers are involved.

• The manufacturing time is shortened, whichmakes planning simpler and calculationsmore accurate.

ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING(EDM)

When spark eroding cavities, one or twoimportant points should be noted in order toobtain satisfactory results. During the operationthe surface layer of the steel is rehardened andconsequently in a brittle state. This may resultin cracking and shortened tool life. To avoidthis problem the following precautions shouldbe taken.

• Finish the EDM operation by fine spark-ing, i.e. using low current and high frequency.

• The affected surface layer should be removedby polishing or stoning.

• If the spark eroded surface texture is to beused in the finished mould it should beretempered at a temperature ~25°C belowthat used previously.

• If the spark eroded surface is to be texturedby photo-etching it is important that all of theaffected surface layer is carefully removed bystoning etc.

For further information see the Uddeholmpublication “Electrical Discharge Machining(EDM) of Tool Steel”.

WIRE EDM’ING

This process makes it easy to cut complicatedshapes from hardened steel blocks for exam-ple during manufacturing of extrusion dies.However, hardened steel always containstresses and when large volumes of steel areremoved in a single operation, distortion maybe caused or even cracking. These difficultiescan be reduced by conventionally machiningthe work piece before heat treatment to ashape near the final form. This allows the workpiece to adjust to the final shape and stresspattern during heat treatment.

WHY THE PHOTO-ETCHING PROCESSHAS BECOME SO POPULAR

Plastic mouldings with a textured surface havebecome increasingly popular. And texturing byphoto-etching is frequently used as a finish onmoulding tools instead of polishing.

The photo-etching process gives the productan attractive, easily held surface, relativelyinsensitive to minor scratches and damage.


POINTS TO BE OBSERVEDWHEN PHOTO-ETCHING

The results obtained by photo-etching do notentirely depend on the process technique andthe selected mould material. The way in whichthe tool has been treated during manufacture isalso of great importance. Therefore, thefollowing points should be observed.

• If a number of moulding inserts are includedin a tool and these are to be etched with thesame pattern, the mould material and therolling direction should be the same for theseparts (preferably from the same bar or block).

• Complete the machining operation by stress-relieving, followed by finish-machining.

• There is generally no advantage in using finerabrasives than 220 grain on a surface that isto be photo-etched.

• Spark eroded surfaces should always beground or polished otherwise rehardenedsurface layers from the spark erosion willcause a poor etching result.

• Flamehardening should be avoided prior tophoto-etching.

• In some cases a welded tool can be photo-etched provided that the same material isused in the weld as in the tool itself. In such

cases the welded area should be indicated tothe photo-etcher.

• If a tool is to be nitrided this must be doneafter photo-etching.

• The surface area of a mould cavity is greatlyincreased by texturing, which may causeejection problems. Early consultation with thephoto-etching specialist is recommended todetermine the optimum draft angle for theshape and pattern concerned.

UDDEHOLM MOULD STEELSUITABLE FOR PHOTO-ETCHING

Uddeholm Impax Supreme (AISI P20 modified),Uddeholm Nimax pre-hardened mould steel,Uddeholm Unimax, Uddeholm Orvar Supreme(AISI H13 improved) and Uddeholm Vidar 1ESR (AISI H11) through-hardened steel yieldparticularly good and consistent results due totheir very low sulphur contents.

Uddeholm Stavax ESR, Uddeholm MirraxESR, Uddeholm Elmax SuperClean, UddeholmCorrax, Uddeholm Polmax and UddeholmMirrax 40 can be photo-etched to the requiredpattern but will require a slightly differentetching technique, because of their corrosionresistance.

There are several textured parts in a car interior. Photo-etched surfaces.


MOULDINGBy specifying Uddeholm material, the mouldercan take an important step towards getting areliable and productive tool.

