AISI D-2 Wear Resistant Air – Hardening Tool Steel The cold work tool steel listed under the symbol "D" are all characterized by high carbon content. Our D – 2 grade is a fine quality of tool steel that is air hardening and therefore offers a high degree of dimensional stability in heat treatment. Its high carbon and vanadium content provides for its excellent wear and abrasion resistance qualities.  If your application is demanding, our D -2 should be considered due to its hardness.  It is free of decarb and other surface imperfections. Its low sulphur content makes it non-free machining.   Typical applications include: -  Blanking dies    -  Gages    -  Rolls -  Brick mold liners   -  Knurls    -  Sand slingers -  Burnishing tools   -  Lamination dies  -  Shear knives -  Cold forming dies   -  Punches   -  Slitter knives -  Drawing dies  The chemical composition of our grade D - 2 ground flat stock falls within ranges that are rigidly monitored. These chemical ranges are shown below * Precision Ground Tolerances  Thickness: +/-.001"  Width - Up to 8": -.000/+.005" Width - 9" and Over: -.000/+.015" Square:  +/-.001" Length - 18": Length - 24": Length - 36": Squareness (All Edges): +1/4" +1/2" +5/8" .003" per Inch Hardening Rate of Heating: Very Slowly   Preheat Temperature: 1,500 F (816) C Hardening Temperature: 1,800 – 1,875 F  (982 – 1024) C Time at Temperature:  Minutes 15-45 Quenching Medium:  Air Tempering Tempering Temperature: 400 – 1,000 F    (204 – 538) C Approximate Tempered Hardness: HRC     54 - 61 Attributes WEAR RESISTANCE HIGH  TO VERY HIGH TOUGHNESS  LOW RESISTANCE TO SOFTENING MEDIUM TO HIGH DEPTH OF HARDENING DEEP MACHINABILITY LOW GRINDABILITY LOW DISTORTION IN HEAT-TREATING LOWEST RESISTANCE TO CRACKING HIGHEST RESISTANCE TO DECARBURIZATION MEDUIM Close Window *Source: Steel Products Manual – "TOOL STEELS" a publication of the Iron and Steel  Society  - June 2000