TOOLING SOLUTIONS FOR

ADVANCED HIGH STRENGTH STEELS

Contents 1. Introduction

1.1 About Uddeholm

1.1.1 General

1.1.2 Uddeholms offer to the automotive industry

2. Sheet steels and tool steels

2.1 Advanced High Strength Steels

2.1.1 Micro alloyed steels

2.1.2 Bainitic steels

2.1.3 Dual phase steels

2.1.4 Complex P hase steels

2.1.5 Roll forming steels

2.1.6 Martensitic steels

2.1.7 Avail able dimension range

2.2 Tool steels

2.2.1 Characteristics for forming and cutting operations

10

2.2.2 Conventional metallurgy

11

2.2.3 Electro sl ag remelting metallurgy

11

2.2.4 P owder metallurgy

11

3.1 Overview
3.2 Forming tool operations

12
14

3.2.1 General

14

3.2.2 Bending

14

3.2.3 Roll forming

14

3.2.4 Stamping

14

3.2.5 Hole fl anging

14

3.2.6 FEM analysis of tool loads and galling

15

3.2.7 Tool steel selection and surface treatment in forming applications

3.3 Cutting tool operations

16

18

3.3.1 General

18

3.3.2 Bl anking and p unching

18

3.3.3 Cutting and shearing

24

3.3.4 Tool steel selection and surface treatment in cutting applications

26

Domex MC grades

27

Docol DP/DL, L A and ROLL grades

28

Dogal DP/CP, L AD and ROLL grades

29

Docol M and MZE grades

30

32

3.4 Application examples

3.4.1 B-pill ar reinforcement

32

3.4.2 Bumper for passenger car

33

3.4.3 Tow hook bracket

33

4. Lubrication

2 STEEL FOR COLD WORK TOOLING

12

Edition: 1, 05.2013
The latest revised edition of this brochure is the English version,
which is always published on our web site www.uddeholm.com

10

Classified according to EU Directive 1999/45/EC

For further information see our Material Safety Data Sheets.

3. Tool steel selection guidelines

This information is based on our present state of knowledge and is intended to provide general
notes on our products and their uses. It should not therefore be construed as a warranty of
specific properties of the products described or a warranty for fitness for a particular purpose.

UDDEHOLMS AB
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes
without permission of the copyright holder.

4.1 Forming tool operations

4.2 Cutting tool operations

34
34
34

4.2.1 Domex MC grades

34

4.2.2 Docol DP/DL, L A and ROLL grades

34

4.2.3 Dogal DP/CP, L AD and ROLL grades

34

4.2.4 Docol M and M+ZE grades

34

5. Tooling economy

35

6. Technical support

37

6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6

Experts to help you

Advanced resources for analysis
Courses and seminars
Handbooks
Trial sheets
Product information

37
37
38
38
38
38

1. Introduction
Using advanced high strength steels (AHSS) can provide organizations with many advantages. However, with the increasing use of advanced high strength steel in new product designs, higher demands
are also placed on tool steels used in forming and blanking/punching operations. The purpose of this publication is to provide selection guidelines that enable design engineers and material experts
to find the best tooling solution for forming and blanking/punching
advanced high strength steels with the following steel types:
Micro alloyed steels
Bainitic steels
Dual phase steels
Complex Phase steels
Roll forming steels
Martensitic steels
From an environmental standpoint, advanced high strength steels
can significantly reduce weight in producing a detail, allow for smaller amounts of raw material to be used and consume less energy. At
the same time, less energy is needed to transport the steel and the
steel itself is also totally renewable.
There are also applications where advanced high strength steel
makes it possible to exclude tempering furnaces from the manufacturing process, and consequently the environmental hazards involved.

In the automotive industry, lower emission levels can be achieved

by reducing vehicle weight. On the other hand, the ever increasing
demand for safety in cars necessitates higher strength materials to
be used in critical safety elements in the car body. There are also
many industrial products where reduced weight and increase product durability can be achieved by utilizing advanced high strength
steel in their designs.
The use of advanced high strength steel may require higher force
to cut and form the sheet steel. Therefore, the need for higher
hardness and ductility in the tool steel becomes obvious. The present situation and future development in advanced high strength
steel forces the desired tool steel properties to develop even
further to match the requirements.
The guidelines presented here reflect the latest results and best
working practices jointly developed by SSAB and Uddeholm at
the time of release of this publication. The information is based
on comprehensive research and testing performed by the two
companies over a long period, and in close cooperation with many
of their most advanced customers.
The main goal for SSAB and Uddeholm is to provide solid information to enable customers to select the best combination of advanced
high strength steel and tool steel for any given product design.

1.1 About Uddeholm

1.1.1 General
Uddeholm is the worlds leading supplier of tooling materials,
and related services. Since 1668, Uddeholm has been associated with knowledge, innovative spirit and the special quality of
Swedish steel. We produce and deliver Swedish high quality tool
steels to more than 100,000 customers in almost 100 countries
worldwide.
Millions of products developed to improve and simplify
our daily life are produced in a mould or die manufactured of Uddeholm tool steel. Cars, computers, medical equipment and mobile
phones, all of these inventions originates from a mould or die made
of tool steel.
All our manufacturing, research, development and head
office for the Uddeholm brand are situated in Hagfors, Sweden,
where the company has been established since it all started. At Uddeholm we are all very proud of our native place and protect the
possibility for many future generations to be able to experience
the same beauty that we can enjoy today.
6

Our global thinking means that we will always be there wherever

or whenever you need us. Our presence on every continent guarantees you the same high quality wherever you have your business.
This has also allowed us to be one step ahead of the competition.
The crucial and growing Asian market are served by ASSAB, our
exclusive sales channel in Asia.
1.1.2 Uddeholms offer to
the automotive industry
The worlds automotive industry is one of Uddeholms most important customer groups.
Uddeholms package for the automotive industry is created to
meet the need of the automotive OEMs for shorter delivery times.
The package focuses on optimal total economy, less downtime in
production and shorter lead times, within the following areas:

Within the hot work segment Uddeholm especially focus

on long run die casting production, hot forging and hot
forming.
In plastic moulding, as the leading developer of high
quality plastic mould steels, the tool life and performance
can be maximized and great savings in productivity and
total tooling cost can be achieved.
Uddeholm is a global company. In our global offer to OEMs we
focus on products and services on a worldwide basis. Our message
for the OEMs is that we have the best products and we can support them both technically and commercially wherever they decide
to build their tools or produce their products.
This means that we dont sell just a piece of steel, we sell a full
package including services like heat treatment, machining and welding.

In cold work, a new generation of presswork tool steels

has been developed.
7

2. Sheet steels and tool steels

2.1 Advanced high strength steels
Advanced high strength steels available from SSAB can be
obtained as hot rolled, cold reduced, hot-dip galvanized and electro galvanized products. For example, Advanced High Strength
Steels are used in:
Safety components in cars
Trailers
Tippers
Seat components
Containers
Cranes
Trains
Various tube applications such as furniture, bicycles and
baby carriages
There are several parameters that decide which of the Advanced
High Strength Steel types to be used. The most important parameters are derived from the geometrical form of the component
and the selection of forming and blanking method. Some of the
advanced high strength steels available from SSAB are shown in
Table 2-1.
More information about the use and processing of these steel
types can be found in product brochures from SSAB or on webpage: www.ssabdirect.com
2.1.1 Micro alloyed steels
The micro alloyed cold-forming steels derive their high strength
from the addition of very small quantities of micro-alloying elements such as niobium and titanium. These steel grades are designated according to the lowest guaranteed yield strength.
The difference between their yield strength and tensile strength
is small. These steel grades have excellent bendability, pressforming and flanging properties in relation to their yield strength.
The weldability is also good.
2.1.2 Bainitic steels
The bainitic steels are available as hot rolled material. These
types of steels are thermo-mechanical rolled. The figures in the
steel designation specify the minimum yield strength.
2.1.3 Dual phase steels
Dual Phase, cold-forming steel has a microstructure that consists
of two phases, ferrite and martensite. Ferrite is soft and contributes to good formability. Martensite is hard and contributes to

the strength of the material. The strength increases with increasing proportion of the hard martensite phase. Depending on the
application, dual phase steels in different yield ratio (YS/TS) can be
achieved. The figures in the steel designation specify the minimum
tensile strength. Dual phase steels are easy to cut and form and can
be welded with conventional welding methods.
2.1.4 Comp lex Phase steels
The microstructure of complex phase steels contains small
amounts of martensite, retained austenite and perlite within the
ferrite/bainite matrix. CP steels are characterized by a high yield
strength, moderate strain hardening and good ability for bending and flanging. The figures in the steel designation specify the
minimum tensile strength. The complex phase steels are available as
hot-dip galvanized steel grades.

