H11 / X38CrMoV5-1
1.2343Cr-Mo-V hot-work tool steel — close relative of H13 with slightly lower C and V. Good hot hardness, thermal fatigue resistance and toughness. Used for forging dies, extrusion tooling, mandrels, and die-casting tools. Often preferred over H13 where higher toughness is needed.
International equivalents
| Flag | Standard | Country | Grade | Number | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 | AISI | USA | AISI H11 | T20811 | REF |
| 🇪🇺 | EN | Europe | X38CrMoV5-1 | 1.2343 | 100% |
Sources: ASTM A681, EN ISO 4957
Chemical composition comparison (wt%)
Side-by-side: H11 / X38CrMoV5-1 (EN) (EN ISO 4957) vs X38CrMoV5-1 (EN) (EN ISO 4957)
| Element | H11 / X38CrMoV5-1 (EN) | X38CrMoV5-1 (EN) | Overlap |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 0.33–0.41% | 0.33–0.41% | OK |
| Si | 0.8–1.2% | 0.8–1.2% | OK |
| Mn | 0.25–0.5% | 0.25–0.5% | OK |
| Cr | 4.8–5.5% | 4.8–5.5% | OK |
| Mo | 1.1–1.5% | 1.1–1.5% | OK |
| V | 0.3–0.5% | 0.3–0.5% | OK |
Mechanical properties
Hardened Tempered
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness HRC | 50–54 | HRC |
| Elastic Modulus | ≥ 210 | GPa |
| Density | ≥ 7.8 | g/cm3 |
Annealed
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness HB | ≤ 229 | HB |
Heat treatment
| Process | Temperature | Medium | Holding Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| quenching | 1000–1030 °C | air or oil | 15-30 min | Preheat 600-850°C before austenitizing |
| tempering | 550–650 °C | air | 1 hour x2 | Double temper mandatory. Secondary hardness peak ~560°C. |
| annealing | 800–850 °C | furnace | 2-4 hours | Slow cool ≤20°C/hour to 600°C |
Compatibility verdict
H11 / X38CrMoV5-1 and X38CrMoV5-1: 100% composition match
Close equivalents but NOT identical.
Related materials
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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