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A2 Tool Steel, 1.2363, SKD12, XW10
AISI A2 tool steel is one of ‘A’ group cold works steel in ASTM A681 standard. A2 Tool Steel is a versatile, air hardening chromium alloy tool steel that replaces O1 tool steel when safer hardening, less distortion and increased wear resistance are required. AISI type A2 steel is intermediate in wear resistance between O1 oil-hardening tool steel and D2 high-carbon, high-chromium tool steel.
AISI Steel A2 is heat treatable and will offer a hardness in the range 57-62 HRC. ASTM grade A2 steel delivers good toughness with medium wear resistance and is relatively easy to machine. Tool Steels A2 are used in many applications which require good wear resistance as well as good toughness.
| Chemical Composition | |
|---|---|
| Element | Content (%) |
| C | 0.95 - 1.05 |
| Mn | 1 |
| Si | 0.5 |
| Cr | 4.75 - 5.50 |
| Ni | 0.3 |
| Mo | 0.90 - 1.40 |
| V | 0.15 - 0.50 |
| Cu | 0.25 |
| P | 0.03 |
| S | 0.03 |
| Relevant Steel Specification of A2 Tool Steel | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | USA | German | Japan | British |
| Standard | ASTM A681 | DIN EN ISO 4957 | JIS G4404 | BS 4659 |
| Grades | A2/T30102 | 1.2363/X100CrMoV5 | SKD12 | BA2 |
Fabrication and Heat treatment
Tempering
SKD12 tool steels are heat treated at temperatures ranging from 177°C (350°F) for Rockwell C 62 to 538°C (1000°F) for Rockwell C 56 and then tempered.
Annealing
A2 tool steels are annealed at 857°C (1575°F) and then cooled slowly in the furnace at a rate of 4°C (40°F) per hour or less.
Heat Treatment
1.2363 tool steels are heated slowly to 788°C (1450°F) and this is followed by increasing the temperature to 954°C (1750°F). A2 tool steels are further held at 954°C (1750°F) for 30 to 45 minutes and finally removed from the furnace and cooled.
Applications
2363 tool steel takes a place between AISI O1 and AISI D2, offering an excellent combination of good wear resistance and toughness. It may be regarded, therefore, as a“universal” cold work steel.
For cutting operations the good toughness of AISI A2 steel gives excellent resistance to chipping of the cutting edge. In many cases tools made from this A2 steel have given better tooling economy than high-carbon, high-chromium steels of the D3/ W.-Nr. 2080 type. AISI steel A2 has much better machining and grinding properties
Typical Applications for AISI/ASTM A2 steels materials: Blanking dies, block and ring gauges, coining, cold forming, cold trimming and forming dies, cold shears, rolls, knurls and knurling tools, machine parts, mandrels, punches and punch plates, reamers, shear and slitter blades, stamping dies and threading tapes.