THE DEMANDS OF THEMANUFACTURER OF PLASTICMOULDINGS

The manufacturer expects his mould to bedelivered on time. And he expects it to producea certain quantity of components at a specifiedquality level and at lowest possible cost. Themanufacturer’s essential demands are:

• a reliable mould delivery date, implying theready availability of suitable mould materials

• a reliable mould performance in terms of auniform, high rate of production, uniformquality of mouldings, long mould life and lowmould maintenance costs

• availability of replacement materials andcomponents

All these demands can be summarized as toolreliability.

TOOL RELIABILITY

Tool reliability depends on such factors as theready availability of suitable mould material andcomponents, the performance of the mouldsteel and the interchangeability of mouldcomponents.

AVAILABILITY OF MOULD STEEL

The ready availability is determined by localstocks, reliable delivery service and compre-hensive product and size range.

LOCAL STOCKS

The location of stock is important if gooddelivery service is to be maintained.

With our worldwide marketing organizationwe place great emphasis on matching ourstock size programme and our stock levels tothe local needs of each individual market.

MOULD STEEL PERFORMANCEAND TOOL RELIABILITY

The performance of the mould steel has adecisive influence on the reliability of the tool.Mould cavity and insert materials are thereforeselected according to the types of plastics tobe moulded, length of production run,moulding process used and the nature of theproduct.

The performance of the mould steel dependson wear resistance, compressive strength,corrosion resistance, thermal conductivity andtoughness.

We have concentrated our mould steelprogramme on a few steel grades, each suitedto specific applications. This assures not onlyready availability but also gives the mould-maker and the moulder an opportunity tobecome more readily familiar with the charac-teristics of each steel (e.g. machinability, heattreatment response etc.) and performance.

WEAR RESISTANCE

The level of wear resistance required willdepend on the type of resin to be used, mouldprocess, amount of additives, length of pro-duction, tolerances etc.

Mould steel cover a wide range of wearresistance and compressive strength. In prin-ciple, they fall into two categories: prehardenedmould steel for moderate demands, e.g.Uddeholm Impax Supreme, Uddeholm Nimax,Uddeholm Mirrax 40, Uddeholm Holdax,Uddeholm Ramax HH and Uddeholm RoyAlloy

RELIABLE DELIVERY SERVICE

Our widespread network of Uddeholm ware-houses and our complete range of productsform the basis for our delivery service.

Each of our stock locations has a wellestablished distribution system.

COMPREHENSIVE PRODUCT RANGE

To sum it up, we are able to offer a wide rangeof mould and holder steel. To us competenttechnical advice and printed material on theselection, heat treatment and application ofmould materials, EDM, polishing and surfacetexturing of tool steel are very importantaspects of our service.


and through-hardening mould steel for severedemands, e.g. Uddeholm Stavax ESR, Udde-holm Mirrax ESR, Uddeholm Polmax, Udde-holm Corrax, Uddeholm Orvar Supreme,Uddeholm Vidar 1 ESR, Uddeholm Unimax andUddeholm Elmax SuperClean.

Prehardened mould steel can be surfacetreated to obtain greater wear resistance, forinstance, by nitriding. However, through-hardened steel give the best combination ofwear resistance and compressive strength.

The wear resistance of fully hardened steelcan be further improved by surface treatmentor surface coating, such as nitriding, hardchrome plating, PVD etc.

Such surface treatments are preferablyapplied only after the mould has been fullyapproved, since further machining can bedifficult.

It should be noted that the corrosion resist-ance of Uddeholm mould steel Stavax ESR,Mirrax ESR, Mirrax 40, Polmax, Corrax andElmax SuperClean is reduced by nitriding.

The powder metallurgy grades, UddeholmElmax SuperClean, Uddeholm Vanadis 4 ExtraSuperClean and Uddeholm Vanadis 8 Super-Clean, are extremely wear resistant. They arerecommended for small moulds, inserts andcores subjected to abrasive wear. UddeholmVancron 40 SuperClean’s low friction proper-ties can reduce problems with sticking ofplastic to mould surface.

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

The compressive strength required is deter-mined by the plastic moulding process, theinjection and closing pressures and the toler-ances of the finished moulding. During mould-ing compressive forces are concentrated onthe parting faces of the tool.

