Wear resistance
Supports sliding, clamping, tooling and mold-contact applications when grade and hardness are selected correctly.
Metal material
Tool Steel Manufacturing and Custom Parts
Wear-resistant steels used for mold inserts, tooling components, fixtures, and loaded parts.
- Wear resistant
- Heat-treatable
- High hardness potential
Material overview
Wear-resistant steel selection for tooling, molds and loaded fixtures.
Tool steel is used when a component needs wear resistance, edge strength, dimensional stability after heat treatment, or durability in a mold or fixture environment. Typical parts include mold inserts, cores, locator blocks, guide details, forming tools and inspection fixtures.
Manufacturing plans must account for grade, hardness target, heat-treatment sequence, grinding or EDM needs, and final inspection. Kewei reviews whether features should be rough machined before heat treatment and finished after hardening to protect critical dimensions.
Key properties
Performance characteristics translated into manufacturing decisions.
Heat treatment
Hardness, distortion risk and finishing allowance must be planned before machining begins.
Tooling stability
Useful for mold inserts, fixture blocks and repeat-use manufacturing details with controlled datum strategy.
Finish compatibility
Polishing, black oxide, nickel plating or PVD may be reviewed depending on function and substrate condition.
Suitable processes
Manufacturing routes for this material.
Compatible Surface Finishes
Surface options reviewed with the base material.
Typical applications
Common Tool Steel part families.
Mold inserts
Core pins
Locator blocks
Wear plates
Fixture details
Forming and checking tools
Design considerations
Control the features that affect function and process stability.
G 01
Define hardness range and whether dimensions apply before or after heat treatment.
G 02
Identify polish, shutoff, wear and sealing faces separately from non-critical surfaces.
G 03
Provide generous radii where function allows to reduce stress concentration.
G 04
Clarify coating thickness, masking and post-coating inspection for fitted features.
Limitations
Requirements that need engineering review.
- Hard materials may require slower machining, grinding, EDM or staged finishing.
- Heat treatment can move critical features if allowance and sequence are not planned.
- Grade substitution can affect wear, toughness, polishability and coating response.
- Sharp internal corners and thin sections can increase cracking or distortion risk.
RFQ checklist
Material details to include in the quotation package.
Clear requirements help engineering, finishing, inspection, and purchasing review the same target.
- 01Exact tool steel grade and hardness target
- 02Heat-treatment sequence and final machining allowance
- 03Critical wear surfaces, shutoff faces and datum features
- 04Finish, coating, inspection and documentation requirements
Related parts
Representative geometry from the parts gallery.
These examples show tooling and wear-oriented geometries. Final grade, hardness and coating requirements must be confirmed for each project.
Injection Mold Insert
Mold Tooling · Tool Steel · Polishing
View part
Polished Tool Steel Core Insert
Injection Mold Tooling · Tool Steel · Polished Mold Finish
View part
Black-Oxide Tool Steel Locator Block
Injection Mold Tooling · Tool Steel · Black Oxide
View part
Linear Rail Carriage Block
CNC Machining · Tool Steel · Black Oxide
View partRelated materials
Compare adjacent material options before freezing the drawing.
FAQ
Tool Steel questions from engineering and sourcing teams.
Can tool steel be machined after heat treatment?
Yes, but hard machining, grinding or EDM may be required. The best route depends on hardness, tolerance, geometry and surface finish requirements.
Should the RFQ include target hardness?
Yes. Grade and hardness influence material sourcing, machining allowance, heat treatment, inspection and finish compatibility.
Is tool steel suitable for mold inserts?
Yes. Mold inserts and tooling details are common applications, but resin, cycle expectations, polish requirements and wear surfaces should be reviewed.
Start your RFQ
Upload your drawings and receive an engineer-reviewed quotation.
Share the material, process, quantity, finish, critical requirements, and delivery needs. contact@kewei-kw.com / +86-13929495765