AISI 01 tool steel

Introduction

We manufacture forging ingots, billets, and blooms in tool steel specifically for AISI 01, designed for high-quality tooling applications requiring good wear resistance, toughness, and hardenability.

AISI 01 is a medium-carbon, medium-chromium plain carbon tool steel known for its excellent machinability in the annealed condition, good toughness, and good hardenability. It is ideal for manufacturing tools that require moderate wear resistance and toughness, such as dies, punches, and cutting tools.

This grade can be heat treated to achieve a balance of hardness and toughness, making it suitable for a wide range of tooling applications in engineering and manufacturing.

Chemical composition

Element	Content (%)	Function / effect
Carbon (c)	0.85 – 1.00	Provides hardness and wear resistance
Manganese (mn)	0.20 – 0.40	Improves toughness and hardenability
Silicon (si)	0.10 – 0.30	Deoxidizer; improves elasticity
Chromium (cr)	0.40 – 0.60	Increases hardness and wear resistance
Phosphorus (p)	Max 0.030	Controlled to improve toughness
Sulphur (s)	Max 0.030	Controlled for better machinability

Mechanical properties (typical – quenched & tempered)

• Tensile strength: 850 – 1100 MPa
• Yield strength: 600 – 900 MPa
• Hardness: 55 – 62 HRC
• Toughness: Good
• Machinability: Excellent in annealed condition

Heat treatment

• Annealing: softens the steel to improve machinability prior to final processing
• Quenching: heating to 790 – 820°c followed by oil quench to obtain hardness
• Tempering: reheating to controlled temperatures to balance hardness and toughness
• Stress relieving: used to reduce internal stresses after machining

Key features and benefits

• Good machinability in annealed condition
• Balanced hardness and toughness after heat treatment
• Excellent wear resistance for tooling applications
• Suitable for medium to high stress tools and dies
• Cost-effective and reliable tool steel grade

Typical applications

• Cold work tools such as dies and punches
• Forming tools
• Blanking and cutting tools
• General tooling where moderate wear resistance is required
• Machined parts requiring high strength and durability

Equivalent steel grades

• Din 1.2510
• Jis sks3
• En 1.2601

Why choose AISI 01 for your application?

AISI 01 offers an excellent balance of machinability, hardness, and toughness, making it ideal for tooling applications that require good wear resistance without sacrificing toughness. Its reliability and cost-effectiveness make it a popular choice for cold work tools, dies, and general engineering tools.

Comparison table for similar grades

Grade	Carbon (%)	Chromium (%)	Key applications	Comments
Aisi 01	0.85 – 1.00	0.40 – 0.60	Cold work tools	Good machinability, balanced properties
Aisi o1	Same as 01	Same as 01	Tooling applications	Common designation
Aisi D2	1.50 – 1.60	11.0 – 13.0	High wear resistance tools	Higher chromium for wear resistance

Summary

AISI 01 is a medium carbon tool steel that provides excellent machinability and good performance after heat treatment. It is widely used in tooling applications requiring moderate wear resistance and toughness, making it a versatile and economical choice for engineering and manufacturing industries.