Local hardening, e.g. flamehardening, cangive the required increase in compressivestrength when prehardened steel are used.

CORROSION RESISTANCE

The moulding surfaces should not deteriorateduring production if you want to produceplastic mouldings at a high and constant rateof production and at a uniform level. Corrosionwith a consequent threat to production effi-ciency can be experienced in several ways.

• Certain types of plastics can emit corrosiveby-products during production. An exampleis the hydrochloric acid produced from PVC.This effect can be minimized by not exceed-ing the recommended moulding temperaturefor this material, usually about 160°C (320°F).

• The cooling medium can be corrosive. Thiscan result in a loss of cooling efficiency oreven in the total blockage of the coolingchannels.

• Productions in a humid or corrosive atmos-phere or prolonged storage may causesurface damage by water, condensation andeventually rust in the cavities with loss ofsurface finish on the products.


THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY

The rate of production of a moulding tooldepends mostly on the ability of the mould totransfer the heat from the moulded plastic tothe cooling medium.

In highly alloyed steel the coefficient ofthermal conductivity is reduced to somedegree compared to a low alloyed steel.However, investigations clearly indicate that itis the plastic in the moulded part that domi-nates the heat flux in a mould due to its verylow thermal conductivity compared to steel.

However, good corrosion resistance is also ofgreat importance when aiming for a high anduniform production rate. Corrosion resistancehas a beneficial effect on the resultant heattransfer properties in the cooling channels. Theuse of stainless mould steel such as UddeholmStavax ESR, Uddeholm Mirrax ESR or Udde-holm Mirrax 40 is often the answer. Whenmould materials with good corrosion resist-ance, combined with very high thermal con-ductivity are required, we can supply MoldmaxHH a high strength copper alloy grade withhigh thermal conductivity, good corrosion andwear resistance and good polishability.

TOUGHNESS

Development of cracks is the worst thing thatcan happen to a mould.

Complicated cavities with small radii, sharpcorners, thin walls and severe changes ofsection are commonplace today. Toughness istherefore one of the most important propertiesa mould steel should possess.

The fracture toughness of a material is ameasure of its capacity to withstand crackpropagation from stress raisers when sub-jected to tensile stresses. In practice thesestress raisers occur as surface defects frommachining operations, incipient fatigue cracks,inclusions or as faulty structure due toimproper heat treatment.

We are fully aware of the importance oftoughness. We utilize state of the art metallur-gical technology to give the mould steeloptimum toughness. By utilizing such tech-niques as vacuum degassing, special refiningprocesses and electro-slag remelting, thetoughness properties of all our steel are thehighest currently available. This improvedtoughness is evident not only at the surface butalso in the centre of the steel.

FRICTION

In injection moulding applications where a highsurface quality is required, as for optical parts,sticking may appear between the plasticcomponent and the steel mould surface.Strong adhesive forces can lead to difficultiesat component ejection, but also to a deterio-rated surface finish of the plastic part. By usingUddeholm Vancron 40 SuperClean, a nitridedPM material, a considerable reduction of theejection force may be had as a result of the lowfriction properties emanating from the densenitride particle distribution present in the steel.Reduced problems of sticking is noted forinjection moulding of e.g. PC and COC (CyclicOlefin Copolymers).

The low content of non-metallic inclusionsand the structure of small nitride precipitatesgive good conditions to perform high glosspolishing of Uddeholm Vancron 40 SuperClean.

All the problems mentioned above create ademand for insert and holder materials withsome degree of resistance to corrosion.Uddeholm Corrax, which has the best corro-sion resistance, is used wherever corrosion isthe main problem, i.e. processing corrosiveplastics. Uddeholm Stavax ESR, UddeholmMirrax ESR and Uddeholm Mirrax 40 pre-hardened are corrosion resistant mould steelwith high cleanliness. Uddeholm Polmax canmeet the highest demands on polishabilitycombined with corrosion resistance. UddeholmElmax SuperClean is combining moderatecorrosion resistance with extremely high wearresistance and Uddeholm RoyAlloy or Udde-holm Ramax HH are corrosion resistant holdersteel with very good machinability. By usingRamax HH or RoyAlloy for the holders thestainless properties are extended to the fullmould.