Type of steel

Hot rolled steels

Cold-reduced steels

Hot-dip galvanized steels

Micro alloyed
steels

Domex 460 MC

Docol 420 LA

Dogal 420 LAD

Domex 500 MC

Docol 500 LA

Dogal 460 LAD

Domex 550 MC

Dogal 500 LAD

Domex 600 MC
Domex 650 MC
Domex 700 MC

2.1.5 Roll forming steels

The roll forming steels are available as cold reduced and hot-dip
galvanised products. This group of steel is primarily designed for
applications where roll forming is used as a forming method. The
roll forming steels are characterized by high yield ratio (YS/TS),
high internal cleanliness and a microstructure with homogeneous
hardness distribution. These characteristics minimize the risk for
twisting and bending of the profile, and make it possible to roll
form into narrow radii.

Bainitic/
Martensitic steels

Domex 900 1)
Domex 960 1)
Domex 1100 1)

Dual Phase
steels

Docol 500 DP

Dogal 500 DP

Docol 500 DL
Docol 600 DP

Dogal 600 DP

Docol 600 DL
Docol 800 DP

Dogal 800 DP

2.1.6 Martensitic steels

Docol 800 DL

Dogal 800 DPX

Martensitic steels contain 100% martensite. Martensitic steels

characterize a material in very high yield and tensile strength.
For hot rolled material, the figures in the steel designation specify
the minimum yield strength, and for cold rolled material, the minimum tensile strength.

Docol 1000 DP

2.1.7 Avail able dimension range

Thickness: Docol
Dogal
Domex
Max width: Docol
Dogal
Domex

0.502.10 mm
0.502.00 mm
2.0012.00 mm
1,500 mm
1,500 mm
1,600 mm

Limitation in max width is depending on steel grade and thickness

of the material. Additional thicknesses available at request.

Electrogalvanized steels

Docol 1180 DP
Complex Phase
steels

Domex 800 CP

2)

Domex 1200 M 2)

Docol 1000 DPZE

Dogal 600 CP
Dogal 780 CP

Domex 1000 CP 2)

Roll forming
steels
Martensitic
steels

Dogal 1000 DPX

2)

Docol Roll 800

Dogal Roll 800

Docol Roll 1000

Dogal Roll 1000

Docol 900 M 2)
Docol 1100 M

Docol 1100 MZE 2)

2)

Docol 1200 M
Docol 1300 M

Docol 1300 MZE 2)

2)

Docol 1400 M
Docol 1500 M

Docol 1200 MZE

Docol 1400 MZE 1)
Docol 1500 MZE 2)

1)

Docol 1700 M 2)
Table 2-1. Advanced high strength steels. 1) At request 2) Under development

2.2 Tool steels

2.2.1 Characteristics for
forming and cutting operations

2.2.2 Conventional metallurgy

A typical request for tools used in cold work applications is a high

hardness. The reason is that the work materials to be formed are
often hard. A high tool hardness is therefore necessary to prevent
plastic deformation and/or heavy tool wear.
A negative consequence of high hardness level is that the tool
material becomes more brittle.
Tool steel for cold work applications need high wear resistance,
sufficient compressible strength and toughness/ductility or, more
specifically:
High wear resistance to increase tool life and to reduce the
need for production stoppages for tool maintenance.
Sufficient compressible strength to avoid plastic deformation
of the active tool surfaces.
Sufficient toughness/ductility to avoid premature tool
breakage and chipping.
High wear resistance is not just a question of hardness. Typically,
tool steel grades for cold work applications also contain hard
carbides, giving an extra contribution to the wear resistance. These
carbides are chemical compounds of carbon and carbide forming
elements such as chromium, vanadium, molybdenum or tungsten.
Generally, the more frequent, larger and harder the carbides are,
the better wear resistance is achieved in the tool. There are, however, conflicting consequences as high hardness makes the material

Steel grade
Uddeholm

Type of
metallurgy

AISI/W.-Nr.

sensitive to notches. This may lead to large carbides acting as crack

initiators in a fatigue process. The majority of broken tools fail due
to fatigue cracking.
Fatigue cracking occurs when the material is exposed to alternating/pulsating loads and can be divided in a crack initiation stage
and a crack propagation stage. Crack initiation normally takes place
at notches, which magnify the stress locally by stress concentration.
The higher the hardness the more efficient the stress concentration becomes. Typical for a high hardness is also that as soon as a
crack is initiated, the time to a total tool breakage is very short.
The difficulty with cold work applications in general, especially
when blanking hard work materials, is that you must minimize
crack initiating defects. This must be done while maintaining wear
resistance which demands high hardness and hard particles in the
steel matrix.
Crack initiating defects such as notches are not necessarily
due to carbides. Large slag inclusions, defects in the tool surface
or sharp corners in combination with high hardness may also act
as sites for crack initiation at fatigue loading. For this reason, the
cleanliness of the metallurgical process and the surface finish of the
tool or the tool design will strongly influence tool performance.
In Table 2-2 the Uddeholm product range of tool steel suitable for
advanced high strength steel is shown.

Electro slag remelting (ESR)

Powder metallurgy (PM)
The metallurgical processes are described below.
2.2.3 Electro sl ag remelting metallurgy
Electro slag remelting is a well-known metallurgy process in which
a conventionally produced ingot is successively remelted in a pro-

cess with a small steel melt. This smaller steel melt solidifies much
faster than a larger steel melt, giving less time for carbide growth
after solidifying. The remelting process gives steel with improved
homogeneity and less overall carbide sizes. The process also includes a slag filter, which improves the steel cleanliness.
2.2.4 P owder metallurgy
In the powder metallurgy process nitrogen gas is used to atomize the melted steel into small droplets, or grains. Each of these
small grains solidifies quickly and there is little time for carbides
to grow. These powder grains are then compacted to an ingot in a
hot isostatic press at high temperature and pressure. The ingot is
then rolled or forged to steel bars by conventional methods. The
resulting structure is completely homogeneous steel with evenly
distributed small carbides, harmless as sites for crack initiation but
still protecting the tool from wear.
Large slag inclusions can take the role as sites for crack initiation instead. Therefore, the powder metallurgical process has been
further developed in stages to improve the cleanliness of the steel.
Powder steel from Uddeholm today is of the third generation. It is
considered the cleanest powder metallurgy tool steel product on
the market.

Chemical composition (weight %)

%C

% Si

% Mn

% Cr

% Mo

%W

%V

Sleipner

Conventional

0.90

0.90

0.50

7.80

2.50

0.50

Sverker 21

Conventional

D2/1.2379

1.55

0.30

0.40

11.80

0.80

0.80

Calmax

Conventional

0.60

0.35

0.80

5.30

0.20

0.50

0.20

0.50

5.00

2.30

0.50

Caldie

Electro slag
remelting

0.70

0.20

0.50

5.00

2.30

0.50

Vanadis 4 Extra

Powder metallurgy

1.40

0.40

0.40

4.70

3.50

3.70

Unimax

When manufacturing conventional high alloyed tool steels, the use

of large ingots means that the steel melt will solidify slowly. This
results in coarse carbide networks being developed. These carbide
networks will cause coarse carbide streaks in the tool material
after rolling or forging. These carbide streaks are positive for the
wear resistance but have a negative influence on the mechanical
strength of the tool material, especially at fatigue loading.
To reduce the negative influence of carbide networks the
chemical composition has to be balanced to reduce or even avoid
coarse carbide networks, while compensating for the loss of wear
resistance by the increased matrix hardness.
An alternative way is to develop a metallurgical process which
gives small and well distributed carbides that have less negative
impact on fatigue strength but still protect the tool from wear.
Uddeholm has two metallurgical processes to improve the situation compared to conventional metallurgy. These are:

Vanadis 10

Powder metallurgy

2.90

1.00

0.50

8.00

1.50

9.80

Vancron 40

Powder metallurgy

3.001)

0.50

0.40

4.50

3.20

3.70

8.50

1) %(C+N)
Table 2-2. Uddeholm product range of tool steels suitable for advanced high strength steel.
10

Figure 2-1. Electro slag remelting metallurgy.

Figure 2-2. Powder metallurgy.

11

3. Tool steel selection guidelines

3.1 Overview
Plastic deformation, chipping and total cracking are spontaneous
failures and result in severe and costly production disturbances.
They must be avoided if possible. Wear and galling are more predictable and can, to a certain extent, be handled by tool maintenance schedules. A consequence of this is that it may be worthwhile to allow more tool wear rather than to run into situations
with chipping and cracking.
The yield strength of the steel sheet has to be exceeded during forming and the shear rupture strength has to be exceeded
during cutting. This means that in forming and cutting operations in
advanced high strength steel sheets, the forces needed to perform
the operation are higher than for softer sheets of the same thickness.
In the same way, the demands on wear resistance and mechanical strength of the tool material increase. The cutting operation is
more sensitive since it requires a combination of high wear resistance, high galling resistance, high compression strength, high chipping and total cracking resistance. On the other hand, the forming
operation is more concerned with high wear and galling resistance
and compression strength.

In forming and cutting operations of sheet metal parts, as in all industrial manufacturing operations, it is important that the production
runs are trouble free. The chain from tool design to tool maintenance includes many different steps as shown in Figure 3-1.

