The Development of High Hard and Tough Matrix Type High Speed Tool Steels  
By SHUN-SUKE NAKAHAMA*1, YUKINORI MATSUDA*2, KUNIO NAMIKI*3, KOZO OZAKI*4

1. Introduction

Molds and dies are important fundamentals to support automobile and electrical appliance industries. To meet user's requirements such as cost reduction and short delivery time, plastic work technology has drastically improved. Among them are near-net shaped higher precision forgings by warm or cold forging. Consequently, the tools are subjected to critical conditions such as high static and impact load and sliding wear, which requires molds and dies much far higher hardness and toughness.^'1),2) 

To meet these severe requirements we have analyzed failure modes on conventional tools in detail and developed new matrix type steels named DRM 1 to DRM3. These grades are characterized by their superior balance of toughness and hardness and cover wide variety dies from hot to cold forging. The concept of the development and the fundamental properties are reported in this paper with the application study.

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