Is it possible to machine this stuff? Does anybody have any experience or tried it? Thanks in advance.

The fact that there has been recent inquiries and responses on the use of D-2 and D-3 tool steel has sparked my curiosity. One respondent cautioned against using D-2 material,due to it's difficulty to machine and it's poor physical/mechanical properties when used as cavity material.I'll admit that both of the Class 430 High Carbon/High Chrome Cold Work Die Steels (class430/D-2 and class 432/D-3) are a challenge to machine and grind, but NOT impossible provided the proper tools/speeds/feeds/fluids are applied. Quite a volume of these materials are purchased every year so some of us must have the machining issues addressed!( Contact an application engineer for the respective operations tool criteria or refer to the 'old standard' Machinery Handbook that anyone who is serious about the metalworking industry has within immediate reach). I'll agree that D-2 would not be MY first choice for CAVITY material in plastic injection molds or would it be an option for Die Cast applications, however, due to it's better than average stability in heat treatment (for an oil quench steel)it's high hardenability and it's HIGH resistance to abrasive wear it could find a home as another non-cavity component within the tool.Although D-3 exceeds D-2 slightly in wear resistance,you sacrifice toughness,machinability and size stability in heat treat.I'm not convinced that's a good trade considering D-3 is not as popular and therefore higher priced with reduced sizes and availability.The heat treat procedures differ also due to D-3's lack of Vanadium and Molybdenum and I'd be concerned about the heat treaters familiarity and or experience with this grade. Another possibility ( and this truly is what sparked my curiosity ) is that some of you are building and/or running molds for injecting ceramics. I have some experience with these type of tools and I do know that the high hardness,abrasion resistance and to a lesser degree corrosion resistance of this class of Cold Work Die Steels lends itself perfectly to Cavity,Runners,Core and Ejector Pins exposed to the feedstocks used in this type of 'low pressure' injection molding. I would be more than happy to provide you with any information I have on machining the D's and/or my involvement with these type of molds. Mike Biddle Sr. Product Specialist. P.C.S. Co. 1-800-521-0546

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Replying to:

Is it possible to machine this stuff? Does anybody have any experience or tried it? Thanks in advance.

Don't bother---go to website www.imsteel.com click on DC53. Harder and tougher than D3---machines and grinds 30% faster than D2

I know of a shop that machines harden tool steels for stamping tools.Contact is durbinh@detailtechnologies.com

Try laser machining it. www.virtek.ca