Tool Design
Tool material
heat treatment
tool production
SHEET METAL material
production conditions

Furthermore, the die clearance has to be changed. Shock waves

may appear and the burr formation is different when blanking/
punching sheets with Rm 1,2001,400 MPa. See also Figure 3-13.
Forming of advanced high strength steels also means a reduced
formability, increased spring back and increased wrinkling tendencies. The tooling environment becomes accordingly more complex and demanding with these new advanced high strength steel
materials.
Forming and cutting operations in sheets of higher strength steel
grades may lead to rapid deterioration of the tool surface,
or cracking of the tool if inadequate tool steels are selected. This
means the selection of tool steel and coating processes for forming
and cutting operations in advanced high strength steel should not
be based on what was done in the past with softer mild steel sheet
materials. Instead, one should use the latest technical innovations to
optimize the production economy.
In Table 3-1 a relative comparison of the resistance to different
types of tool failure mechanisms for the Uddeholm product range
intended for advanced high strength steel applications is shown.

toolmaintenance
Figure 3-1.
Process steps from tool design to tool maintenance.

To achieve good productivity and tooling economy it is essential

that the right tool steel is selected and that all steps in the chain
are carried out correctly.
To select the right tool steel for the application in question it is
essential to identify the mechanisms which can lead to premature
tool failures. In forming and cutting operations there are five principal failure mechanisms:
Wear, abrasive or adhesive, related to the operation, the work
material and the friction forces due to sliding contact between
the tool and the work material.
Plastic deformation, which appears when the operating stress
level exceeds the compressive yield strength (hardness) of the
tool material.
Chipping, which is a result of high working stresses compared
to the fatigue strength of the tool material.
Total cracking, which is a result of high working stresses
compared to the fracture toughness of the tool material.
Galling (pick-up), which is a result of heavy friction forces due to
the sliding contact and the adhesive nature of the work material.
The galling mechanism is closely related to adhesive wear.
12

Steel grade
Uddeholm

AISI

Wear, abrasive or adhesive

Hardness/Resistance
Wear resistance
Resistance to fatigue crack initation
to plastic deformation
Ducitlity/Resistance Toughness/Resistance
Abrasive wear Adhesive wear
to chipping
to cross cracking

Sleipner

Chipping

Galling

Sverker 21

D2

Calmax

Unimax
Caldie

Vanadis 4 Extra

Vanadis 10

Vancron 40

Table 3-1. Relative comparison of the resistance to different types of tool damage in
cold work applications for recommended tool steels for advanced high strength steels.
13

3.2 Forming tool operations

Figure 3-2. A battery holder for a SUV-car, stamped in Docol 1200 M.

Press forces increase with increasing work material strength. Generally, a high strength material also requires higher blank holder force
to prevent wrinkling. High surface pressure locally in the tool puts
high demands on the tooling material and on the tool surface
properties (refer also to section 3.1 Overview).
3.2.5 Hole fl anging

Figure 3-3. Maximum- cup height and dome height for deep drawing and
stretch forming, respectively. Steel grades (from left to right): DC06, Docol 600
DP, Docol 800 DP, Docol 1000 DP, Docol 1200 M and Docol 1400 M.

The hole flanging ability for high strength sheet steel is poorer
than for softer materials. Because of this, it is more important to
optimize the process as far as possible, for example by blanking
the hole in opposite direction to the flanging direction. The burr is
then located on the inside of the hole where it is least subjected
to tension. Pre-forming before hole punching is another method to
achieve higher flanging heights.

The spring back effect is larger for high strength steel than for
milder materials. Several methods to reduce spring back are
possible, for example:
Over-bending
Increasing blank holder force
Using calibration step
Using draw beads
Adding stiffeners to flat areas and bends of the part
Using the correct blank shape

2 000

Galling limit of Uddeholm Vancron 40

1 800
1 600

p Crit =1600 MPa

1 400

Not recommended

Recommended

1 200
1 000

.2

3.2.4 Stamping

p0

Roll forming is extremely suited for advanced high strength steel.

Experiments show that significantly sharper radii can be obtained
using roll forming compared to conventional bending.

3.2.3 Roll forming

Figure 3-5a. Computed die pressure distribution (MPa) from FE

simulation of a U-bending application with DOCOL 800 DP

2.6

Numerical simulation using the Finite Element Method (FEM) can

give valuable assistance in the selection of tool steel. One important question in tool steel selection is whether a sheet metal
forming application can be performed without the occurrence of
galling, which is often the dominating damage mechanism in sheet
forming. The main reason for galling is too high contact pressure
between the die and the sheet. The FE method can be used to
calculate the contact pressure for a given combination of tool and
sheet material. An example of a simulation of a successful application is shown in Figure 3-5a. The application involves U-bending of
2 mm DOCOL 800 DP. The result indicates that the pressure limit
for galling is 1200 MPa for this combination
of sheet and tool material.
Choosing the right tool steel and surface treatment can increase the pressure limit for galling, allowing the forming of higher
strength sheet material and/or more demanding geometries. The
high nitrogen alloyed PM tool steel Uddeholm Vancron 40 has a
higher resistance to galling than conventional tool steel. The contact
pressure limit when forming DOMEX 700 MC and DOCOL 800
DP is approximately 1600 MPa when using Vancron 40 material
in the tool. As a rule of thumb, it can be assumed that the limiting pressure for galling is about 2.6 times the yield strength when
using Vancron 40 as tool steel material, but only 1.2 times the yield
strength when using conventional tool steel materials such as AISI
D2. This is valid for forming of sheet with strength up to DOCOL
800 DP, since above this strength, the temperature will increase and
the lubricating film may no longer be able to carry the pressure.
With the present knowledge the limits for recommended use of
Uddeholm Vancron 40 can be stated as shown in Figure 3-5b.
Other important factors which will influence the galling limit
are; choice of lubrication, surface roughness of the tool and sliding
speed. One reason for the effect of the factors mentioned here is
that they all influence temperature, which should be kept as low as
possible to avoid galling.
The pressure limit can be combined with a FEM simulation to
predict whether an application (with a
given geometry) will produce low enough contact pressure to be
successful with a conventional tool steel, or if you have to use a
more advanced tool steel like Vancron 40. However, a simulation
that predicts low enough pressure is not a guarantee for success if
the die surface preparation is poor. On the other hand, if the predicted contact pressure is just above the limit, improved lubrication,
further reduction of the surface roughness or reduced forming
speed can be sufficient to prevent galling.

800

When bending a soft material, the resulting inner radius is determined mainly by the die width and not by the bending knife radius.
A high strength material, on the contrary, follows the bending knife
radius and the resulting inner radius is less dependent on the die
width. Therefore, a larger die width can be used with high strength
steels without compromising the required inner radius. This has
a large influence on the bending force and also on the tool wear,
which are both reduced when the die width is increased.
When transferring from softer to high strength sheet steel, the
sheet thickness is generally reduced. The bending force may therefore remain unchanged, since the reduced thickness often compensates for the higher strength.

it

The SSAB advanced high strength steels have good formability and
can be formed in the traditional way, despite their high strength.
The somewhat poorer formability compared to mild steels can
almost always be compensated by modifying the design of the component or the forming process. Larger radii in the tool that help
the material flow in combination with optimised blank shape are
factors that can make the forming of advanced high strength steels
easier. A good example when these design issues have been taken
into account is shown in Figure 3-2, able to stamp a quite complex
part in Docol 1200M even tough in general term the formability of
advanced high strength steel is lower compared to mild steel, se
Figure 3-3.

Cr

3.2.6 FEM analysis of tool loads and galling

3.2.2 Bending

Maximum die pressure, MPa

3.2.1 General

600
400

Cf. AISI D2:

p Crit 1.2 R

200

p0.2

0
0

200

400

600

800

1000

Yield strength of sheet, MPa

Figure 3-5b. Limits to guide the use of uncoated Uddeholm Vancron 40 to form
carbon steel. Recommendations are based on application tests and FEM simulation. For comparison the approximate level of the galling limit of uncoated AISI D2
tool steel is included.