INJECTION MOULDINGInjection moulding is a moulding procedurewhereby heated and plasticized thermoplasticor thermoset material is injected under highpressure into a relatively cool mould cavity forsolidification. Injection moulding is a highproduction method. However the moulds canbe extremely complicated and expensive.

PERFORMANCE OF MOULDS

The performance of the mould can be effectedby the selection of mould material. The per-formance can mean different to differentpeople:

• mould life

• quality of the plastic part

• productivity

MOULD LIFE

The mould life may be determined by differentmechanisms such as:• wear• surface defects• deformation• corrosion

Wear may occur because of reinforced plasticor very long runs, surface defects may alreadyduring mould manufacturing as a result ofpolishing or EDM defects. Deformation cansometimes be a result of too high a clampingforce. Corrosion may of course be a problemwhen moulding corrosive resins like PVC, butmay also be result of aggressive cooling wateror humid atmosphere.

QUALITY OF THE PLASTIC PART

The quality of the plastic part is a matter of thelook of the part, but of course also the functionof the part.

Steel selection is important for high polishedmoulds. The steel must be clean and have avery low amount of inclusions. Tolerances maybe effected because of uneven mould tem-peratures which of course is very much depen-dent on the cooling channels size and positionbut also on the selection of mould material.Material like aluminium or copper alloys, withhigh thermal conductivity, may in some casesbe used as mould material.

PRODUCTIVITY

Even productivity can sometimes be effectedby the selection of mould materials. The mostobvious situation is the selection of highthermal conductivity materials.

MOULD MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS

Depending on number of shots, plastic materialused, size of the mould and needed surfacefinish also a lot of different materials can beused. Following basic mould material proper-ties must be considered:

• strength and hardness

• toughness

• wear resistance

• cleanliness

• corrosion resistance

• thermal conductivity

COMPRESSIONMOULDINGCompression moulding is a technique mainlyfor thermoset moulding in which the mouldingcompound is placed in the open mould cavity,the mould is closed and heat and pressure areapplied until the material is cured.

Compression moulding is often used formoulding of glass fibre reinforced plastic.

There are several advantages with compres-sion moulding for example:• no vaste of plastic material (no gate or runner

system)• minimum of internal stresses in the part• process can be used for very heavy parts• less expensive equipment.

Limitations are:• difficult to mould complex articles with

undercuts or small holes• fair tolerances• flash can be a problem


BLOW MOULDINGBlow moulding is a process for shapingthermoplastic into a hollow product. A hotthermoplastic tube is stretched with air pres-sure and cooled against a mould surface.

A variety of blow moulding techniques existfor different applications:

• extrusion blow moulding

• injection blow moulding

In extrusion blow moulding a hollow tube(parison) is extruded. The tube is than posi-tioned in a mould and compressed air causethe tube to press against the cool walls andsolidifies to the mould surface shape. Extrusionmoulding exists as continuous extrusion andintermittent extrusion.

Injection blow moulding involves first formingof a perform, by extrusion or injection mould-ing, which is later blown to the desired shape.


Mould material requirements are of coursetotally different if talking about the injectionmoulding or extrusion of performs or if talkingabout the blow moulding itself. For require-ments on material for extrusion and/or injectionmoulding we refer to the information for eachprocess.

Blow moulding is a low pressure methodwhere strength and wear demands are verymoderate. Some parts of the mould, like shotoff areas and/or neck ring, may require higherstrength material. PVC is a common materialfor bottles and may cause corrosion problems.Blow moulding is a very high productivitymethod why cycle times are of great impor-tance.

EXTRUSIONA continuous operation in which hot plasticizedmaterial is forced through a die opening thatproduces a profile of the desired shape.

