Cold Work Tool Steel - International Buyer's Selection Guide
Many overseas importers, mold shops and heat-treatment subcontractors run into challenges when sourcing Chinese-manufactured cold work tool steel. Steel grades defined under GB standards cannot be directly interchanged with AISI, DIN or JIS equivalents. Minor differences in chemical composition and available heat-treatment windows may lead to unexpected mold failure if material substitution is carried out without testing.
This reference covers widely used conventional cold work tool steel and powder metallurgy grades. Beyond chemical composition, hardness and heat-treatment data, we have added practical procurement guidance for overseas buyers to streamline your material selection process.
1. Cold Work Tool Steel Overview
Cold work tool steels are developed for operations conducted at ambient temperature, including blanking, stamping, cold extrusion, cold heading and powder compaction. They can be split into two main categories for practical sourcing:
- Conventional ingot cast cold work steel: O1, A2, D3, D2, 9CrWMn, Cr12MoV. Cost-effective for general to medium-volume production runs.
- Powder metallurgy (PM) cold work steel: DC53, Vanadis 4, ASP series. Higher purity, balanced toughness and wear resistance, suitable for high-demand precision molds.
2. Cross-Standard Chemical Composition Data
Grade comparison tables below list typical chemical ranges for common cross-standard materials. Always keep in mind that nominal equivalent grades are not fully interchangeable. Alloy variations will affect machinability and final heat treatment results.
Common oil-hardening general-purpose tool steel, widely adopted for small bending dies and simple blanking tools.
| System | Issuing Body | Typical Grade Format | Coverage |
| AISI / ASTM | AISI / ASTM International | AISI D2, D3, A2, O1, W1, M2, M35 | North America |
| DIN / W.Nr. | DIN (Germany) | 1.2379, 1.2601, 1.2510, 1.3343 | Europe |
| EN ISO 4957 | CEN / ISO | X153CrMoV12, X100CrMoV5 | Europe / Global |
| JIS | JIS (Japan) | SKD11, SKS3, SKH-9, SKH-55 | Japan / Asia |
| GB | SAC (China) | Cr12MoV, 9CrWMn, W6Mo5Cr4V2 | China |
| BS | BSI (UK) | BD2, BO1, BM2 | UK / Commonwealth |
A2 / 1.2363 / SKD12
Air-hardening steel with low distortion after quenching, preferred for precision tooling with tight dimensional tolerance requirements.
| AISI / ASTM | DIN W.Nr. | EN ISO 4957 | JIS | GB / China | Notes |
| O1 | 1.251 | 100MnCrW4 | SKS3 | 9CrWMn | Oil-hardening, low distortion |
| A2 | 1.2363 | X100CrMoV5 | SKD12 | Cr5Mo1V | Air-hardening, medium wear |
| D2 | 1.2379 | X153CrMoV12 | (SKD11) | Cr12Mo1V1 | High-C high-Cr, high wear |
| D3 | 1.208 | X210Cr12 | SKD1 | Cr12 | High-C high-Cr, max wear |
| D6 | 1.2436 | X210CrW12 | – | Cr12W | Tungsten-bearing variant |
| H11 | 1.2343 | X37CrMoV5-1 | SKD6 | 4Cr5MoSiV | Hot-work (out of scope) |
| H13 | 1.2344 | X40CrMoV5-1 | SKD61 | 4Cr5MoSiV1 | Hot-work (out of scope) |
| M2 | 1.3343 | HS6-5-2 | SKH-9 | W6Mo5Cr4V2 | High-speed steel |
| M35 | 1.3243 | HS6-5-2-5 | SKH-55 | W6Mo5Cr4V2Co5 | Co-bearing HSS |
| W1 | 1.1525 | C80W1 | SK1 / SK2 | T8 / T10 | Water-hardening carbon |
| – | 1.2601 | X165CrMoV12 | SKD11 | Cr12MoV | Approx. equivalent |
D3 / 1.2080 / SKD1
High-carbon high-chromium steel focused on wear resistance, used for molds operating under severe abrasive conditions.