In the following of section 3.2, forming operations such as bending,

roll forming, stamping and hole flanging, as well as some aspects
regarding tool loads and galling using the Finite Element Method
(FEM), are discussed. Recommendations for surface treatment and
tool steel selection are also given.
Figure 3-4. Complex stamping tool.
14

15

3.2.7 Tool steel selection and surface

t reatment in forming applications

Sheet strength
Rm (MPa)

In forming applications, galling, adhesive wear and plastic deformation are the most common failure mechanisms encountered. Forming of advanced high strength steel sheet (or thicker high strength
sheet) means that higher press forces are needed due to the higher
yield strength.
Forming tools with better galling resistance will be needed in the
future as the trend is towards an increased use of higher strength sheet
materials, higher press speeds, the use of progressive dies with fewer
steps and the use of more environmentally friendly (but normally less
effective) lubricants. Surface treatment such as PVD, CVD and TD
coating on the forming tool is an effective way to prevent galling.
Selection of the tool steel and the coating process used for forming advanced high strength sheet steels depend mainly on:
The strength of the sheet steel
The thickness of the sheet steel
Whether the sheet steel is coated or not
The complexity of the forming operation
The number of parts to be produced
At present, there is only limited experience with forming of advanced
high strength steels. However, some preliminary tests with 2 mm
Docol/Dogal 600 DP1000 DP have indicated the following:
Tool hardness levels
Tool hardness should be more than 5859 HRC to counteract
wear, galling and plastic deformation.
Tool surface finish
Active tool surfaces should be polished to a low surface
roughness (Ra 0.2 m).
Conventional uncoated tool steels
These steels do not fulfill the requirements for press tools for
uncoated sheet material. However, they might be suitable for
simpler forming operations with thinner advanced high strength
sheet material at the lower end of the strength range.
Plasma nitrided conventional tool steels
Such tool steels do not show sufficient galling resistance for
long production runs due to delaminating of the nitride layer.
However, they might be suitable for simpler forming opera tions with thinner advanced high strength sheet material at
the lower end of the strength range.
PVD coated tools
PVD coatings (e.g. CrN or TiAlN) in combination with a
substrate steel having sufficiently high hardness (> 58 HRC)
is one solution to avoid galling.
CVD or TD coated tools
Properly prepared CVD or TD coated tools also avoid galling.

16

Steel grade
Uddeholm/AISI/W.-Nr.

350-570

570-800

Vancron 40 forming tools

Uddeholm Vancron 40, which is nitrogen alloyed, high
performance PM steel, has shown very good industrial
application test results. Forming tooling (with a surface
finish of Ra 0.2 m) made from Uddeholm Vancron 40
usually performs much better than coated tooling.
A summary of suitable tool steels for forming of advanced high
strength steels is given in Table 3-2a. Table data is based on experience to date but testing will be continued and table data will be
regularly updated. The mentioned tool steel grades can be used
as mono block dies or in combinations of base die material with
inserts, depending on the size of the tool and the severity of the
forming operation.
As stated earlier there is a need for surface treatment or surface
coating to achieve proper performance of the tools. This means
that the coatings are taking care of the wear (except for Uddeholm
Vancron 40). The tool steel acts as a substrate for the coatings. The
main demand on the substrate material is to support the very brittle
coating, i.e. the substrate material must have enough compressive
strength and hardness when the tool is put into service. Furthermore, the dimensional changes after the coating process must be
negligible, or predictable to fulfill desired tolerances of the tool.
Finally, the substrate material has to withstand many cyclic loads at
high stress levels, i.e. a high fatigue limit is needed.
To give some guidance for tool steel selection at different
demands on serial length, a relative ranking of actual tool steel
grades without and with coating is given in Table 3-2b. In case of ion
nitriding, one of the factors is that the ductility is heavily deteriorated. A comparison of the ductility after nitriding to a case depth
of 50 m is made for the actual grades. As Uddeholm Vancron 40 is
used without any surface treatments it shows a very much superior
rating than all other grades.

800-1400

Surface treatment/coating
Type

Serial length

Calmax/-/1.2358
Unimax
Sverker 21/D2/1.2379
Caldie
Sleipner
Vanadis 4 Extra
Vanadis 10
Vancron 40

Nitriding/PVD
PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
No coatings needed

Medium runs
Medium runs
Medium runs
Medium-long runs
Medium-long runs
Long runs
Long runs
-

Calmax/-/1.2358
Unimax
Sverker 21/D2/1.2379
Caldie
Sleipner
Vanadis 4 Extra
Vanadis 10
Vancron 40

Duplex (Nitriding+PVD)
PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
No coatings needed

All
All
All
All
All
All
All
-

Caldie
Sleipner
Vanadis 4 Extra
Vanadis 10
Vancron 40

PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
PVD/CVD
No coatings needed

All
All
All
All
-

Total hardness
(HRC)

> 58

> 60

> 60

Table 3-2a Suitable tool steels for forming of advanced high strength steels.

Without coating
Uddeholm

Wear resistance
Abrasive

Calmax
Unimax
Caldie
Sleipner
Sverker 21
Vanadis 4 Extra
Vanadis 10
Vancron 40*)

1
1
2
5
6
8
10
6

Adhesive
3
4
5
4
2
8
7
10

With lonnitriding

With coating
Resistance to:
Galling

Chipping/
cracking

1
1
2
2
1
3
4
10

Substrate material properties

Plastic
deformation

8
10
8
3
1
8
4
6

1
1
5
8
5
9
10
9

Fatigue
limit
4
5
9
2
1
10
8
9*)

Dim. stability
after rehardening
4
7
7
4
1
10
8
10*)

Ductility after nitriding to

50 m depth
6
7
5
3
1
5
3
10*)

*) Uddeholm Vancron 40 without any surface treatment

Table 3-2b. The table shows a relative performance ranking for these grades,
both without and with surface coating. Relative scale = 1-10, where 10 is best.

17

3.3 Cutting tool operations

The strength of the production material

The thickness of the production material
The design features such as sharp radii
The geometry of the part to be produced
The number of parts to be produced
The tool must have sufficient hardness to prevent plastic deformation of the cutting edge. In addition, special attention must be given
to the surface quality of the tool to prevent premature failure by
chipping or cracking and also to prevent galling.
In the following of section 3.3, cutting operations such as blanking,
punching, cutting and shearing are discussed. Recommendations for
surface treatment and tool steel selection are also given.
3.3.2 Bl anking and p unching
3.3.2.1 Appearance of a cut edge
Commonly used blanking and punching methods generate a cut
edge consisting of a rollover, a burnish, a fracture zone and a burr.
The burnish is smaller for high strength steel than for mild steel.
The burr height is reduced with increasing tensile strength.
An important factor to achieve a good edge is the die clearance.
How to select the die clearance is explained in section 3.3.2.2 Die
clearance.

Rollover

Punch

Punch

Burnish
6%

14%

Die

Die

Fracture zone

Burr

Sheet thickness

It is very difficult to give conclusive advice regarding tool steel

selection for a specific production situation because production
conditions in different plants will never be the same, even if the
same part is being produced at each plant. The best way is to base
the selection of the tool steel on the experience gained from earlier
production runs using the same or similar production equipment.
Regarding advanced high strength steel, there is little previous
experience to date to go on. As mentioned earlier, it is important
not to base the tool steel selection on what was done for softer
production materials using older grades such as AISI A2 or D2.
Remember that there is a new generation of tool steels which are
much more suitable for tooling when blanking and punching the
advanced high strength steels.
In blanking and punching the main failure mechanisms usually are
wear, chipping and galling. These failure mechanisms are influenced by:

3.3.2.2 Die clearance

The die clearance is the radial distance between the punch and the
die, see Figure 3-8.
The edge is often characterized by the four sections illustrated in
Figure 3-7. Compared to blanking/punching in mild steel, the choice
of die clearance has a greater influence on the tool life. However,
the burr formation is smaller and not significantly affected by
changing the die clearance. The rollover and fracture zone will
increase with increasing die clearance, but less than for mild steel.
In Figure 3-9 the recommended die clearance for blanking and
punching is shown.
In Figure 3-10, an edge can be seen after punching in Docol 1400
M with 6% and 14% die clearance.
In general, it is better to use a larger die clearance when blanking/punching high strength sheet steel. However, for the highest
strength sheet steels a very large die clearance can be a disadvantage. This will be explained later.
When blanking/punching steels up to 1,000 MPa tensile strength,
a small die clearance gives a high amount of galling on the tool. A
too large clearance gives less tool wear, but generates more bending or rollover in the work object resulting in lower edge quality.
This is why the desired edge quality of the work object affects the
choice of die clearance. The relation between tool wear and die
clearance is shown in Figure 3-11.
When blanking/punching in the highest strength material, too
small a die clearance also gives some galling on the tool, but the
main wear mechanism is abrasive wear. Because of the material
strength, there is a limit on how large the die clearance can be. Too
large a die clearance generates high bending stresses on the punch
edge, which increases the risk of chipping, see Figure 3-12. This
is especially important in sheet materials with a small difference
between yield and tensile strength as in the martensitic Docol M
and MZE grades

Figure 3-7. Appearance of a cut edge.

Figure 3-10. Edge cut with varying die clearance.

Tool wear

Punch

Die clearance

Galling area

Work material

Die

10

12

14

Die clearance, % of sheet thickness

Figure 3-8. Die clearance definition.

Figure 3-11. Relation between tool wear and die clearance when blanking in
Docol 800 DP (sheet thickness = 1 mm).

15
14
Die clearance [%]

3.3.1 General

Tool wear

13
12

Chipping area

11
10
9
8
7
0.5

1.0 1.5 2.0

2.5 3.0

3.5 4.0 4.5

5.0

Sheet thickness (mm)

Figure 3-9. Recommended die clearance for blanking/punching advanced high
strength steel.
18

10

12

14

Die clearance, % of sheet thickness

Figure 3-12. Relation between tool wear and die clearance when blanking in
Docol 1400 M, with sheet thickness 1 mm.
19

Typical Uddeholm grades used for manufacturing these car parts

are Caldie, Sleipner, Vanadis 4 Extra and Vancron 40. Other grades
can be used depending on factors like design, sheet steel type and
thickness. Fore more detailed information, see pages 27-31.