The plastic material is placed into a feedhopper, which feeds the cylinder. A rotatingscrew carries the material through the cylinderand forcing it through a die of the propershape. The extruded profile is going through acooling media and when cooled sufficiently it iscut to length. Cooling can be done by expo-sure to air in room temperature, passingthrough a bath held at controlled temperatureor by compressed air.

Normally a special calibrator unit is used togive the profile its finished size. The cooling isa sensitive process in order to keep tolerancesand avoid varpage.

DIE MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS

In the extrusion process many engineeringparts are involved.

The calibrator units are often produced inaluminium in order to get quick cooling. Thedie is however normally produced in steel. Thestrength requirements are moderate. However,corrosion resistance is needed for extrusion ofPVC profiles and wear resistance for reinforcedprofiles.

Normally prehardened grades have enoughstrength for normal extrusion. The dies aresometimes nitrided for increased wear resist-ance.

MOULD MATERIAL PROPERTIES

Important properties are:

• moderate strength demands

• corrosion resistance

• heat conductivity

MOULD MATERIALRECOMMENDATIONS

The most common material to use in blowmoulds is aluminium alloys, with inserts ofhigher hardness materials.

Steel is also used and in some cases even inthe soft annealed condition.


Important properties are:• wear resistance• strength and hardness

High hardness steel is normally used. When themoulds are big it is common to use prehard-ened material with high hardness inserts wherethe need for wear resistance is highest.


The PET bottles are produced in two steps:first injection moulding of the preforms and then blowmoulding of the preforms to the finished bottle.Uddeholm Stavax ESR is a recommended tool steel forproduction of the preforms.


COMPLETE LOCAL STOCKS

From our long experience serving the plasticmould industry we have become familiar withthe sizes, grades and tolerances mostfrequently used. We have stocked these instrategically located Service Centers.

OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL SERVICE

Our staff of metallurgists and field specialistscan help you with material selection at thedesign stage and later with recommendationson heat treatment, grinding and machining.

Printed material on the selection, heat treatmentand application of mould materials, EDM,

polishing and surface texturing of tool steelare very important aspects

of our service.

WELDING CONSUMABLES

To ensure successful repair welding it is ofoutmost importance to exactly match theconsumables to the mould steel. Especially ifthe welded surface is to be photo-etched orpolished.

We offer welding consumables for theUddeholm tool steels Impax Supreme, Nimax,Uddeholm Unimax, Mirrax, Corrax, StavaxESR, Moldmax and RoyAlloy. They are avail-able as TIG-wire.

Uddeholm Impax Supreme is also availableas coated electrode for MMA welding.

THE SAME CONSISTENT QUALITY STEEL,THE SAME DEPENDABLE TECHNICAL SERVICE,AVAILABLE TO YOU WORLDWIDE.ONLY FROM UDDEHOLM!

ONE SOURCE FORALL YOUR TOOL STEEL NEEDS

Cold work tool steel including precision groundflat stock, drill rod and hollow bar, plasticmould steel, die casting die steel and hot worksteel.

We also offer laser welding wire for UddeholmNimax, Uddeholm Stavax ESR and UddeholmDievar.


UDDEHOLMMOULD STEELImpax Supreme(AISI P20, modified)

Nimax

Stavvax ESR / Mirrax ESR(AISI 420, modified)

Mirrax 40

Polmax(AISI 420, modified)

Corrax

Orvar Supreme(AISI H13, improved)

Vidar 1 ESR(AISI H11)

Unimax

Rigor(AISI A2)

Elmax SuperClean

Vanadis 4 Extra SuperClean

Vanadis 8 SuperClean

Vancron 40 SuperClean

UDDEHOLMHOLDER STEELHoldax(AISI 4130/35, modified)

Ramax HH(AISI 420 F modified),RoyAlloy

ALUMINIUMAlumec 89

COPPER ALLOYMoldmax HH

A prehardened Ni-Cr-Mo steel, supplied at ~310 Brinell, with excellent polishingand photo-etching properties. Suitable for a wide range of injection moulds,blow-moulds, extrusion dies.

