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.
International equivalents
| Flag | Standard | Country | Grade | Number | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 | AISI | USA | AISI M2 | T11302 | REF |
| 🇪🇺 | EN | Europe | HS6-5-2 | 1.3343 | 100% |
| 🇯🇵 | JIS | Japan | SKH51 | — | 95% |
Sources: ASTM A600, EN ISO 4957, JIS G4403
Chemical composition comparison (wt%)
Side-by-side: M2 / HS6-5-2 (EN) (EN ISO 4957) vs SKH51 (JIS)
| Element | M2 / HS6-5-2 (EN) | SKH51 (JIS) | Overlap |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 0.8–0.88% | — | — |
| Si | 0–0.45% | — | — |
| Mn | 0–0.4% | — | — |
| Cr | 3.8–4.5% | — | — |
| Mo | 4.7–5.3% | — | — |
| V | 1.7–2.1% | — | — |
| W | 5.9–6.7% | — | — |
Mechanical properties
Hardened Tempered
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness HRC | 63–66 | HRC |
| Elastic Modulus | ≥ 210 | GPa |
| Density | ≥ 8.16 | g/cm3 |
Annealed
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness HB | ≤ 248 | HB |
Heat treatment
| Process | Temperature | Medium | Holding Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| quenching | 1190–1230 °C | oil or salt | 2-5 min | Preheat in 2-3 steps: 500°C → 850°C → austenitize. Critical to avoid grain growth. |
| tempering | 540–580 °C | air | 1 hour x3 | Triple temper mandatory. Secondary hardening peak at 560°C. |
| annealing | 830–860 °C | furnace | 4-6 hours | Slow furnace cool ≤15°C/hour to 600°C |
Compatibility verdict
M2 / HS6-5-2 and SKH51: 95% composition match
Close equivalents but NOT identical.
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.
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.
H11 / X38CrMoV5-1
1.2343Cr-Mo-V hot-work tool steel — close relative of H13 with slightly lower C and V. Good hot hardness, thermal fatigue resistance and toughness. Used for forging dies, extrusion tooling, mandrels, and die-casting tools. Often preferred over H13 where higher toughness is needed.
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