A-6 tool steel air-hardens at a relatively low temperature (approximately the same temperature as oil-hardening grades) and is dimensionally stable. Therefore it is commonly used for dies, forming tools, and gauges that do not require extreme wear resistance but do need high stability.
A-6 tool steel air-hardens at a relatively low temperature (approximately the same temperature as oil-hardening grades) and is dimensionally stable. Therefore it is commonly used for dies, forming tools, and gauges that do not require extreme wear resistance but do need high stability.
| C | CO | CR | MN | MO | NI | P | S | SI | V | W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.65 – 0.75 | 0.90 – 1.40 | 1.80 – 2.50 | 0.90 – 1.40 | 0.10 – 0.70 |
Flats • Hollowbar • Metric • Non-Standard • Rounds • Squares • Standard
| Bending Tools | Blanking Dies – Large | Cams |
| Coining Dies | Feed Fingers | Forming Dies – Large |
| Heavy Duty Punches | Mandrels | Master Hubs |
| Notching Dies | Plastic Molds | Precision Tools |
| Retaining Rings | Rim Rolls | Shear Blades |
| Spindles | Stripper Plates |
ASTM A681 (A-6)-US
FED QQ-T-570-US
UNS T30i06-US
AISI A6 Air Hardening Tool Steel-US
| Treatment | Temperature Range | Cooling/Quenching | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forging | 1950-2050° F | Slow. | Do not forge below 1700° F. Anneal after forging. Cool slowly in the furnace or bury in lime, fine dry asher or other insulating media. |
| Annealing | 1325-1375° F | Cool slowly at a rate of 25° F per hour to 1000° F. | |
| Stress Relieving | 1200-1250° F | Slow. | Stress relieve after rough machining |
| Preheating | Preheating is not necessary but may be performed at 1200-1250° F. | ||
| Hardening | 1500-1600° F | Cool in still air or in air blast. | Allow to cool to 125-150° F before tempering. Soak time is 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Minimum of 30 minutes |
| Tempering | Temper for 1 Hr. per inch of thickness with a minimum of 2 Hrs. Recommended temperature is 350-700° F. |