A low carbon steel, delivery hardness ~380 HB. Excellent toughness, machinabilityand weldability. Good polishing and etching properties.

Through-hardening corrosion resistant mould steel with very good polishability.

A prehardened corrosion resistant mould steel supplied at ~380 HB with goodmachinability, very good toughness and excellent polishing properties.

A through-hardening corrosion resistance mould steel with extremely goodpolishability.

A precipitation hardening steel with exceptionally good corrosion resistance, easyheat treatment and good weldability.

A versatile through-hardening 5% Cr mould and die steel with good wearresistance and polishability.

A 5% Cr mould and die steel with good through-hardening properties. Suitable forgeneral hot work and plastic mould applications, specially large plastic moulds withrequirements on high toughness in combination with very good polishability andtexturing properties.

A steel with very good hardenability, suitable for surface coating. The uniquecombination of toughness and wear resistance makes it suitable for long run mouldingand moulding of reinforced plastics.

A through-hardening steel, recommended for very long production runs of smaller,complicated mouldings.

Powder metallurgically produced mould steel characterized by very good dimensionstability, good polishability and wear resistance. Elmax SuperClean is corrosionresistant, Vanadis 4 Extra SuperClean has the highest toughness and Vanadis 8SuperClean the best wear resistance. Recommended for long production runs ofsmaller and complicated shapes and/or abrasive plastics.

Uddeholm Vancron 40 SuperClean is a nitrided powder metallurgical tool steel offeringan excellent combination of galling resistance and adhesive wear resistance. The lowfriction properties can reduced problems with sticking of plastic to mould surface.

A prehardened steel with very good machinability and high tensile strength.

Prehardened stainless holder steel with good machinability, high tensile strength andgood corrosion resistance.

A high strength Al-alloy supplied at ~160 HB. Recommended for prototype mouldsand for short runs with low demands on strength and wear resistance.

A high strength copper mould alloy with high thermal conductivity. For applicationslike pinch offs and neck rings for blow moulds, cores and inserts in injection mouldsand injection nozzles and manifolds for hot runner systems.

PRODUCT PROGRAMME FOR PLASTIC MOULDING


APPROX.SUPPLIED

HARDNESSC Si Mn Cr Ni Mo V S Brinell

Impax Supreme 0.37 0.3 1.4 2.0 1.0 0.2 – – 310

Nimax 0.1 0.3 2.5 3.0 1.0 0.3 – – 380

Mirrax 40 0.21 0.9 0.45 13.5 0.6 0.2 0.25 – +N 380

Corrax 0.03 0.3 0.3 12.0 9.2 1.4 – – Al 1.6 330

Vidar 1 ESR 0.38 1.0 0.4 5.0 – 1.3 0.4 – 180

Orvar Supreme 0.39 1.0 0.4 5.2 – 1.4 0.9 – 180

Stavax ESR 0.38 0.9 0.5 13.6 – – 0.3 – 190

Mirrax ESR 0.25 0.3 0.5 13.3 1.3 0.3 0.3 – +N 250

Polmax 0.38 0.9 0.5 13.6 – – 0.3 – 190

Unimax 0.5 0.2 0.5 5.0 – 2.3 0.5 – 185

Rigor 1.0 0.3 0.6 5.3 – 1.1 0.2 – 215

Elmax* 1.7 0.8 0.3 18.0 – 1.0 3.0 – 280

Vanadis 4 Extra* 1.4 0.4 0.4 4.7 – 3.5 3.7 – 230

Vanadis 8* 2.3 0.4 0.4 4.8 – 3.6 8.0 – ≤ 270

UDDEHOLMHOLDER STEELRamax HH 0.12 0.2 1.3 13.4 1.6 0.5 0.2 0.1 +N 340

RoyAlloy 0.05 0.4 1.2 12.6 – – – 0.12 +N +Cu 310

Holdax 0.4 0.4 1.5 1.9 – 0.2 – 0.07 310

* Special process required

**Tested in delivery condition

The properties of the main mould and holder steel gradeshave been rated from 1–10, where 10 is the highest rating.Such comparisons must be considered as approximate, butcan be a useful guide to steel selection.