20

21

3.3.2.3 Blanking and punching force

The blanking/punching force required is proportional to the sheet
steel strength, the sheet thickness and the length of the blanked/
punched line. In Figure 3-13 the varying punching force is shown
when punching a 5 mm hole in 1 mm thick sheet, with a 10%
die clearance in advanced high strength steel. The blanking/punching force can be quite high when blanking/punching the hardest
advanced high strength steel grades. However, the reduction of
sheet thickness will normally compensate for the increased blanking/punching forces.
When blanking/punching in the fully martensitic Docol M and MZE
grades, the force is higher and the work material ductility
is low. This means that a spring back or recoil force may be generated. This is noticed as a fast negative force amplitude as shown in
Figure 3-13. The spring back generates stress on the tool, which may
lead to fatigue cracking after some time. This is shown in
Figure 3-14. To avoid production disturbances, the effects of the high
blanking/punching forces on the fittings and sharp radii should be
considered, as well as the surface finish of the tool.
When blanking/punching in advanced high strength steel with
lower strength, the work material ductility is higher which reduces
the effects of fatigue and cracking in the tool. For this reason,
focus should be on the forces generated when blanking/punching
advanced high strength steel with the highest strength, and also
how the forces can be reduced. Experiments have shown that the
die clearance has a marginal effect on the blanking/punching force.
However, the blanking/punching force is somewhat reduced with
increased die clearance. Typically a 3 to 5% reduction of blanking/
punching force is possible to reach with an increased die clearance.
3.3.2.4 Reducing blanking/punching force
It is important to use the correct blanking/punching parameters.
How to select the die clearance when blanking/punching is
explained in section 3.3.2.2 Die clearance. To avoid simultaneous
blanking/punching when blanking/punching several holes in one
operation, the punches can be of different length. This reduces the
required blanking/punching force which otherwise can be considerable. To coat the punching tool is not an effective way to reduce
the blanking/punching force. On the contrary, the blanking/punching force can increase as shown in Figure 3-19. A coated punch
produces a higher blanking/punching force due to a lower friction
between the end surface of the punch and the sheet surface. The
lower friction makes the cracking initiation more difficult in the
sheet, which increases the blanking/punching force. The increasing
force facilitates fatigue cracking in the tool. When cracking starts
the coating rapidly comes lose. The most effective way to reduce
the blanking/punching force is to chamfer the tool.
Preferably this is made symmetrically to avoid inclined loads on
the tool. Chamfering can also be a way to reduce noise. Different
ways to chamfer the tool is shown in Figure 3-17 and Figure 3-18.
How the blanking/punching force can be reduced using symmetrically
chamfered punches is shown in Figure 3-19.

Blanking/punching force [N]

Force (N)
15 000

15 000
Docol 1400 M
Docol 800 DP
Docol 500 LA
Docol 280 LA

13 000
11 000
9 000
7 000

12 000
Uncoated punch
9 000
Inverted chamfered punch

5 000
3 000

3 000
Chamfered punch

1 000
-1 000

Punch displacement

-3 000

Figure 3-13. Blanking force when punching advanced high strength steel grades.

1 000

-3 000
Punch displacement
Figure 3-19. Blanking/punching force when punching a 5 mm hole in 1 mm thick
Docol 1400 M with 10% die clearance.

Figure 3-14. Cracking developed as a result of fatigue.

b)

a)

Figure 3-17. Chamfered tools for a) blanking and b) punching.

a)

F1

F1

Punch displacement
b)

F2

(F1)
F2

Punch displacement
Figure 3-18. Blanking/punchingunching force as a function of punch displacement for a) flat punch or b) chamfered punch.

22

Coated punch

Figure 3-20. A chamfered punch with a flat centre section.

-4%

-13%

-25%

-30%

-8%

-13%

-15%

-10%

Docol
280 LA

Docol
500 LA

Docol
800 DP

Docol
1400 M

Figure 3-21. Reduction in % of the blanking/punching force for different

types of chamfering of the punch (height of chamfer 0.7 times the sheet
thickness).

The blanking/punching force can be reduced by 30% for Docol

1400 M with a chamfer of 0.7 times the sheet thickness. The size
of the effect of a chamfered punch depends on the work material as shown in Figure 3-21. To obtain a larger reduction effect
when blanking/punching mild steel the chamfering must increase
to approx. 1.01.5 times the sheet thickness. The chamfer should
not be unnecessarily large when blanking/punching in advanced
high strength steels, just large enough to start the cut before the
whole punch end surface area is in contact with the sheet surface.
Using an unnecessarily large chamfer will increase the risk of plastic
deformation of the punch tip.
Another way to reduce the risk of plastic deformation is to
use a chamfered punch with a flat centre section as shown in
Figure 3-20.

Note! Using a chamfered punch does not necessarily mean that

the tool wear will be less. The main advantages are force and noise
reductions.

23

3.3.3 Cutting and shearing

3.3.3.1 Cutting clearance and shearing angle
In shearing the cutting clearance is the horizontal distance
between the upper and lower shear, and the shearing angle is
the angle between the upper and lower shear, see Figure 3-25. The
shearing angle is normally applied on the upper shear.
In general, similar cutting clearance can be used as for softer
sheet steel. The cutting clearance can be somewhat larger when
using knives with a shearing angle compared with parallel knives.
Cutting clearances are usually smaller compared with blanking.
Recommended cutting clearances for advanced high strength sheet
can be seen in Figure 3-26.
The selection of shearing angle can be seen in Figure 3-27 for
different strength levels and sheet thicknesses.

3.3.3.2 Appearance of a sheet cut edge

The appearance of the sheet cut edge is similar as when blanking,
see Section 3.3.1. Typical sheet edge appearances for three sheet
steel grades can be seen in Figure 3-28.
When changing the cutting parameters in shearing the sheet edge
appearance changes. A larger cutting clearance with parallel tools
gives a larger burnish. On the other hand, a larger cutting clearance
when using a shearing angle will give a smaller burnish. When using
a high shearing angle in combination with a large cutting clearance,
splitting or tearing marks can sometimes be seen in the fracture
zone, see upper right photo in Figure 3-29. A large shearing angle
when working in Docol M grades can sometimes result in a wavy
pattern in the fracture zone, see Figure 3-30.

3.3.3.3 Shearing force

The shearing force required is proportional to the sheet steel
strength, the sheet thickness and the length of the cut. The shearing
force can be quite high when shearing the hardest advanced high
strength steel grades. To avoid high shearing forces a shearing angle
should be applied. As soon as a shearing angle is used the difference between advanced high strength sheet steel and mild steel is
much smaller, see Figure 3-31. The cutting clearance has very little
influence on the total shearing force. The largest force reduction is
when going from a parallel shear to 1 shearing angle. There is no
benefit to use shearing angles >1.5. The reduction in total shearing
force is low but the tool edge load will be higher and will increase
the edge chipping risk.
In power shearing of advanced high strength steels, the first thing
asked is often:
Will I manage a transition from mild sheet steel to advanced high
strength sheet steel with the production equipment I have?
An expression for the shearing force is needed to answer that
question. For this purpose, SSAB Swedish Steel uses the following
equation:

Figure 3-25. Cutting clearance and shearing angle respectively.

100
Figure 3-28. Sheet edge appearance for Domex 700 MC,
Dogal 800 DP and Docol 1400M respectively in thickness
2 mm with 7% cutting clearance and 1 shearing angle.

10
9
8
7
6
5
4

where:
F = shearing force
Ksk = shearing strength = Rm e-factor
= shearing angle
t = sheet thickness

The shearing strength is calculated as the tensile strength times the

e-factor. The e-factor varies with the tensile strength of the material.
For mild steels, corresponding to DC01 or Domex 200, the e-factor
equals 0.8, but for higher strength steels the e-factor decreases to
0.55 with a parallel shear. With a shearing angle it can decrease down
to 0.3 for the highest strength sheet material grades. In the diagram
in Figure 3-32 the e-factor is shown as a function of the work material tensile strength with both parallel shear and with a shearing angle.
The e-factor is reduced significantly for advanced high strength steel
when using a shearing angle.

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
0

1.0

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

Sheet thickness (mm)

4.5 5.0

2.0
1.8

Shear angle (degrees)

Figure 3-29. Sheet edge appearance for Domex 700 MC,
t=2 mm with different cutting conditions. The left image
indicates that cutting clearance and/or shearing angle is too large.
The right image indicates that the cutting conditions are OK.

Figure 3-26. Recommended cutting clearance.

Shearing angle [degrees]

2tan

10

3
2
0.5

Maximum shear force (kN)

Cutting clearance in % of sheet thickness

11

Ksk t2

Docol 1400 M 5% clearance

Docol 1400 M 10% clearance
Docol 1400 M 15% clearance
Domex 700 MC 5% clearance
Domex 700 MC 10% clearance
Domex 700MC 15% clearance
DC04 5% clearance
DC04 10% clearance
DC04 15% clearance

90

12

F=

Figure 3-31. Shear force as a function of shearing angle for different cutting clearances. t=2 mm.

