Metallic mold materials.

ALUMINUM CO. OF AMERICA

Wrought aluminum plate for blow, injection and compression molds. Alcoa QC-7 mold plate is designed specially for blow and injection molds where high strength, thermal conductivity and hardness are required. The 6061 mold plate in two tempers and thicknesses from 6 through 20 in.

AMPCO METAL, INC.

Copper alloys for blow and injection molds. Three high-conductivity alloys--Ampco 97, 940 and 945--optimize thermal conductivity, hardness, corrosion resistance and wear resistance. They are said to be cost-effective alternatives to beryllium-copper and provide thermal coductivities of 80-190, thermal diffusivities of 1.42-3.76, and hardness of 143-290 Bhn. Applications include molds and mold inserts, pinch-offs, blow and core pins, lifters, guide-pin and leader-pin bushings, and unscrewing mold components. Conventional machining and EDM methods can be employed. Surface finishes of 4 RMS are possible. Alloys are readily welded to accommodate stainless-steel overlays and come in standard sizes of bar, rod, tube and plate.

BRUSH WELLMAN INC.

Moldmax and Protherm beryllium-copper alloys reportedly improve performance of injection molds. Benefits include reduced cycle time and better dimensional control, based on rapid and more uniform removal of heat from the plastic part.

CRUCIBLE SERVICE CENTERS

Full line of mold materials includes stainless steels for molding highly abrasive engineered resins, copper alloys for rapid heat dissipation, and aluminum for blow molds and short-run tooling. Company's 23 service centers offer custom curing, technical assistance and research.

D-M-E CO.

Six grades of mold steel--three for structural sections and three for cavities and cores. Structural steels include: D-M-E No. 1, a medium-carbon SAE 1030 grade; D-M-E No. 2, an AISI 4130 grade, preheat-treated to 269-321 Bhn (28-34 Rc); and D-M-E No. 7, a modified AISI 420-F holder-block stainless, pre-heat-treated to 305-342 Bhn (33-37 Rc).

Cavity and core grades include D-M-E No. 3, a P-20 type steel preheat-treated to 277-331 Bhn (29-36 Rc); D-M-E No. 5, an H-13 type hot-work steel, annealed to approx. 200 Bhn (1320 Rc); and D-M-E No. 6, a T420 type stainless, annealed to 200-240 Bhn (1423 Rc).

A. FINKL & SONS CO.

Hot-work mold steels are melted using V.A.D. degassing system and further refined in a V.A.R. furnace for a double, vacuum-produced product. Steels are upset-forged, utilizing wide dies with a minimum reduction of area of 5:1. AISI-type P-20 and 4140 steels are cold-water quenched for maximum grain refinement and through-hardening, and then machined and sonic examined to industry standards. Modifications available of P-20, 4140, Holder Block, 420 S.S. and H-13 (air-melted and double-vacuum-melted).

HASCO-INTERNORM CORP. WEST

Five grades of tool steels include AISI/SAE types 1020, P20, and H13.

INTERNATIONAL MOLD STEELS

PX-5 steel reportedly has a more refined grain structure than P-20 steel, and is said to polish to a better finish. Also said to have twice the toughness of typical Cr-Mo materials, eliminating cracking problems.

PERFORMANCE ALLOYS & SERVICES

High-conductivity, beryllium-free copper alloys for core and cavity making, and aluminum bronze alloys for wear applications such as slides, wear plates, gibs, bushings, and ejector sleeves.

THYSSEN SPECIALTY STEELS, INC.

Tool steels include:

* Thyssen Holder (4140 modified), pre-heat-treated (24/32 Rc); a free-machining alloy steel designed specifically for mold bases. High tensile strength.

* Thyroplast 2738, AISI P-20 modified, high-quality, prehardened mold steel (28/34 Rc) for large plastic molds requiring high core hardness.

* Thyssen P-20 Super, AISI P-20 modified, prehardened (34/38 Rc); for plastic molds requiting compressive strength, wear, toughness, and long runs.

* Thyroplast 2316 FM, AISI 420 F modified, prehardened, Ca-treated (34/38 Rc); a free-machining, corrosion-resistant stainless steel for mold frames, holders and bolsters for all molding.

* Thyroplast 2083 Supra, AISI 420 modified, annealed; an electroslag-remelted stainless tool steel capable of being heat-treated to high hardness, particularly suited to compression and injection molding, which require excellent polishability and corrosion resistance for long production runs.

* Thyrotherm 2344 Supra, ESR AISI Premium H-13, annealed; an electroslag-remelted, high-performance tool steel with excellent toughness for molds needing high wear resistance and polish-ability.

Nonferrous alloys include:

* Thyssen Aluminum 6061 alloy for high thermal conductivity and good machinability.

* Thyssen Alumold, a new high-strength, high-quality aluminum alloy, suitable for small to medium production runs, has excellent through-hardening ability, thermal conductivity and high weight strength-to-ratio.

* Thyssen beryllium-copper alloys in three different conditions for high thermal conductivity, good hardness, and machinability.

UDDEHOLM CORP.

Mold steels include Impax Supreme, P-20 modified, premium-quality, pre-hardened grade with reportedly excellent polishing and photo-etching properties; Orvar Supreme, H13 modified, through-hardening mold steel said to have excellent machinability, polishability and toughness; and Compax through hardening steel with good toughness at high hardness and moderate wear resistance. Rigor (A2) is a medium-alloyed mold steel with high wear resistance. For very high wear resistance, ASP 23 and Vanadis powder-metallurgy grades are available.

Stainless mold and holder steels offer low-maintenance, long-run operations. Grades specially developed for optimum tool performance include Stavax ESR, 420F modified, through-hardening mold steel with good corrosion resistance, high wear resistance, and excellent polishability. Ramax S, 420F modified, is a pre-hardened holder or mold-base steel said to have excellent machinability and good resistance to indentation. Elmax is a wear-resistant powder-metallurgy stainless grade for cavity-insert molds that process abrasive engineering resins.

Complementary tooling products offered include Alumec 89 high-strength aluminum tooling material with excellent machinability and polishability. Several grades of beryllium-copper mold alloys are available, including Moldmax and Protherm products from Brush Wellman Inc.