Note: It is not possible to make valid “total comparisons” betweensteel grades by adding their respective “points”—it is onlyintended that individual properties be compared.

Normal hardnessHRC (HB) (~310) (380) (380) 46 48 52 52 52 52 58 59 58 62 (~340) (~310) (~310)

Wear resistance 3 4 4 5 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 9 10 4 3 3

Toughness 9 10 6 7 8 6 5 6 5 6 3 4 5 3 4 4

Compressivestrength 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 7 7 8 9 9 9 5 4 4

Corrosionresistance 2 2 7 10 3 3 8 9 8 3 2 6 2 7 7 2

Machinability** 5 5 6 4 9 9 8 7 8 7 5 3 4 6 7 7

Polishability 7 7 8 7 8 8 9 9 10 8 5 8 8 4 4 4

Weldability 6 7 5 6 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 5 6 6

Nitriding ability 6 5 – – 10 10 – – – 8 6 – 8 – – 5

Etchability 8 8 8* 8* 9 9 8* 8* 8* 9 5 8* 8 3 3 3

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CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

UDDEHOLMMOULD STEEL

TYPICAL ANALYSIS %

*Uddeholm PM SuperClean tool steels


PROCESS/ UDDEHOLM HARDNESS MATERIAL STEEL GRADE HRC (HB)

INJECTION ThermoplasticsMOULDING – Prehardened mould steel Alumec 89* (~160)

Impax Supreme 33 (~310)Ramax HH 37 (~340)Mirrax 40 40 (~380)Nimax 40 (~380)

– Through-hardened mould steel Corrax 36–50Mirrax ESR 45–50Orvar Supreme 45–52Stavax ESR 45–52Polmax 45–52Vidar 1 ESR 45–52Unimax 50–58Elmax 56–60Vanadis 4 Extra 58–64

Thermoset plastics Unimax 52–58Elmax 56–60Rigor 58–60Vanadis 4 Extra 58–64

COMPRESSIONS/ Thermoset plastics Mirrax ESR 45–50TRANSFER Stavax ESR 45–52MOULDING Orvar Supreme 45–52

Unimax 52–58Elmax 56–60Vanadis 4 Extra 58–62

BLOW MOULDING General Alumec 89 (~160)Impax Supreme 33 (~310)Nimax 40 (~380)

PVC Corrax 36–50Ramax HH 37 (~340)Mirrax 40 40 (~380)Stavax ESR 45–52Mirrax ESR 45–50

EXTRUSION General Impax Supreme 33 (~310)Nimax 40 (~380)

PVC Corrax 36–50Ramax HH 37 (~340)Mirrax 40 40 (~380)Mirrax ESR 45–50Stavax ESR 45–52

HOLDER MATERIAL 1. High strength, prehardened, free-machining Holdax 33 (~310)

2. As 1, plus corrosion resistance for low- maintenance production runs. Also for “hygenic” operating conditions. No plating RoyAlloy** (~310) required. Ramax HH 37 (~340)

MOULD STEEL SELECTION

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

* Alumec 89 is produced by Alcoa Inc. USA. **Uddeholm RoyAlloy is produced and patented by Edro Specially Steels, USA. Elmax and Vanadis 4 Extra are Uddeholm PM SuperClean tool steels.