1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
t=12 mm
t=8 mm
t=5 mm

0.6
0.4
0.2
200

400

600

800

1000

Yield Strength [MPa]

1200

1400

Figure 3-30. Sheet edge appearance for Docol 1400M, t=2 mm with different
cutting conditions. The left image indicates that cutting clearance and/or shearing
angle is too large. The right image indicates that the cutting conditions are OK.

Figure 3-27. Recommended shearing angles.

24

25

0.7

e-factor

0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
300

500

700
900
1 100
Tensile strength [MPa]

1 300

For the fully martensitic steels in Docol M grades, galling will not be
the dominating wear mechanism. The wear type is mainly abrasive.
Sometimes fatigue cracks can be visible in the worn area, as shown
in Figure 3-23.

3.3.4 Tool steel selection and surface

t reatment in cutting app lications

e-factor with shearing angle

e-factor with paralell shear

0.8

1 500

Figure 3-32. e-factor as a function of the work material tensile strength.

3.3.4.1 Surface treatment

Whether to apply a coating on a tool or not is a question that
often arises in tool making. But before a coating is applied, it is important to characterise the wear type. For advanced high strength
steel, the type of wear differs depending on the microstructure
and strength level. For dual phase steels, such as Docol 800 DP, the
adhesive wear is dominating and a coating will certainly reduce the
galling properties effectively, as shown in Figure 3-22. Hot dipped
galvanized sheets as Dogal grades have less tendency to galling due
to some lubricating property of the zinc layer.
For hot rolled micro alloyed steels, such as Domex grades, the
wear type is mixed with both adhesive and abrasive wear mechanism. If a Domex grade is to be blanked in unpickled condition
the tool wear rate will be considerably higher and more abrasive.
In any case, a coating will significantly reduce the tool wear when
blanking in Domex grades.

Figure 3-23. Typical tool wear of an uncoated blanking edge after

100 000 parts produced in Docol 1400 M.

As long as fatigue cracks are generated, the coatings will not stay
on the tool particularly long. If the preparation before applying a
coating is optimised and the most suitable type of coating is applied, the result can be improved so most of the coating is still on
after 100,000 parts produced, as shown in Figure 3-24. However,
for fully martensitic steels, such as Docol M grades, a coating will
not give a significant benefit and is not recommended. In any case,
nitriding of punch edges should be avoided due to a high risk of
cracking the punch edges.

a)

Example 1:
Mild sheet steel with a sheet thickness of 8 mm.
Work material: Domex 220 YP (Rm = 350 MPa)
Shearing force: 0.8 x 350 x 64/2tan 0.9 = 570 kN

Example 2:
Extra high strength sheet steel with the same sheet
thickness = 8 mm
Work material: Domex 700 MC (Rm = 800 MPa)
Shearing force: 0,47 x 800 x 64/2tan 1.5 = 459 kN

a)

100 m

Example 3:
Extra high strength sheet steel with the sheet thickness reduced by
10% to = 7.2 mm
Work material: Domex 700 MC (Rm = 800 MPa)
Shearing force: 0.47 x 800 x 51.84/2tan 1.5 = 372 kN

3.3.4.2 Tool steel selection

For tool steel selection purposes it is convenient to group the
advanced high strength sheet steel materials as follows:
Domex MC grades
Docol DP/DL and LA grades
Dogal DP/CP grades
Docol M and M+ZE grades
This is because preliminary blanking/punching tests have revealed
that each of the steel groups behave differently during blanking/
punching, i.e. each group puts different demands on the tool material. To simplify access to needed information and reduce the risk
of misunderstanding, the information relevant for a specific group
is presented independently of the information valid for the other
groups, although the same information
to some extent will be repeated several times.
Domex MC grades
These steel grades are hot rolled, micro alloyed steel with relatively
high carbon content. They are available in pickled and non-pickled
condition, with a thickness range from 212 mm (max. 10 mm for
Domex 700 MC).
Demands on the tool steel are:
High wear resistance due to higher carbon content, strength
and thickness.
High wear resistance is particularly necessary for non-pickled
material as the mill scale on its surface is very abrasive.
High chipping resistance, partly due to relatively high strength,
but mainly due to the thickness range.
Good galling resistance due to relatively high strength and
thickness range.
The Domex MC grades are the group that puts the highest
demands on the tool material because the thickness range for
these grades is by far the widest.
Appropriate grades as a guideline to tool steel selection are:

b)

The examples show that the shearing force in fact decreases if

you transfer from mild to extra high strength sheet steel (using a
shearing angle in the same sheet thickness). If you reduce the sheet
thickness for the extra high strength sheet steel (with a moderate
reduction of only 10% in example 3), the shearing force is reduced
by ~35% from the original level.

Uddeholm Calmax
Uddeholm Unimax
Uddeholm Caldie
Uddeholm Sleipner
Uddeholm Vanadis 4 Extra
Uddeholm Vancron 40

b)

The property profiles for these tool steels are given in Table 3-1.

100 m
Figure 3-22. A blanking edge coated with a) PVD-coating (TiAlN) and b) uncoated
after 200 000 parts produced in Docol 800 DP.
Figure 3-24. Appearance of a tool edge after 100 000 parts produced in Docol
1400 M. a) shows a CVD TiCN coating, and b) shows a multi layer TiAlN coating.

26

27

Below are some general aspects to consider for the recommended

tool steel grades. For the Domex MC sheet steel grades:
Uddeholm Calmax, Uddeholm Unimax and Uddeholm Caldie
should be used when severe chipping is expected.
When wear is the main concern Uddeholm Sleipner should be
used for short to medium production runs with thinner sheet
material.
Uddeholm Vanadis 4 Extra should be used when a strong combination of wear resistance and chipping resistance is needed, i.e.
for long production runs with thicker and geometrically more
complex parts.
Uncoated Uddeholm Vancron 40 should be used for long production runs to counteract galling when blanking/punching thinner,
pickled sheet.
Overlay coatings such as CVD or PVD can be used to counteract wear and galling. All of the above mentioned tool steel
grades can be coated, but Uddeholm Vancron 40 is normally
used uncoated.
Uddeholm Calmax can be CVD coated, but not PVD coated.
Nitriding is not recommended as this can easily cause tool edge
chipping due to surface embrittlement.
The hardness level used depends on the sheet thickness and the
part geometry. It will normally be in the range 5664 HRC.

Docol DP/DL, LA and ROLL grades

The Docol DP/DL and ROLL sheet steel grades are cold-rolled
dual phase steel with low carbon content. These grades are available in thickness from 0.5 to 2.1 mm. The LA grade is a micro
alloyed steel and available in thickness from 0.5 to 3.0 mm.
Demands on the tool steel are:
High wear resistance due to the high sheet strength level.
High chipping resistance due to the high sheet strength level.
Good galling resistance due to the high sheet strength level and
the presence of ferrite in the sheet.
Appropriate grades and recommended hardness levels for the different sheet strength levels are given in Table 3-3.
Below are some general aspects to consider for the recommended
tooling steel grades.
Overlay coatings such as CVD or PVD can be used for all sheet
materials to counteract wear and galling. All of the below mentioned tool steel grades can be coated, but Uddeholm Vancron
40 is normally used uncoated.
Uddeholm Calmax can be CVD coated, but not PVD coated.
Nitriding is not recommended as this can easily cause chipping.
The hardness level used depends on the sheet thickness and the
part geometry. It will normally be in the range 5664 HRC.

For the 500 LA/DP/DL and 600 DP/DL sheet steel grades:
Uddeholm Calmax, Uddeholm Unimax and Uddeholm Caldie
should be used when severe chipping is expected.
Uddeholm Sleipner and Uddeholm Sverker 21 should be used
for short to medium production runs.
Uddeholm Vanadis 4 Extra should be used when a strong combination of wear resistance and chipping resistance is needed, i.e.
for long production runs with thicker and geometrically more
complex parts.
Uddeholm Vanadis 10 can be used for long production runs for
simple part geometries being blanked/punched from thinner
sheet material.
Uncoated Vancron 40 should be used for long production runs
to counteract galling.
For the 800 DP/DL/ROLL and 1000 DP/DP+ZE/ROLL/EP sheet
steel grades:
Uddeholm Caldie should be used to counteract chipping.
Uddeholm Sleipner should be used for short to medium production runs.
Uddeholm Vanadis 4 Extra should be used when a strong combination of wear resistance and chipping resistance is needed, i.e.

for long production runs with thicker and geometrically more

complex parts.
Uddeholm Vanadis 10 can be used for long production runs for
simple part geometries being blanked/punched from thinner
sheet material.
Uncoated Vancron 40 should be used for long production runs
to counteract galling.
Dogal DP/CP, LAD and ROLL grades
The Dogal DP/CP and ROLL sheet steel grades are cold-rolled dual
phase steel with low carbon content and are hot-dip galvanized.
The LAD grade is a hot-dip galvanized micro alloyed steel. These
grades are available in thickness from 0.5 to 2 mm.
Demands on the tool steel are:
High wear resistance is needed for long production runs but the
wear is much less than with the non-galvanized grades, as the
zinc coating acts as a lubricant.
High chipping resistance due to high sheet strength level.
Good galling resistance due to high sheet strength level and
presence of ferrite in the sheet.
The soft, sticky zinc coating tends to adhere to the tool surface and
should be cleaned off periodically.
Appropriate grades and recommended hardness levels for the
different sheet strength levels are given in Table 3-4.

