40CrMnMo7
1.2311Pre-hardened plastic mold steel — delivered at 28-32 HRC, ready for machining without further heat treatment. The European equivalent of AISI P20. Cr-Mn-Mo composition for good through-hardenability in large sections. THE workhorse mold base material for injection molds, compression molds, and die casting dies. Good machinability, polishability, and photo-etchability. Used for mold frames, large injection molds, blow molds, and structural die components.
International equivalents
| Flag | Standard | Country | Grade | Number | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 | AISI | USA | AISI P20 (close) | — | REF |
| 🇪🇺 | EN | Europe | 40CrMnMo7 / 1.2311 | 1.2311 | 100% |
Sources: ASTM A681, EN ISO 4957
Mechanical properties — Pro
Pre-hardened (delivered)
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile Strength | ||
| Yield Strength | ||
| Hardness HRC | ||
| Elastic Modulus | ||
| Density |
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P20 / 40CrMnMo7
1.2311Pre-hardened plastic mold steel (usually delivered at 28-34 HRC). The most widely used mold base steel globally. Good machinability in pre-hardened condition, good polishability. Used for injection molds, die-casting dies, extrusion tooling, and structural mold components.
M2 / HS6-5-2
1.3343The most widely used high-speed steel worldwide. W-Mo-Cr-V composition gives excellent red hardness (cuts at temperatures up to 600°C). Used for twist drills, end mills, taps, reamers, bandsaw blades, and general-purpose cutting tools. The benchmark HSS grade.
X45NiCrMo4
1.2767Nickel cold-work tool steel with exceptional toughness from ~4% Ni content. Excellent through-hardenability, polishability, and impact resistance. Used for plastic injection molds (high-gloss), embossing dies, scrap shear blades, punches, cutlery dies, and bending tools.
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