A2 tool steel properties
A2 tool steel is an air hardening, cold work steel. A2 is a 5% Chromium steel which provides high hardness after heat treatment with good dimensional stability. It is heat treatable and will offer a hardness in the range 57-62 HRC.
The lower chromium content in A2 tool steel means that it does not provide the same wear and abrasion resistance shown by D2 and D3, However, it is more easily machined and will hold a good edge.
A2 delivers good toughness with medium wear resistance and is relatively easy to machine. Used in many applications which require good wear resistance as well as good toughness.
Typical Applications for A2 Steel:
- blanking tools
- punch dies
- trim dies
- forming dies
- gauges
- shear blades
- stamping dies
AISI A2 equivalent grades: BS4659 - BA2, AISI - A2, DIN - 1.2363 - X100CrMoV5
Steel express is a stockholder and supplier of A2 tool steel, we can supply from stock and cut to order.
We can supply A2 tool steel in flats, squares, hot rolled rounds and cold drawn rounds
Typical chemical composition of AISI A2 Tool Steel |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Mn | Cr | Ni | Mo | V |
| 1.00% | 1.0% | 5.00% | 0.30% | 1.0% | 0.15-0.5% |
Forging:
Heat the A2 slowly to 700°C then more rapidly to 1050-1100°C. Avoid working below 900°C. Reheat as often as necessary to maintain proper forging temperature. After forging cool very slowly.
Annealing:
Soak thoroughly at 840-850°C, then slowly furnace cool at a rate of not more than 20°C per hour. After annealing A2 a maximum hardness of 215 Brinell may be achieved.
Stress relieving:
After heavy grinding or machine it is advisable to stress relieve A2 to reduce the danger of cracking or distortion during subsequent heat treatments. Heat slowly to 670-700°C, soak for a minimum of two hours per 25mm of section then cool down in the furnace.
Hardening:
Pre heat slowly to 600-700°C and soak. Continue heating to the final hardening temperature of 950/980°C and allow the component to equalise. Quench in oil or cool in air.
Tempering:
Heat uniformly and thoroughly to the desired temperature and hold for 25 minutes per cm of thickness. A2 tool steel can be double tempering, after intermediate cooling to room temperature. Temper at 200°C for a balance of hardness and strength or 350°C where strength is more important than hardness.
Tempering A2 tool Steel |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tempering °C |
150 |
200 |
250 |
300 |
350 |
400 |
HRC |
62/61 |
61/60 |
60/59 |
59/58 |
58/57 |
58/57 |
Disclaimer:
The information presented here for A2 steel are typical or average values and are not a guarantee of maximum or minimum values. Uses described are made only for the purpose of illustration to enable the reader to make their own evaluation and are not intended as warranties, either express or implied, of fitness for these or other purposes.
Tool Steel
Useful tools
