Custom Metal Head Drawing Dies; Aluminum Head Deep Drawing Dies

I. Material Performance and Process Requirements Analysis

1. Material Performance Characteristics

- SKD11: High-carbon, high-chromium cold work die steel. High carbon content, excellent wear resistance and strength, suitable for manufacturing high-impact, high-wear cold stamping dies.

- Cr12MoV: High-carbon, high-chromium, molybdenum-vanadium alloy tool steel. Good overall performance, with a good balance between wear resistance and toughness.

Both steels are sensitive to quenching and tempering temperature control. Appropriate heat treatment can maximize material performance.

2. Process Requirements

Quenching and Tempering Process Optimization Objectives:

- Improve hardness and wear resistance, extending die life.

- Ensure uniform and fine internal structure of the material, improving toughness and crack resistance.

- Control deformation and residual stress, ensuring die dimensional accuracy.

II. Quenching Process Optimization

1. Preheating and Heating Temperature Control

Preheating and heating are crucial to preventing workpiece thermal cracking and deformation. Multi-stage preheating can alleviate internal stress, which is especially important for large-size dies. SKD11 is quenched at 1020~1050℃, and Cr12MoV at 1030~1080℃ to achieve complete austenitization.

2. Quenching Medium Selection

The quenching medium affects the cooling rate and uniformity. SKD11 uses oil quenching or rapid gas cooling to ensure a hardness ≥60HRC and reduce the risk of cracking. Cr12MoV can use high-pressure atomization cooling to improve cooling uniformity and control internal stress.

3. Cooling Rate Optimization

The cooling rate is adjusted by combining numerical simulation and actual measurements to refine the internal microstructure of the steel. A reasonable cooling curve is designed to ensure uniform martensite formation, avoid hot cracking, and improve the overall material properties.

III. Tempering Process Optimization

1. Precise Control of Tempering Temperature and Time

Tempering reduces material brittleness. Both SKD11 and Cr12MoV employ a two-stage tempering process:

- First-stage tempering temperature: 550~600℃. High-temperature tempering reduces stress.

- Second-stage tempering temperature: 180~220℃. This refines the tempering process and stabilizes the microstructure.