SSAB steel sheet grades

Uddeholm tool steel grades

Tool hardness (HRC)

SSAB steel sheet grades

Uddeholm tool steel grades

Tool hardness (HRC)

Docol 500 LA
Docol 500 DP
Docol 500 DL

Calmax
Unimax
Caldie
Sleipner
Sverker 21
Vanadis 4 Extra
Vanadis 10
Vancron 40

>56

Dogal 460 LAD

Dogal 500 LAD
Dogal 500 DP

Calmax
Unimax
Caldie
Sleipner
Sverker 21
Vanadis 4 Extra
Vanadis 10
Vancron 40

>56

Docol 600 DP
Docol 600 DL

Calmax
Unimax
Caldie
Sleipner
Sverker 21
Vanadis 4 Extra
Vanadis 10
Vancron 40

58

Dogal 600 DP
Dogal 600 CP
Dogal 780 CP
Dogal 800 DP
Dogal 800 DPX

Calmax
Unimax
Caldie
Sleipner
Sverker 21
Vanadis 4 Extra
Vanadis 10
Vancron 40

58

Docol 800 DP
Docol 800 DL
Docol 1000 DP
Docol Roll 800
Docol Roll 1000
Docol 1000 DP+ZE
Docol 1000 EP

Caldie
Sleipner
Vanadis 4 Extra
Vanadis 10
Vancron 40

60

Dogal 800 DP
Dogal 800 DPX
Dogal 1000 DPX
Dogal ROLL 800
Dogal ROLL 1000

Caldie
Sleipner
Vanadis 4 Extra
Vanadis 10
Vancron 40

60

Table 3-4. Recommended tool steel grades for blanking Dogal grades.

Table 3-3. Recommended tool steel grades for blanking Docol grades.
28

29

Below are some general aspects to consider for the recommended

tooling steel grades.
Overlay coatings such as CVD or PVD can be used for all sheet
materials, to counteract wear and galling. All of the below mentioned tool steel grades can be coated, but Uddeholm Vancron 40
is normally used uncoated.
Uddeholm Calmax can be CVD coated, but not PVD coated.
Nitriding is not recommended as this can easily cause chipping.

nation of wear resistance and chipping resistance is needed, i.e.

for long production runs with thicker and geometrically more
complex parts.
Uddeholm Vanadis 10 can be used for long production runs for
simple part geometries being blanked/punched from thinner
sheet material.
Uncoated Uddeholm Vancron 40 should be used for long production runs to counteract galling.

For the 460 LAD, 500 LAD/DP, 600 DP/CP, 780 CP and 800
DP/DPX sheet steel grades:

Docol M and MZE grades

The Docol M and MZE grades are cold-rolled martensitic steel
with low carbon contents. The MZE grades have an electrodeposited zinc coating. These steel grades are available in thickness from
0.5 to 2.1 mm.
Appropriate tool steel grades and recommended hardness levels
for the different sheet strength levels are given in Table 3-5.

Uddeholm Calmax, Uddeholm Unimax and Uddeholm Caldie

should be used to counteract chipping.
Uddeholm Sleipner and Uddeholm Sverker 21 should be used
for short to medium production runs.
Uddeholm Vanadis 4 Extra should be used when a strong combination of wear resistance and chipping resistance is needed, i.e.
for long production runs with thicker and geometrically more
complex parts.
Uddeholm Vanadis 10 can be used for long production runs for
simple part geometries being blanked/punched from thinner
sheet material.
Uncoated Uddeholm Vancron 40 should be used for long production runs to counteract galling.
For the 800DP/DPX, 1000DPX and ROLL800/ROLL1000 sheet
steel grades:
Uddeholm Caldie should be used to counteract chipping.
Uddeholm Sleipner should be used for short to medium production runs.
Uddeholm Vanadis 4 Extra should be used when a strong combi-

Below are some general aspects to consider for the recommended

tooling steel grades:
Uddeholm Caldie should be used to counteract chipping and
cracking.
Uddeholm Sleipner should be used for short to medium production runs with thinner sheet materials.
Uddeholm Vanadis 4 Extra should be used when a strong combination of wear resistance and chipping resistance is needed, i.e.
for long production runs.
Coatings are not recommended for the Docol M and MZE grades as
present experience has shown that these flake off at a relatively
early stage due to the formation of fatigue cracks in the tool surface.
Nitriding is not recommended as this can easily cause chipping.

SSAB steel sheet grades

Uddeholm tool steel grades

Tool hardness (HRC)

1200 M
1400 M
1500 M
1200 MZE
1400 MZE

Caldie
Sleipner
Vanadis 4 Extra

60

Table 3-5. Recommended tool steel grades for blanking Docol M grades.
30

31

3.4 Application examp les

3.4.1 B-pill ar reinforcement 1

3.4.2 Bumper for passenger car 2

B-pillar reinforcement tool with two choices of tool steel

material. Both choices areproven to run smoothly.

Tooling for bumper to passenger car.

Figure 3-33. B-pillar reinforcement.

Cold work operations

Blanking and bending

Cold work operations

Blanking and stamping

Work material:

Docol 800 DP

Work material:

Docol 1000 DP

Work material thickness:

2.0 mm

Work material thickness:

2.0 mm

Number of parts produced per year:

82 000

Number of parts produced per year:

300 000

Tool material in left blanking punch:

Uddeholm Sleipner

Tool material in blanking tool:

Uddeholm Vanadis 4

Tool material in right blanking punch:

Uddeholm Sverker 21

Hardness of blanking tool:

HRC 60

Tool material in left blanking die:

Uddeholm Sleipner

Tool material in forming tool:

Uddeholm Vancron 40

Tool material in right blanking die:

Uddeholm Sverker 21

Tool material in right forming tool:

Uddeholm Vanadis 4 + CVD, TiCN

Hardness of left and right blanking tool:

HRC 62

Hardness of forming tool:

HRC 60

Hardness of hole punch:

HRC 60

Surface roughness of forming tools:

Tool material in left forming tool:

Uddeholm Vancron 40

Lubrication

Tool material in right forming tool:

Uddeholm Sleipner + CVD, TiC+TiN

Hardness of left forming die:

HRC 62

Hardness of right forming die:

HRC 62

Surface roughness of forming tools:

Ra 0.1 m

Lubrication

8% oil emulsion

2. Courtesy of Essa Palau, Barcelona, Spain.

1 Courtesy of Finnveden Metal Structures, Olofstrom, Sweden.

Figure 3-34. Bumper for passenger car.

Figure 3-35. Tow hook bracket.

3.4.3 Tow hook bracket 1

Tooling for tow hook bracket.
Cold work operations

Blanking and bending

Work material:

Docol 1400 M

Work material thickness:

2 mm

Number of parts produced per year:

82 000

Tool material in blanking punch:

Uddeholm Sleipner

Tool material in blanking die:

Uddeholm Vanadis 4 Extra

Hardness of blanking tools:

HRC 60

Tool material in forming punch:

Uddeholm Sleipner

Tool material in forming die:

Uddeholm Vanadis 4 Extra

Hardness of forming punch:

HRC 58

Hardness of forming die:

HRC 60

Surface roughness of forming tools:

Lubrication

No additional lubrication

1. Courtesy of Finnveden Metal Structures, Olofstrom, Sweden.

32

33

4 Lubrication

5 Tooling economy

4.1 Forming tool operations

4.2 Cutting tool operations

In forming, the friction between two surfaces in relative motion can

be reduced by lubricating the surfaces. The most common lubrication type in stamping sheet steel is mixed lubrication, in which the
lubricating film thickness allows for contact between the peaks of
the tool and the work material surface. The lubricant is locked up
in the irregularities in the surface, and together with the surface
peaks, takes up the contact pressure in the forming process. This
puts demand on the work material surface roughness (for cold
rolled material, EN 10130 - normal surface is valid), and the lubricants ability to neutralise newly developed reactive surfaces.
The viscosity of the lubricant has a large impact on sheet forming
process. Low viscosity lubricants (2550 cSt) are used for simpler
sheet forming operations, but for more demanding stamping operations, a higher viscosity lubricant should be used. See Figure 4-1 for
the lubricant viscosity influence.