| Element | AISI D2 (ASTM A681) | DIN 1.2379 | JIS SKD11 | GB Cr12Mo1V1 |
| C | 1.40 – 1.60 | 1.45 – 1.60 | 1.40 – 1.60 | 1.40 – 1.60 |
| Si | 0.10 – 0.60 | 0.20 – 0.60 | ≤ 0.40 | ≤ 0.60 |
| Mn | 0.20 – 0.60 | 0.20 – 0.60 | ≤ 0.60 | ≤ 0.60 |
| Cr | 11.00 – 13.00 | 11.00 – 13.00 | 11.00 – 13.00 | 11.00 – 12.50 |
| Mo | 0.70 – 1.20 | 0.70 – 1.00 | 0.80 – 1.20 | 0.70 – 1.10 |
| V | 0.50 – 1.10 | 0.70 – 1.00 | 0.20 – 0.50 | 0.50 – 0.90 |
| P | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.030 |
| S | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.030 |
D2 / 1.2379 / SKD11 & Cr12MoV
Commonly requested by overseas buyers. Cr12MoV (Chinese GB grade) shares similar chromium content with D2, yet delivers different performance after tempering. Direct replacement without trials is not advised.
| AISI / ASTM | DIN W.Nr. | EN ISO 4957 | JIS | GB / China | Notes |
| O1 | 1.251 | 100MnCrW4 | SKS3 | 9CrWMn | Oil-hardening, low distortion |
| A2 | 1.2363 | X100CrMoV5 | SKD12 | Cr5Mo1V | Air-hardening, medium wear |
| D2 | 1.2379 | X153CrMoV12 | (SKD11) | Cr12Mo1V1 | High-C high-Cr, high wear |
| D3 | 1.208 | X210Cr12 | SKD1 | Cr12 | High-C high-Cr, max wear |
| D6 | 1.2436 | X210CrW12 | – | Cr12W | Tungsten-bearing variant |
| H11 | 1.2343 | X37CrMoV5-1 | SKD6 | 4Cr5MoSiV | Hot-work (out of scope) |
| H13 | 1.2344 | X40CrMoV5-1 | SKD61 | 4Cr5MoSiV1 | Hot-work (out of scope) |
| M2 | 1.3343 | HS6-5-2 | SKH-9 | W6Mo5Cr4V2 | High-speed steel |
| M35 | 1.3243 | HS6-5-2-5 | SKH-55 | W6Mo5Cr4V2Co5 | Co-bearing HSS |
| W1 | 1.1525 | C80W1 | SK1 / SK2 | T8 / T10 | Water-hardening carbon |
| – | 1.2601 | X165CrMoV12 | SKD11 | Cr12MoV | Approx. equivalent |
DC53 (Daido PM-grade cold work steel)
Recognized as an improved alternative to SKD11, featuring notably higher toughness. It is heavily used for progressive dies and workpieces requiring Wire-EDM processing.
| Element | AISI D2 (ASTM A681) | DIN 1.2379 | JIS SKD11 | GB Cr12Mo1V1 |
| C | 1.40 – 1.60 | 1.45 – 1.60 | 1.40 – 1.60 | 1.40 – 1.60 |
| Si | 0.10 – 0.60 | 0.20 – 0.60 | ≤ 0.40 | ≤ 0.60 |
| Mn | 0.20 – 0.60 | 0.20 – 0.60 | ≤ 0.60 | ≤ 0.60 |
| Cr | 11.00 – 13.00 | 11.00 – 13.00 | 11.00 – 13.00 | 11.00 – 12.50 |
| Mo | 0.70 – 1.20 | 0.70 – 1.00 | 0.80 – 1.20 | 0.70 – 1.10 |
| V | 0.50 – 1.10 | 0.70 – 1.00 | 0.20 – 0.50 | 0.50 – 0.90 |
| P | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.030 |
| S | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.030 |
Vanadis & ASP Powder Metallurgy Steel Series
Premium PM grades for continuous high-speed production, suitable for stainless steel and titanium forming work.
