H13 / X40CrMoV5-1
1.2344The most widely used hot-work tool steel globally. Excellent combination of hot hardness, toughness, and thermal fatigue resistance. Used for die-casting dies (aluminum, zinc, magnesium), forging dies, extrusion tooling, and hot shear blades.
International equivalents
| Flag | Standard | Country | Grade | Number | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 | AISI | USA | AISI H13 | T20813 | REF |
| 🇪🇺 | EN | Europe | X40CrMoV5-1 | 1.2344 | 100% |
| 🇯🇵 | JIS | Japan | SKD61 | — | 97% |
| 🇨🇳 | GB | China | 4Cr5MoSiV1 | — | 93% |
| 🇷🇺 | GOST | Russia | 4Kh5MFS | — | 88% |
Sources: ASTM A681, EN ISO 4957, JIS G4404, GB/T 1299, GOST 5950
Chemical composition comparison (wt%)
Side-by-side: H13 / X40CrMoV5-1 (EN) (EN ISO 4957) vs AISI H13 (AISI) (ASTM A681)
| Element | H13 / X40CrMoV5-1 (EN) | AISI H13 (AISI) | Overlap |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 0.35–0.42% | 0.32–0.45% | OK |
| Si | 0.8–1.2% | 0.8–1.2% | OK |
| Mn | 0.25–0.5% | 0.2–0.5% | OK |
| P | 0–0.03% | — | — |
| S | 0–0.03% | — | — |
| Cr | 4.8–5.5% | 4.75–5.5% | OK |
| Mo | 1.1–1.75% | 1.1–1.75% | OK |
| V | 0.8–1.2% | 0.8–1.2% | OK |
Mechanical properties
QT
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness HRC | 44–52 | HRC |
| Elastic Modulus | ≥ 210 | GPa |
| Density | ≥ 7.8 | g/cm3 |
Annealed
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness HB | ≤ 229 | HB |
Heat treatment
| Process | Temperature | Medium | Holding Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| quenching | 1020–1050 °C | air | 20-30 min | Air or oil hardening. Preheat to 850°C first. |
| tempering | 500–620 °C | air | 2x 60 min minimum | Double or triple temper required. 550°C for 48 HRC typical |
| annealing | 800–850 °C | furnace | 2-4 hours | Slow furnace cool at max 20°C/h. Max 229 HB |
| stress_relief | 600–650 °C | furnace | 2 hours | After rough machining, before finish machining and hardening |
Compatibility verdict
H13 / X40CrMoV5-1 and AISI H13: 97% composition match
Close equivalents but NOT identical. Critical differences: C range (0.35–0.42 vs 0.32–0.45), Mn range (0.25–0.5 vs 0.2–0.5), Cr range (4.8–5.5 vs 4.75–5.5).
For dual certification, melt must hit: C 0.35–0.42, Mn 0.25–0.5, Cr 4.8–5.5
Related materials
P20 / 40CrMnMo7
1.2311Pre-hardened plastic mold steel (usually delivered at 28-34 HRC). The most widely used mold base steel globally. Good machinability in pre-hardened condition, good polishability. Used for injection molds, die-casting dies, extrusion tooling, and structural mold components.
M2 / HS6-5-2
1.3343The most widely used high-speed steel worldwide. W-Mo-Cr-V composition gives excellent red hardness (cuts at temperatures up to 600°C). Used for twist drills, end mills, taps, reamers, bandsaw blades, and general-purpose cutting tools. The benchmark HSS grade.
X45NiCrMo4
1.2767Nickel cold-work tool steel with exceptional toughness from ~4% Ni content. Excellent through-hardenability, polishability, and impact resistance. Used for plastic injection molds (high-gloss), embossing dies, scrap shear blades, punches, cutlery dies, and bending tools.
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