S7 and 01 compared

[Jeremy Grigsby Excelsior Marking]

Were making parts that are used for branding and we are looking to switch materials. We have been using 1018 and most customers don't have complaints. Occasionally there is a customer that has a hotter heating unit and are melting/deforming. I'm looking for any info you guys can give me on which of the tool steels, S7 and O1 would be better in all aspects. Heat resistance, machinability, and so on. If there is a better material than both of these feel free to make any suggestions. We want to make parts that last, but just dont want to discontinue any kind of profits/time to do so. Thanks for all that can help

[g huns]

Might wanna look into H-13. Stays tough even when red hot. Not sure how hot you can get it before it get soft, but it's way higher then 1018.

[betts]

+1 to G huns on the H-13, it is a lower range hot work steel. A "hot work" steel is what you want, but if you want to keep ease of machinability the H-13 would be good.

 

DO NOT use O-1! It is not good with sharp corners at all. I assume with your app. that you would have thin sections and sharp edges. If you want to go with a oil hardened steel, go with O-6.

 

Are you case hardening the 1018 now? You will be heat treating, correct? I can only imagine what pretzel problems you have with 1018 if your shapes are complex at all.

 

If you aren't going to heat treat, try something relatively cheap like 4140 pre-hard.

 

HTH

[dan m]

+1 betts

[Jeremy Grigsby Excelsior Marking]

Yes there are alot of small details in some of it. I guess my questions are too late, we already ordered S7. So what should i watch for in machining this stuff. The finish picking tool I use is a 12 degree single flute .02 nose tool. We have a 15000 rpm spindle. I usually use an .080 11 degree, a .040 11 degree for roughing.

 

[ 04-07-2005, 01:34 PM: Message edited by: JeremyG ]

[g huns]

For fine detail work in S-7 I heat treat it to 50-52Rc an it cuts great. Soft, it's kinda gummy and hard to get a real good finish. I've used .010 ball cutter for engraving without to much trouble.

[betts]

+1 to g huns again

 

BIG difference in machinability when you go above 52Rc with S-7.

 

Jeremy don't feel like you have something inferior to work with using S-7. It is a great tool steel and should not be any trouble to you.

 

Use all the spindle and crank up the feed till she breaks, then back off a little.

[El Scotthead]

Just to reiterate what g huns and betts said: if you have any edm work on your parts, make sure to heat treat the S-7. Soft S-7 kicks soft, pliable, gummy edm burrs that are a real pain in the rump to get rid of without gouging the edges of your part--especially if using high, aggressive power settings. At least, that's my experience.

[JAMMAN]

I'll go +1 on the H13 also. Unless you want to do something crazy like Inconel....

[Kevangel]

I was taught S7 is a shock resistant tool steel and we used it for pass core details in molds that we were worried may be prone to crack..good abrasion resistance, but a "dirty welding" tool steel for mold repair...

[g huns]

quote:

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but a "dirty welding" tool steel for mold repair...

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We weld entirely to much S-7 around here and find it welds pretty good. Never heard this complaint before. What is a clean welding tool steel? Not doubtin ya or anything, just curious.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

H-13 Rc52+ cuts REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL nice. I've not cut S-7.

 

JM2C

[Jeremy Grigsby Excelsior Marking]

Well we dont have an edm. Most of our cutting is done with single flute carbide tools. All 12 Degree (24 degree included)Will these tools hold up with the stuff heat treated to 52 rockwell? The common tip sizes are 080 040 and 020. There are some really small characters also. We use the engraving package to cut these parts.

[Kevangel]

"Dirty weld" was what my boss that owned the mold shop (and did most of repair welding) had said. I assume this was referring to being more prone to pits in the high polish)cavity area. Was taught A-2 high abrasion resistance, good welding repair, but more prone to crack. H-13 excellent weld for repair, very resistant to cracking, more prone to gall in pass core (shut-offs) etc( for picking steels , pluses and minus compared to each other. (some mold shops make everything out of H-13 and don't worry about it.This shop offered warrenties on thier molds so they enginnerred their steel, so this was based on their obsevations...