Tool steels are special materials that are made up of precisely controlled constituents and processes in order to make them ideally suitable for the particular work they. In essence, they are materials that are used for making tools, ergo, “tool steel.”

Tool steels are needed because ordinary steels do not have necessary traits like resistance to corrosion, durability, strength, or ability to work in extreme depths or temperatures. There are different types of tool steels: high-speed, hot-work, shock-resisting, water-hardening, special purpose, and cold work steel.

Cold work tool steel is a group or category of steel which is specifically designed to perform best in applications where the working temperature is somewhat low – usually at room temperature or slightly above it. There are different types of cold-work tool steel with each type specially formulated with a specific set of properties to perform best in various applications. One of the prominent types is D2 steel.

D2 Characteristics

D2 cold work steel is well-renowned for its remarkable combination of hardness, wear resistance, air hardening, and dimensional stability. It boasts of several main characteristics:

D2 steel has a high carbon content which plays a vital role in its outstanding hardness, making it the ideal material of choice for applications like shaping, forming, or cutting other metals.

D2 cold work steel contains chromium which helps to boost wear resistance allowing tools made from D2 to maintain their sharp edges and functionality for a long time.

D2 cold work tool steel has the ability to air-harden unlike some other tool steels, D2 hardens upon exposure to air making the process of heat treatment simple.

D2 steel has dimensional stability which enables it to avoid warping or getting deformed during use ensuring accurate results in applications require maintenance of exact shapes.

Where D2 Shines Best

With the exceptional qualities D2 possesses, it is considered as a workhorse in many industries.

·Within the metal working industry, the outstanding hardness of D2 cold work steel makes it the ideal choice for blanking dies that are used to punch precise shapes from metal sheets with outstanding accuracy. D2 is also the perfect choice for use in forming tools that bend and shape metal into specific configurations without losing shape. The tool steel also does extremely well with threading dies and high-volume metal cutting work.

·Within the plastics and rubber industry, D2 steel is the favourite for use in moulds used to shape rubber and plastics mainly due to its ability to withstand friction and pressure. When used as trimming tools, D2 ensures precise and clean edges on rubber and plastic components. Having the ability to resist wear helps to protect machinery components from abrasive wear and tear helping to extend the lifespan of critical equipment.

· Across various industries, D2 cold work steel shines when used in cutting tools. Tools like slitting knives make full use of D2’s ability to make clean, precise cuts due as it can maintain sharp edges. It is even used in some household products like the razors in shaving blades, knives, and other cutting tools.

All in all, D2 steel is a favourite tool steel among many businesses across different industries because of its many notable characteristics. Manufacturers can make full use of its strengths to create high performance components and tools that can make their production processes more efficient and successful.