SPECIAL REQUIREMENT UDDEHOLM HARDNESS OR DEMAND STEEL GRADE HRC (HB)

LARGE MOULD SIZE For automotive components, including panels,bumpers, fascias, etc. Alumec 89 (~160)

Impax Supreme 33 (~310)Corrax 36–46Mirrax ESR 36–50Orvar Supreme 36–50Vidar 1 ESR 36–50Mirrax 40 40 (~380)Nimax 40 (~380)

As above, with low demands on surface finish Holdax 33 (~310)Ramax HH 37 (~340)

HIGH SURFACE For moulding optical/medical parts, clearFINISH covers/panels Mirrax 40 40 (~380)

Mirrax ESR 45–50Stavax ESR 45–52Polmax 45–52Orvar Supreme 45–52Vidar 1 ESR 45–52Unimax 54–58Elmax 56–60Vanadis 4 Extra 58–62

COMPLEX SHAPES 1. For large automobile/household components Mirrax ESR 36–50Corrax 34–46Mirrax 40 40 (~380)Nimax 40 (~380)Vidar 1 ESR 45–50

2. For small parts with low wear demands Impax Supreme 33 (~310)Corrax 34–46Mirrax 40 40 (~380)Nimax 40 (~380)

3. For small parts with high wear demands,e.g. electrical/electronic mouldings Mirrax ESR 48–50

Orvar Supreme 50–52Stavax ESR 50–52Unimax 54–58Elmax 56–60Vanadis 4 Extra 58–64Rigor 60–62Vanadis 8 60–64

ABRASIVE Reinforced/filled moulding materials; Mirrax ESR 48–50MOULDING engineering resins Orvar Supreme 50–52MATERIALS Stavax ESR 50–52

Unimax 54–58Elmax 56–60Rigor 58–62Vanadis 4 Extra 58–64Vanadis 8 60–64

SPECIAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Elmax and the Vanadis steel grades mentioned in the table are Uddeholm PM SuperClean tool steels.


SPECIAL REQUIREMENT UDDEHOLM HARDNESS OR DEMAND STEEL GRADE HRC (HB)

LONG For thermoplastic parts, including disposable Mirrax ESR 45–50PRODUCTION cutlery, containers and packaging Stavax ESR 45–52RUNS Orvar Supreme 45–52

Vidar 1 ESR 45–52Unimax 54–58Elmax 56–60Vanadis 4 Extra 58–64

CORROSION 1. For corrosive moulding materials, Corrax 34–50RESISTANCE including PVC RoyAlloy (~310)

2. For humid moulding/mould storage conditions Ramax HH 37 (~340)3. General resistance to surface staining/rusting Mirrax 40 40 (~380)4. Resistance to corrosion of cooling channels Mirrax ESR 45–50

Stavax ESR 45–52Elmax 56–60

PHOTO-ETCHING 1. Prehardened steel Impax Supreme 33 (~310)Mirrax 40 40 (~380)Nimax 40 (~380)

2. Through-hardened steel Mirrax ESR 45–50Orvar Supreme 45–52Vidar 1 ESR 45–52Stavax ESR 45–52Unimax 54–58Elmax 56–60Vanadis 4 Extra 58–64

HIGH THERMAL For injection and blow moulds, cores and inserts; CONDUCTIVITY parts for hot runner systems. Moldmax HH ~40

MOLDMAX® is a trade-mark registered of Materion Brush Performance Alloys, Ohio.

SPECIAL RECOMMENDATIONS


NETWORK OF EXCELLENCEUddeholm is present on every continent. This ensures

you high-quality Swedish tool steel and local support

wherever you are. We secure our position as the world’s

leading supplier of tooling materials.


UD

DEH

OLM

1603.50 / STR

OKIR

K KNA

PPEN 03.2016

Uddeholm is the world’s leading supplier of tooling materials.

This is a position we have reached by improving our customers’

everyday business. Long tradition combined with research and

product develop-ment equips Uddeholm to solve any tooling

problem that may arise. It is a challenging process, but the goal

is clear – to be your number one partner and tool steel provider.

Our presence on every continent guarantees you the same high

quality wherever you are. We secure our position as the world’s

leading supplier of tooling materials. We act worldwide. For us it

is all a matter of trust – in long-term partnerships as well as in

developing new products. Trust is something you earn, every

day.

For more information, please visit www.uddeholm.com

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