| Process | Parameter | Target |
| Annealing (Soft) | 840 – 870 °C, slow cool | ≤ 255 HBW |
| Austenitizing | 1010 – 1050 °C | – |
| Quenching | Air or oil (vacuum preferred) | – |
| Tempering (low-temp) | 180 – 200 °C × 2 h | 60 – 62 HRC |
| Tempering (high-temp) | 510 – 540 °C × 2 h × 2 cycles | 58 – 60 HRC |
| Stress relieving | 600 – 650 °C after rough machining | – |
3. Heat Treatment & Hardness Reference
All annealing, quenching and tempering parameters shown below serve as typical reference values. Real achievable hardness depends on furnace equipment, workpiece thickness and cooling conditions. Final technical indicators should follow the mill test certificate provided by the steel manufacturer.
| Process | Parameter | Target |
| Annealing (Soft) | 840 – 870 °C, slow cool | ≤ 255 HBW |
| Austenitizing | 1010 – 1050 °C | – |
| Quenching | Air or oil (vacuum preferred) | – |
| Tempering (low-temp) | 180 – 200 °C × 2 h | 60 – 62 HRC |
| Tempering (high-temp) | 510 – 540 °C × 2 h × 2 cycles | 58 – 60 HRC |
| Stress relieving | 600 – 650 °C after rough machining | – |
4. Material Performance Comparison
Material selection requires balance between toughness, wear resistance, machinability and dimensional stability. High-wear resistant grades usually come with reduced toughness, raising cracking risks for sharp corners and thin mold sections.
| Property | Rating (1–5) | Comment |
| Wear resistance | ★★★★★ | Best-in-class for cold work |
| Toughness | ★★★☆☆ | Lower than SKD11/DC53 |
| Hardenability | ★★★★★ | Air-hardens through Ø100 mm |
| Machinability (annealed) | ★★★☆☆ | Carbides reduce tool life |
| Dimensional stability | ★★★★☆ | Vacuum HT recommended |
| Weldability | ★★☆☆☆ | Not recommended |
5. Grade Selection Based on Application
- General blanking, bending, low-volume tooling: O1, 9CrWMn
- Precision molds requiring minimal heat-treatment distortion: A2
- Long-run stamping with strong abrasive wear: D2, Cr12MoV
- Progressive dies, Wire-EDM machining, high toughness demand: DC53
- Heavy-load cold extrusion, mass production of high-strength components: Vanadis 4, ASP series PM steel
6. International Procurement Key Notes
This section covers practical risks most overseas buyers encounter when importing cold work tool steel from China, rarely mentioned in standard manufacturer data sheets.
6.1 Grade Equivalence Risks
No direct one-to-one match exists between GB steel grades and AISI / DIN specifications. Selecting materials only based on similar grade names often results in premature mold damage.
6.2 Required Documentation
Most Western importers demand Mill Test Certificates compliant with EN 10204 3.1. Confirm document availability with your supplier before placing formal orders.
6.3 Heat Treatment Differences
Production processes adopted by Chinese steel mills differ from European premium brands. Adjust tempering cycles accordingly if switching from Uddeholm, Bohler or ASSab material to Chinese equivalent steel.
6.4 Export Compliance
Confirm HS code classification, certificate of origin and pre-shipment inspection requirements ahead of production to avoid delays at destination customs.
7. Frequently Asked Questions
No. Though the two grades have comparable chromium content, carbon, molybdenum levels differ. Heat treatment behavior and toughness cannot match perfectly. Trial testing is necessary for any replacement.
In most progressive die scenarios DC53 delivers improved toughness and reduces cracking risk during Wire-EDM, making it a popular upgrade option compared to standard SKD11.
Priority documents include EN 10204 3.1 Mill Test Certificate, commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin. Additional inspection reports can be arranged upon request.
Oil-hardening steel such as O1 requires oil cooling after quenching. Air-hardening grades like A2 cool naturally in air, bringing lower distortion yet higher raw material cost.
Request Further Technical Support
If you need detailed datasheets, material sample support or formal quotation for cold work tool steel, feel free to get in touch with our team. We can suggest suitable grades according to your working conditions and target budget.