Hard Yet Ductile Universal Tool Steel - Unimax article Tool & Mould Making July/August 2007 (Buyer's Guide 2007-08)
Uddeholm Tooling AB offers toolmakers a tool steel whose properties make it well suited for any mould tool application, and also for applications in severe-duty cold-work and hot-work tooling.
Featuring an unusual combination of high ductility and high hardness, Unimax universal tool steel is ideal for moulding plastic details and constructions that wear hard on the mould.
The manufacturer claims that the advantageousness of this steel’s properties becomes more evident the larger the mould is and the more difficult the part produced. Certainly, the material can minimize cycle times and extend tool life.
Owing to its durability and wear resistance, Unimax is a suitable choice for moulding details in reinforced plastic, for long-run production, and for compression moulding. Its very good heat diffusion is the key to shorter moulding cycles; tests have shown that Unimax tool steel has better dynamic heat conductivity than H13type steels, for example.
The high ductility of the material helps to prevent brittle fracture, thereby accounting in part for the longer tool life achievable, and also helping to ensure that production will run smoothly.
The high hardness and toughness of Unimax, together with its dimensional stability, make the steel a good substrate for a variety of coatings, as well.
Finally, its good hardenability results in all its attractive properties being manifested throughout the cross section. This is good for large moulds, which need to be tough and resistant to indentation all the way through.