The importance of using additional lubricants depends on several

factors when blanking/punching and cutting/shearing advanced high
strength steel. Steel grade, sheet thickness and sheet surface have
a large influence as well as the tool geometry. In general, lubrication is more important for lower sheet strengths, thicker material
and more complex blanking/punching shapes, for example, hole
punching with sharp radii in a thick sheet material. Recommended
lubricants for blanking/punching in advanced high strength steel
are types that resist high contact pressure. The need for additional
lubricants differs depending on sheet grades as indicated below.
4.2.1 Domex MC grades
For hot rolled sheets the use of additional lubricant will benefit the
tool life. In particular thicker sheets the lubricant can also reduce
the cutting force as well as the retraction force due to lower friction.
4.2.2 Docol DP/DL, L A and ROLL grades
It is good practice to use lubricants when blanking/punching advanced high strength steel of this type. The ferrite content of these
steels introduces a certain amount of sticking on the punch tool,
which can be reduced by using additional lubricants.

It is very important that a tool produces the required number of

parts with a minimum of down time. Production stoppages due
to tool breakage or frequent refurbishing cause costly production
delays and lower productivity in general. There are several possible
issues with the tooling.
The chain from tool design to tool maintenance must remain
intact - any weak link can lead to deficiencies. One very important
link is the tool material. The tool material has to have the right
properties for the application and be of a consistent high quality in
order to give reliable tooling.
Advanced tool steel manufacturing processes such as powder
metallurgy, ESR and high quality conventional metallurgy mean
that extra efforts are made during the production of the tool
steel which result in steels that are more expensive than standard
grades. However, it should not be forgotten that the tool steel cost
is only a small fraction of the total cost of producing a tool - it is
only the tip of the iceberg!
If the production costs, including costs for stoppages and maintenance for a certain batch size are considered; the use of a higher
quality tool steel will lead to a small increase in the cost of the
tooling, but usually give a large return on the investment. This is
illustrated in Figure 5-2.

Figure 5-1. Tool steel cost - only the tip of the iceberg.

4.2.3 Dogal DP/CP, L AD and ROLL grades

Figure 4-1. The influence of lubricant viscosity on drawing. Maximum cup height
using lubricant viscosity 500 cSt (left cup) and 40 cSt (right cup).

4.2.4 Docol M and MZE grades

For fully martensitic cold rolled sheet grades such as Docol M, the
need for additional lubricants is small. The delivery oil gives adequate
lubrication for blanking/punching and cutting/shearing. These sheet
grades do not have a tendency to stick onto the tool.
The need for lubricants is less when blanking/punching hot-dip
galvanized sheet materials such as Docol MZE. The galvanized
surface offers a certain lubricating effect. The zinc coating tends to
adhere to the tool surface after some production time and should
be cleaned off periodically.

Steel 1
Steel 2
Optimal steel

70 000
60 000
Tool cost ()

The need for lubricants is less when blanking/punching hot-dip

galvanized sheet materials. The galvanized surface offers a certain
lubricating effect. The zinc coating tends to adhere to the tool
surface after some production time and should be cleaned off
periodically.

50 000

30 000

Running costs
Regrinds
Repairs
Corrections

20 000

Downtime

40 000

10 000
Initial costs
Tool steel price
Machining
Grinding
Treatments

0
0

5 000

100 000

150 000

200 000

250 000

300 000

Serial length-number of parts

Tool cost for production of 300 000 parts
Steel 1: Ref. tool steel - Too low wear resistance 80 000
Steel 2: Ref. tool steel - Too low chipping resistance: 42 500
Optimal tool steel for the application: 7000

Figure 5-2. Total tool cost considerations. Steps in lines indicates cost for refurbishment.
34

35

6 Technical support

36

6.1 Experts to help you

6.2 Advanced resources for analysis

SSAB and Uddeholm can help you put the benefits of advanced
high strength steels to full use.
Our experts have many years of experience selecting advanced high
strength steel and tool steel in cold work applications.
When changing over to advanced high strength steel, it is important to integrate the material selection, design and production
processes right from the beginning. It is then possible to optimize
the product and production process from both a technical and
economical viewpoint.
The experts at the Knowledge Service Center of SSAB have a
large know-how in material selection and processing as well as leading edge competence in design, forming and joining. The Knowledge
Service Center provides personal contact with the application
engineers and materials experts of SSAB. Instant support is also
available on the internet at www.ssab.com providing full access to a
comprehensive database with detailed product facts, downloadable
product programs, graphs and other information that simplify design
and production.
The experts at Uddeholm in the Technical Customer Service
Department and other product areas have a deep knowledge and
experience in tool steel selection, heat treatment of tool steels and
surface treatments. In the case of tool failures, investigations can be
made to explain and overcome actual tooling deficiencies.
The experts at the local sales offices of both SSAB and
Uddeholm can provide advice and solve tooling issues through
direct local visits

Our companies have the very latest equipment to quickly assist

customers to choose the right grade of steel sheet, the right design
and the right tool steel with the right heat treatment solution.
At SSAB Swedish Steel the facilities include:
The Finite Element Method (FEM)
This method can be used for simulating all of the stages in the
development of a part, such as selection of steel grade, shape of
the blank, method of working, and the final geometrical shape of
the part. FEM can also be used for calculating the energy absorption capability of a part in a crash. All conceivable variants of tool
design, radii, design, thickness and steel grade can be simulated
in a computerized environment in order to find the optimum
solution.
ASAME Equipment
This equipment can check quickly that our customers have
selected the right combination of steel grade and design. ASAME
measures the strain distribution in press-formed parts. The
information is processed in a powerful computer program, and immediate information can be obtained on how the tools, production
methods and design have affected the material. ASAME can perform very detailed analyses of complicated forming operations.
At Uddeholm the facilities include:
Complete Laboratory
A complete laboratory for material investigations and product
development. The laboratory includes a metallographic department
with transmission and scanning electron microscopes, a mechanical
strength laboratory with both static and fatigue test machines and
a machining laboratory for evaluation and development of machining and grinding properties of the tool steels.
Finite Element Method
Finite Element Method simulations of tool loads. FEM is used
for simulation of sheet forming mainly for computation of tool
loads. Predictions of galling is the main issue.

37

6.3 Courses and seminars

6.5 Trial sheets

Both SSAB and Uddeholm regularly arrange courses and seminars

on how the opportunities offered by advanced high strength steel
can be put to use, such as:

Whenever you wish to find out how a new grade of steel sheet
performs in your production equipment or in the intended product, you can order sheets from our Trial Material Store. Almost
every grade of advanced high strength steel produced by SSAB is
available with very short notice from our trial material stock.

Steel sheet course that offers fundamental knowledge of steel

production, and the properties and applications of the various
steel grades.
Tool steel course that offers fundamental knowledge of tool
steel production, tool steel treatments, properties,
applications and tool steel selection.
Seminars providing the delegates with in-depth knowledge of
sizing, design, working, forming and joining of advanced high
strength steel grades as well as selection of tool steel solutions
including advice regarding heat treatment.
Seminars tailored for individual companies.

6.4 Handbooks
Detailed knowledge of the many opportunities offered by
advanced high strength steels and tool steel solutions are
included in the SSAB handbooks:
The Sheet Steel Handbook provides the basis for design and
gives advice on design and choice of material and production
processes.
The Sheet Steel Forming Handbook provides increased
knowledge of material properties, size shearing, plastic
forming and tooling materials.
The Sheet Steel Joining Handbook provides increased
knowledge of all types of welding and joining processes
for advanced high strength steels.

6.6 Product information

Information on all of SSAB steel sheet grades, how they can be
used and worked is available in the SSAB product brochures and
product leaflets.
Information on all Uddeholm tool steel grades, their treatments
and how to select a certain grade are given in product brochures ,
treatment brochures and cutting data recommendations. Examples
of Uddeholm treatment brochures are:
Heat treatment of tool steel
Welding of tool steel
EDM of tool steel
Grinding of tool steel
Polishing of mould steel.
Both SSAB and Uddeholm have a large number of sales offices and
agents all over the world. Product information and questions can
always be handled locally by our local experts.
All product information and guidelines can be found on
www.ssab.com and at www.uddeholm.com or on the Uddeholm
App available for iPhone and Android smartphones.

Network of excellence
UDDEHOLM is present on every continent. This ensures you
high-quality Swedish tool steel and local support wherever you
are. ASSAB is our exclusive sales channel, representing Uddeholm in the Asia Pacific area. Together we secure our position
as the worlds leading supplier of tooling materials.

www.assab.com
38

www.uddeholm.com
39

UDDEHOLM 2013 / STROKIRK KNAPPEN

UDDEHOLM is the worlds leading supplier of tooling materials. This

is a position we have reached by improving our customers everyday
business. Long tradition combined with research and product development equips Uddeholm to solve any tooling problem that may arise.
It is a challenging process, but the goal is clear to be your number one
partner and tool steel provider.
Our presence on every continent guarantees you the same high quality
wherever you are. ASSAB is our exclusive sales channel, representing
Uddeholm in the Asia Pacific area. Together we secure our position as
the worlds leading supplier of tooling materials. We act worldwide, so
there is always an Uddeholm or ASSAB representative close at hand to
give local advice and support. For us it is all a matter of trustin longterm partnerships as well as in developing new products. Trust is
something you earn, every day.
For more information, please visit www.uddeholm.com, www.assab.com
or your local website.

4 STEEL FOR COLD WORK TOOLING

ASSAB