1.2493 Steel Overview:
1.2493 is a premium-grade high-carbon, high-chromium cold work tool steel celebrated for its superior wear resistance, exceptional toughness, and remarkable retention of hardness even at elevated temperatures. This steel belongs to the elite category of high-alloyed chromium-molybdenum-vanadium steels, making it an indispensable material in the manufacturing sector for crafting cutting tools, forming dies, and other critical cold work applications.
Chemical Composition:
Properties:
1. High Wear Resistance: 1.2493 steel stands out due to its outstanding wear resistance, attributed to its high chromium content. This feature makes it an ideal choice for applications subjected to abrasive wear and heavy loads.
2. Good Toughness: Despite its impressive hardness, 1.2493 steel maintains excellent toughness, significantly minimizing the risk of fractures or failures during demand-intensive operations.
3. High Hardness Retention: The specialized alloy composition of 1.2493 steel ensures it retains high hardness levels even under elevated temperatures. This guarantees consistent cutting performance and exceptional dimensional stability across various applications.
4. Excellent Edge Retention: When subjected to proper heat treatment, 1.2493 steel showcases superior edge retention, allowing for sharp cutting edges that enhance productivity and extend the tool's operational life.
Applications:
1. Cutting Tools: 1.2493 steel is extensively utilized in the production of cutting tools, including knives, blades, and shear blades. These tools are employed in the precision cutting and shaping of diverse materials such as metals, plastics, and rubber.
2. Forming Dies: This steel is pivotal in manufacturing forming dies used in cold forming and shaping processes like bending, drawing, and extrusion, ensuring reliable performance and durability.
3. Cold Work Applications: Owing to its high hardness, exceptional wear resistance, and robust toughness, 1.2493 steel is indispensable in various cold work applications requiring precision machining and high dimensional accuracy.
4. Punching Tools: 1.2493 steel is essential in crafting punching tools used for perforating or stamping a variety of materials, including sheet metal and plastics, delivering dependable and consistent results.
Heat Treatment:
Annealing: To achieve complete annealing, uniformly heat 1.2493 steel at 800-850°C (1472-1562°F), hold it at that temperature for an adequate time, and then cool it slowly in the furnace to below 600°C (1112°F).
Quenching: Gradually preheat the steel to the austenitizing temperature range of 980-1020°C (1796-1868°F), then quench it rapidly in oil or air to attain full hardness.
Tempering: Immediately following the quenching process, temper the steel at 180-220°C (356-428°F) for 2 hours, and then allow it to cool in the air. This process optimizes the steel’s balance of hardness and toughness.







