Carbon tool steel is a specialized steel designed for manufacturing tools that require superior hardness, strength, and wear resistance. It is essential in producing cutting tools, measuring instruments, and precision tools used across industries such as automotive, construction, and manufacturing. Known for its high carbon content and exceptional properties, carbon tool steel plays a critical role in enhancing tool performance and durability.
Carbon tool steel is primarily distinguished by its high carbon content, typically between 0.60% and 1.50%. This high carbon content provides several key characteristics:
High Hardness:ย Carbon tool steel achieves exceptional hardness through heat treatment processes like quenching and tempering. This makes it ideal for cutting and shaping tools that need to maintain a sharp edge.
Wear Resistance:ย The steelโs high wear resistance ensures a long service life, even under rigorous use. This is crucial for tools that are subjected to constant friction and pressure.
Strength:ย Carbon tool steel exhibits high tensile strength, providing the necessary durability for demanding applications where mechanical stress is a factor.
Machinability:ย In its annealed state, carbon tool steel has good machinability, allowing for precise manufacturing processes and complex tool designs.
Cost-Effective:ย Compared to high-alloy tool steels, carbon tool steel is generally more affordable while still providing excellent performance.
Versatile:ย Its versatility makes it suitable for a wide range of tool-making applications, from simple hand tools to complex precision instruments.
High Performance: Carbon tool steel delivers outstanding hardness, strength, and wear resistance, ensuring reliable tool performance in demanding environments.
Proven Reliability:ย With a long history of use in industrial applications, carbon tool steel has a proven track record of reliability and performance.
The production of carbon tool steel involves several meticulous steps to ensure high performance and quality:
Raw Material Selection:ย The process begins with selecting high-quality raw materials with specific carbon content to meet the desired steel grade requirements.
Melting and Alloying: The raw materials are melted in an electric arc furnace, and alloying elements are added to achieve the required chemical composition. Precise control of the alloying process ensures consistent steel properties.
Forming and Shaping:ย The molten steel is cast into ingots or continuously cast into billets, which are then hot-rolled or cold-rolled into the desired shapes and sizes, such as bars, rods, or sheets.
Heat Treatment:ย Quenching and tempering processes are applied to adjust the steel’s microstructure, enhancing hardness and strength. The quenching process involves rapidly cooling the steel from a high temperature, followed by tempering at a lower temperature to achieve the desired mechanical properties.
Surface Treatment: Final surface treatments, such as grinding or coating, are performed to enhance wear resistance and prevent corrosion. This step ensures the steel’s surface quality meets the stringent requirements of tool manufacturing.
Cutting Tools:ย Carbon tool steel is ideal for making drill bits, saw blades, knives, and other cutting instruments that require a sharp, durable edge. For example, high-speed steel (a type of carbon tool steel) is commonly used in manufacturing industrial drill bits due to its ability to retain hardness at high temperatures.
Measuring Instruments:ย Precision measuring tools such as calipers, micrometers, and gauges often use carbon tool steel for its ability to maintain accurate measurements over time. For instance, a micrometer made from carbon tool steel ensures consistent precision in mechanical engineering applications.
Hand Tools:ย Carbon tool steel is used for hammers, chisels, and other hand tools that require high durability and resistance to deformation. A chisel made from carbon tool steel can withstand repeated impact without losing its edge.
Automotive Industry:ย Engine parts, gears, and other automotive components are manufactured using carbon tool steel due to its high strength and wear resistance. An example is the use of carbon tool steel in the production of camshafts, which need to withstand high stress and wear.
Manufacturing and Construction:ย Carbon tool steel is utilized in making molds, dies, and other tools used in manufacturing and construction. Injection molds made from carbon tool steel are preferred for their durability and ability to produce high-precision plastic parts.
Length Range: 1000mm to 3000mm
Carbon Tool Steel | ||||
NO. | Grade | Chemical Composition (Mass Fraction) /% | ||
C | Mn | Si | ||
1 | T7 | 0.65~0.74 | โค0.40 | โค0.35 |
2 | T8 | 0.75~0.84 | ||
3 | T8Mn | 0.80~0.90 | 0.40~0.60 | |
4 | T9 | 0.85~0.94 | โค0.40 | |
5 | T10 | 0.95~1.04 | ||
6 | T11 | 1.05~1.14 | ||
7 | T12 | 1.15~1.24 | ||
8 | T13 | 1.25~1.35 | ||
Note: High-grade quality steel is marked with an “A” after the grade. |
Carbon Tool Steel | |||||
GB | ISO | ASTM | EN | DIN | JIS |
T7 | ISO 4957:2000 | AISI W1-7 | ISO 4957:2000 | 1.1545 | SK3 |
T8 | ISO 4957:2000 | AISI W1-8 | ISO 4957:2000 | 1.1545 | SK4 |
T9 | ISO 4957:2000 | AISI W1-9 | ISO 4957:2000 | 1.1620 | SK5 |
T10 | ISO 4957:2000 | AISI W1-10 | ISO 4957:2000 | 1.1645 | SK6 |
T11 | ISO 4957:2000 | AISI W1-11 | ISO 4957:2000 | 1.1690 | SK7 |
T12 | ISO 4957:2000 | AISI W1-12 | ISO 4957:2000 | 1.1760 | SK8 |
T13 | ISO 4957:2000 | AISI W1-13 | ISO 4957:2000 | 1.1765 | SKS93 |