February 2025 Volume 7

MATERIALS

SUPERDIE™: THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE HOT WORK STEEL By Danielle Smith

S uperDie™ is a high-performance hot work steel developed by Finkl Steel in North America. This advanced material is designed to meet the rigorous demands of close die forging dies, die casting molds, extrusion dies, and other high-stress appli cations. With its optimized chemical composition and superior processing techniques, SuperDie™ offers exceptional toughness, thermal fatigue strength, and resistance to heat checking and cracking. Composition and Characteristics SuperDie™ is composed of 0.35% Carbon, 5% Chromium, 2.6% Molybdenum, and 0.5% Vanadium. This specific blend, combined with Electro-Slag Remelting (ESR) and Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR) processes, ensures a highly refined and uniform core struc ture. The material is delivered in an annealed condition, providing a microstructure that can be optimized through proper heat treat ment. Applications SuperDie™ is ideal for high volume close die forging dies/inserts, extrusion dies, and slides and inserts. The recommended hardness for these applications ranges from 42 to 52 HRC, depending on the specific use case. This versatility makes SuperDie™ a preferred choice for industries requiring durable and reliable hot work steel. Heat Treatment To achieve the best performance, SuperDie™ should undergo vacuum heat treatment to prevent surface oxidation and decarbu rization. The recommended heat treatment process includes: 1. Austenitizing: Heating the steel to 1010-1030°C. 2. Quenching: Using gas or oil quenching to rapidly cool the material. 3. Tempering: Double tempering is required for all applica tions, with triple tempering recommended for die casting molds. This process ensures a uniform martensitic structure, enhancing the steel's toughness and resistance to high-temperature softening. Nitriding For applications requiring higher surface hardness, SuperDie™ can be nitrided using gas, salt bath, ion, or sulfurizing methods. Nitriding can achieve a surface hardness of 1000-1200 HV and case depths of 0.05-0.30 mm. It is crucial to maintain the nitriding temperature at least 50°C lower than the maximum tempering temperature to avoid distortion or loss of core strength.

Advantages SuperDie™ offers several key advantages: • High Purity: The ESR and VAR processes result in a mate rial with minimal impurities. • Uniform Core Microstructure: Ensures consistent perfor mance across the entire piece. • Superior Toughness: Provides excellent resistance to cracking and heat checking. • Excellent Temper Resistance: Maintains hardness and strength at high temperatures. • High Thermal Fatigue Strength: Ideal for applications involving repeated heating and cooling cycles. Conclusion SuperDie™ hot work steel stands out as a top choice for demanding industrial applications. Its optimized composition, advanced processing techniques, and superior performance characteris tics make it a reliable and durable material for die casting molds, extrusion dies, and other high-stress components. By following the recommended heat treatment and nitriding processes, users can maximize the benefits of SuperDie™, ensuring long-lasting and efficient performance. For more information on this material, or case studies, contact Finkl Steel at sales@finkl.com or call 773-975-2510 ext 4. Or visit our website at www.finkl.com. Visit us at Forge Fair Booth #329 or come see our presentation during the show. Danielle Smith

Director of Continuous Improvement (USA) & Marketing Administration Finkl Steel Phone: 773-975-2232 Email: dsmith@finkl.com

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