HOT WORK steels, as their name implies, are used where operating temperatures of the tool may reach levels where resistance to softening, heat checking and shock is important. It has high heat resistance and medium wear resistance, Distortion in hardening is low.

This group of steels is excellent for such uses as die-casting dies, extrusion dies, plastic molding dies, hot forging dies, hot gripper and heading dies, hot mandrels, hot work punches, and hot shear knives.

Characterised by the following properties, among other things:

• Resistance to tempering
• Resistance to thermal shocks
• High-temperature strength
• High-temperature toughness
• High-temperature wear resistance
• High-temperature corrosion resistance